Salcombe - visit or avoid ?

[Seajet]

A.F,

moving around to the bag would not have been 'fine', and the 35 knots registered was during a lull ! A 40'+ steel boat whistled past having broken her mooring, she would have disimproved us considerably if she'd hit...

With a 13hp engine and roller reefing main ( as came with the boat before I set her up ) there was no chance of moving her except in emergency, sailing her around.

I agree about the banging and clattering though, the snatching of the mooring and banging of the dinette bunk extension ensured sleepless nights and fatigue, a factor often under-considered.

 

[WestwardBound]

Thanks all for your opinions, I think if weather allows I'll pop in for a night, taking into account that it will be busy.

 

[photodog]

A.F,

moving around to the bag would not have been 'fine', and the 35 knots registered was during a lull ! A 40'+ steel boat whistled past having broken her mooring, she would have disimproved us considerably if she'd hit...

.

But what were you doing there in the first place!

Anyone who takes a mooring downstream of the bag deserves all they get!!

 

[whisper]

But what were you doing there in the first place!

Anyone who takes a mooring downstream of the bag deserves all they get!!

Rather harsh methinks, if this was his first visit.

 

[Seajet]

I take it you've never been in a harbour when a gale has come up then ! While a bit more experienced now ( I'd only been at it since 1972 ) I don't have wizard-like forecasting abilities, and neither did the Met Office in those days ! More to the point, a relatively secure mooring with a water taxi available was preferable to the bag.

I'd make the same choice again, despite the lack of sleep; it was simply a case of waiting for the gale - and the waves it generated at the bar - to subside, simple...

And it wasn't my first visit, I knew the place well.

To explain a little more, a Carter 30 with a 13hp engine driving a 2-blade folding prop', and a roller reefing main which set like a sack, was not going anywhere under much control in a severe gale !

Naturally these snags were rectified, but that was the first trip we undertook in that boat; strangely enough my present, 22' boat would have had complete control authority under sail...

 

[photodog]

I take it you've never been in a harbour when a gale has come up then ! While a bit more experienced now ( I'd only been at it since 1972 ) I don't have wizard-like forecasting abilities, and neither did the Met Office in those days ! More to the point, a relatively secure mooring with a water taxi available was preferable to the bag.

I'd make the same choice again, despite the lack of sleep; it was simply a case of waiting for the gale - and the waves it generated at the bar - to subside, simple...

And it wasn't my first visit, I knew the place well.

Its never comfortable off the town.... its open to anything from the SWish.... plus with all the traffic!

 

[snowleopard]

But what were you doing there in the first place!

Anyone who takes a mooring downstream of the bag deserves all they get!!

Sometimes you aren't given the choice. They normally put bigger cats on the moorings opposite the town. We don't roll like monos but it is still not very pleasant.

 

[photodog]

I'm surprised that you dont go up Frogmore... we cant get up that high as we draw too much... so we drop in as close as we can to Holwell point... and its lovely...Some nice walks ashore and a bit of a pebblely spot to land...

Saying that.... it can get busy up there nowadays.... must have been 15 boats or so with us last time.... and we got wacked by a wayfarer as well...

 

[longjohnsilver]

Can't agree about the Dartmouth harbourmasters! They were princely with us on several visits over last summer! Very kind, very helpful, very affable. Dartmouth was really memorable and I plan to go back frequently this year.

.

Being based in Dartmouth and often listening on C11 to the HMs and knowing a few of them I'd say you couldn't get a better bunch of guys (and gals), always polite and helpful.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Being based in Dartmouth and often listening on C11 to the HMs and knowing a few of them I'd say you couldn't get a better bunch of guys (and gals), always polite and helpful.

Hear! hear!

And they hand out a really good harbour guide, and the best weather/tidal info I've had in any harbour.

 

[KAL]

Being based in Dartmouth and often listening on C11 to the HMs and knowing a few of them I'd say you couldn't get a better bunch of guys (and gals), always polite and helpful.

Much agreement! Our mooring is up from Dittisham and we often spend the weekend in Dartmouth if there's not time to go elsewhere. The harbour staff have always been the best. here's to Scottie, Mike, Keith et al - there'll always be a bacon buttie if you're peckish lads.

 

[snowleopard]

+1

 

[jamesjermain]

Please have a chat to him about it. Perhaps he will remember coming to have a chat with me when I was anchoring up - and telling me that there was no charge for a short stay while I waited for the tide.

Give his assistant my regards - we met in the rugby club (I was the referee) and I talked to her about the negative reactions lots of us have to Salcombe. If I remember correctly she said a lot of the locals come and drink at the Rugby Club as its so much cheaper than town!

Good Grief! I'm surprised there are enough people left in Salcombe in the winter for form a rugby 15!

 

[whisper]

They even have a 2nd 15 - becomes a problem if there's a lifeboat shout.

 

[whisper]

And Now

Yesterday they completed 10 or so day's dredging work in the Kingsbridge Basin. Mud is now all flat and welcoming!!
The method used was, prior to HW, agitate the bed with strong pumps then rely on the outgoing tide to take the suspended material approximately 4 miles down stream and out to sea.???
Our boat is about 200m downstream of the dredged site and is now sitting about 6" higher than it was. Can't think why!!

 

[john_morris_uk]

Good Grief! I'm surprised there are enough people left in Salcombe in the winter for form a rugby 15!

There certainly are - lots of housing at the top end of the town and lots of people. The RFC is very popular and they get a few people come to watch their games. I have always enjoyed refereeing at Salcombe RFC, but I was promoted as a referee last year and haven't been back to the town to referee for a while. Perhaps I will be appointed there when I return to the Uk in a few weeks time?

 

[Robih]

I'd say you couldn't get a better bunch of guys (and gals), always polite and helpful.

Seconded.

 

[snowleopard]

2 years ago one of the harbour patrol guys overcharged us by charging the rate for a walk-ashore pontoon when we were mid-river. After leaving I compared the receipt to the published charges and twigged what had happened so I emailed the HM office. They promptly sent me a cheque for the (substantial) difference.

 

[Robin]

Another plus vote for Dartmouth, very helpful and friendly as well as being a reasonable price. Only downside unless it changed recently is the fuel prices.

 

[whisper]

Another plus vote for Dartmouth, very helpful and friendly as well as being a reasonable price.

"Only downside unless it changed recently is the fuel prices." Afraid not!! Devon Marine Fuels (also own the Salcombe barge) sell, AFAIK ,the most expensive fuel in the SW.