St Andrews (E Scotland) Harbour update

[sarabande]

I was in Fife last week and wandered round a few ports and harbours. There was recent comment here about St Andrews and the harbour being out of use. Here's a pic of the upgrade to the harbour gates; they are all hydraulically powered.

I am told it should be about 2 weeks (mid July-ish) before the rest of the control gear is in place and operational.

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[Topcat47]

I suppose it depends on who you talked to there. My take on the local scuttlebutt was that the old gates suffered from neglect over a considerable period prior to their failure. The harbour is open to the public and boats there are vulnerable. There doesn't seem to be a lot of confidence that things are going to improve. Last I heard was there was a boat torched and it's near neighbour scorched by the fire. Other boats have been broken into and security is not great. Shame really.

 

[Romeo]

I suppose it depends on who you talked to there. My take on the local scuttlebutt was that the old gates suffered from neglect over a considerable period prior to their failure. The harbour is open to the public and boats there are vulnerable. There doesn't seem to be a lot of confidence that things are going to improve. Last I heard was there was a boat torched and it's near neighbour scorched by the fire. Other boats have been broken into and security is not great. Shame really.

I don't think I would class St Andrews as a particularly rough place! It is a fine east coast stopping point, if you have a smallish boat that is capable of taking the ground. If you are only happy in harbours that are not open to the public, you will miss out on the best places on the Scottish East coast, but hey ho, more room for the rest of us.

Is the plan to use the gates to keep water in the inner harbour now?

 

[yodave]

St Andrews is far from rough, but I agree that the harbour is not inline with the town. It was a real disappointment, where it should rightfully be one of Fife's finest cruising venues.

Public access? It's not a marina, but unlike many Fife harbours it seems to attract a glut of visitors that seem quite happy to leave their rubbish at their butts ...and it makes for a shabby environment.

I won't be stopping off there any time soon. Shame, but that's how it is.