What is the worst marina/ harbour you have ever been to?

[cliff]

We usually call in at Tobermory a few times each season and have found Jim and Barbara to be nothing but helpful on every single occasion. I'm sure that plenty of others in here will agree.

+1 though I usually drop the hook not far away - leaves more beer tokens for their intended - hit the pier and top off the water - go drop the hook - hit the mishnish for a few drams and some food followed by a few more drams then back to the boat to sleep it off.

 

[Melleman]

Fecamp.
- rafted 5 deep
- lots of swell
- no shore power
- showers filthy

+1(in bad swell)

 

[Lucky Duck]

When did you visit? I have stopped by a reasonable number of time in June and in early August and never had any difficulty getting a finger berth usually with shore power.

That said one visit to Fecamp was ruined by a very loud pop concert being staged on the car park by the marina office

 

[FleurDeLys]

Re Tobermory

We, too, are regulars and cannot fault the staff for their welcome or service (it can get a bit like herding cats in the 'rush hour' for the last few berths!)

Our only complaint about Tobermory is the stupid arrangement that the loos are locked overnight. A real nause for tide-dictated early/late arrivals and departures, and inconvenient (pardon pun) on social evenings ashore. Having seen the local rugby club vaulting the turnstile to cram '3 in a shower' (and then leave the otherwise spotless place awash in beer bottles until next cleaning round - thanks guys), I can see the issue in part, but perhaps a switch to a coded door rather than the coded turnstile would help this?

Otherwise, excellent facility.

 

[Storyline]

You have made a personal attack on an individual well known to many on this forum. I believe that you should withdraw the post.

Without any explanation from you, I find it absolutely unfair and extraordinary that a public forum should be used like that. We usually call in at Tobermory a few times each season and have found Jim and Barbara to be nothing but helpful on every single occasion. I'm sure that plenty of others in here will agree.

Just to join in with the Tobes lovefest, the HM has also been very understanding with charges when we made an unplanned visit and we're stuck for a few days when swmbo was recovering from a broken rib.

To answer the op, our worse experience was our first ever cruise in 1990 when for some crazy reason (no pilot,just charts) we decided to go into Balbriggan going north from Dublin. Really did not know what we were doing in those days, having only once been out on the Mersey before 6 of us set off to cross the Irish Sea (had done RYA theory & practical courses though). Anyway, the weather was foul and we decided to pull in and threaded our way up the very narrow harbour past loads of fishing boats and no other yachts. Tied up at the top of the harbour and cracked a can and then an anonymous voice came over the VHF on 16 and just said 'if I were you I would take that ensign down now'. Did as we were told and decided to go ashore for a pint - what a dump that place was, normally I like quirky, even run down bars but this place took the biscuit. There was nowhere we even considered so hot footed it back to the boat, spent the evening onboard and left at first light in the morning. That was many years ago, maybe now it is a trendy suburb of Dublin !

Edit: just had a look at it on Google Earth and it appears most of the harbour has been filled in - not stupid the Irish

 

[Daydream believer]

Ironically, and with great sadness, have to report Port Ellen on Islay - on one of the most beautiful islands on earth - as a major disappointment. Marina pontoons next to ferry terminal, grain dock and grain drier/silo which all produced round-the-clock noise. Facilities in a 'garden shed' 200m from the pontoons. Inadequate loo/shower provision, and what there was was permanently wet and 'less than clean'. This despite some of the most cracking hot, dry weather imaginable. Massive disappointment.

+1 for that. bypassed it on my second circumnavigation. Apart from the performing seal it was hopeless, with the local shop selling dodgy stale food as well

 

[Daydream believer]

I have never taken my boat there, but Peterhead marina must be a bit grim. No pub etc nearby, and sited in the middle of an oil service base. No wonder it is cheapest rates in all uk in annual magazine surveys.

A well placed staging post for a trip from inverness heading south though. Toilets Ok has a laundry & the harbour master Ok. Have to walk .5 miles to the cafe & no idea where the pub is. Spent a week holed up in bad weather in 2014

 

[Daydream believer]

You have made a personal attack on an individual well known to many on this forum. I believe that you should withdraw the post.

Without any explanation from you, I find it absolutely unfair and extraordinary that a public forum should be used like that. We usually call in at Tobermory a few times each season and have found Jim and Barbara to be nothing but helpful on every single occasion. I'm sure that plenty of others in here will agree.

If the author found the place uninviting then he is entitled to say so. Just because you have a thing going with the harbour master does not mean he has to stay silent for your benefit. I accept his comment as reflecting his experience. No need to insist he removes his post. That is censorship
If you found the place then Ok just say so. We will not object, but if we do not agree that is our choice surely

 

[ianj99]

Just for God's sake don't come to Scotland instead. The cleggs race the midgies to drain you of blood and strip the flesh from your bones, we eat nothing but deep fried Mars bars and minced offal and it rains every day without fail from 1st May till the end of October. Definitely not a place to visit. Stay in the Solent, boys.

You forgot to mention the unintelligble accent - Google Translate not yet available...:nonchalance:

 

[Sgeir]

I accept his comment as reflecting his experience.

What experience? He provides no explanation, just makes a snide comment on a public forum against an identifiable individual who (AFAIK) doesn't even post here. Perhaps you think that's acceptable behaviour?

No need to insist he removes his post. That is censorship

I'm not insisting; it's a suggestion. Dave should either put up or shut up, IMHO.

On a wider issue, Scuttlebutt is a great sailing forum, but snide unsubstantiated comments about individuals who service the sailing community do not reflect well on us.

 

[wully1]

Arrived piss-wet through on a Service Sadler 34 on a January evening having been battered stupid all the way round the mull. Heading for a shoreside shower and drink in the Royal Hotel, I stepped off onto the pontoon in the dark and slid right off the other side on a thick slimy layer of seagull ****. Made it out of the water with no fresh clean clothes left and only one deckshoe. Dragged some 'less' smelly clothes out of the dobey bag and managed to get to the hotel in one piece. The lift broke down on the way to what I think was the 4th floor, stuck for nearly an hour. Slipped over in the bath while showering and broke 2 ribs on the bath-side. Stumbled to a series of nearby pubs (in the pissing rain) where my "nutter magnet" was stuck on full-power. 8 pints, 4 fights, 3 or 4 drams and a bag o' chips later.... back to the boat...

Slipped over on the pontoon for the second time... covered in sticky, stinky shite from head to toe again.

I bloody hate Cambletoon...

blaming the Wee Toon for your own clumsiness is a bit rich.

it does have plenty nutters though...

BTW, did you win any of your 4 fights??

 

[Thistle]

Much like Jumbleduck I can't say I've ever been to a really bad one. Looked at St. Malo visitor's pontoons from the ferry terminal once and decided to give it a miss.

St Malo's not bad. Not nearly as much noise from the ferries as you might think and decent facilities. Steep climb up to the quayside at low tide. The old city of St Malo is well worth a visit and there are several good restaurants not far away at Quai Solidor.

 

[Thistle]

Port Edgar was great under the bridges, but they employ a woman ("Control") who doesn't much like her work or yachts, perhaps.

Judging someone or somewhere over the vhf is a tad harsh, perhaps? I've been based at Port Edgar for several years and have always found the staff - all of them - to be pleasant and helpful. Criticism of the facilities - from the 24hr access which isn't always possible at the lowest tides, to the ex-RN buildings left when they pulled out in the middle of last century - would not get any argument from me. On the positive side, the marina has recently been taken over by new owners who are already improving things with better parking, some of the worst buildings demolished and plans for new ones: hopefully a marina on the way up.

 

[Jonas]

blaming the Wee Toon for your own clumsiness is a bit rich.
it does have plenty nutters though...

I resemble that remark!
The old wooden pontoons were very slippery though, and plenty of gulls around too. The GRP replacement was much better for grip.
The pontoons have now been removed and are being replaced with a new arrangement on piles, with finger berths and a wave-break at the far end. Since this is being done by the council there are no guarantees, but with a fair wind come the spring we'll have a nice new berthing facility available for visitors - without rafting! The town is also much improved over the past few years with redevelopment for example of the Royal Hotel, the Town Hall is also being refurbished. We now have 4 (I think) distilleries so the town is officially classed as a 'whisky area'.
Can't comment on the quality of chips or fights though...

 

[NormanS]

If the author found the place uninviting then he is entitled to say so. Just because you have a thing going with the harbour master does not mean he has to stay silent for your benefit. I accept his comment as reflecting his experience. No need to insist he removes his post. That is censorship
If you found the place then Ok just say so. We will not object, but if we do not agree that is our choice surely

I cannot believe that the complainer had a bad experience with the harbour staff at Tobermory, unless perhaps his own attitude and approach caused it. The guy in charge is a respected local yachtsman, who is actually well known for his helpfulness.
It is also interesting that on another thread, the complainer, who seems to complain quite a lot, is asking for information about sailing on the West Coast, which suggests that he doesn't know it well. Maybe he can be more specific in his complaint?

 

[Dave-Shafa]

NormanS am always complaining but perhaps you with your superior know how can tell me the best way to get to the West Coast?
My ship is in Inversnecky near the A9. TIA

 

[Laurie]

Bradwell. Horrible location, ran onto the mud on the way in although there was supposedly enough water for us, ridiculously tight berths and approaches. I have never been anwhere with so many instructional notices - 'No cleaning bait in the wash basins' being one that remains in my memory. Says something about the clientele perhaps.

Boulogne not amongst our favourites either. Big flow of water through the pontoons at some states of tide, accompanied by a horrendous sewage smell from the water above the weir.

Conversely, we like Ramsgate a lot. Have berthed in the inner and outer harbours and dried out for a scrub near the slip on the NE side.

Enjoyed Ramsgate...and often put into Bradwell...beautiful spot, 2 places for food (not the happiest bunny in the clubhouse!) and need a bike for shop. Good showers. Never been to a bad ...marina. Not hearing good stuff about St Kats though.......

 

[Dave-Shafa]

The question is :: What is the worst marina/ harbour you have ever been to?

Apart from Balamory the worstest harbour I was in was Kharg Island (Persian: جزیره خارگ‎) a continental island in the Persian Gulf belonging to Iran.
The heat was hot enough to boil ma brains. A wee truck took us miles to the mision where we could only buy coca-coala.
Perhaps Balamory was on second thoughts, worser.

 

[NormanS]

NormanS am always complaining but perhaps you with your superior know how can tell me the best way to get to the West Coast?
My ship is in Inversnecky near the A9. TIA

Just keep heading East. You'll get there eventually. Of course, I may be wrong, as I don't claim to have any "superior know how".

 

[Lucky Duck]

Enjoyed Ramsgate...and often put into Bradwell...beautiful spot, 2 places for food (not the happiest bunny in the clubhouse!) and need a bike for shop. Good showers. Never been to a bad ...marina. Not hearing good stuff about St Kats though.......

I try to avoid the clubhouse at Bradwell if at all possible.

St Kats remains one of the best locations to visit on the East Coast but they do make things a lot harder than they need to be!