Thursday 19 August 2010

Boats, boats everywhere.

Salcombe is dominated by the water, boats of all shapes and sizes, from expensive motor yachts to kayaks, and movement is constant. Like Venice, but with all the water moved out to the side. Water taxis and ferries whizz around, moving people from one place to another.

The town itself is fairly small, and easier to get around than Fowey, the hills here being gentler and more rounded. It is dominated by the holiday trade, many of the houses being second homes or holiday lets. The recent money squeeze, plus the positive actions by the local council should help stop places like this becoming ghost towns in the winter.

There are still a number of small traditional boatyards along Island St, mostly specialising in power boats or the local clinker built style. Close by are the chandlers, that sell real yachting stuff, unlike the high street that sells expensive yachting lookalike wear. Divers don't spend much, but yachties are even tighter.

The harbour master issues all visiting yachts with a bottle of phosphate free washing up liquid to help look after the local environment, and the book issued talks further about protecting the marine environment.

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