AROUND THE PORTS

In February (when it looked like being a thin Flying Fish!) I wound up the computer and sent a circular letter off to all our ninety or so Port Officers. My invitation was to `tell us what's been going on in your part of the world. If you're one of those who seldom sees a foreign yacht, let alone an OCC member, perhaps a few facts about your area -- what the anchorage/moorings/marina are like, the facilities available, costs, communications, etc -- even a recommendation for a good pilot book -- might just encourage visitors to call'.

Almost immediately the replies started coming in, and it's been a delight to receive so many friendly letters from all parts of the globe. I'm only sorry that I haven't had time to reply to each of you individually but do please keep the letters coming. As well as being of practical use of members `in the field', a rich Around the Ports section reminds all of us of the truly international nature of our club.

Chich Thornton, Port Officer Perth, Australia

I'm afraid I have nothing at all to report! Fremantle seems to be off the beaten track for OCC members, and since the Pococks a couple of years back the only visitors seem to have been Americans who leave their yachts at the Fremantle Sailing Club as soon as they arrive and then fly off to America.

I think the inhospitable coast of the Great Australian Bight may be a deterrent, or the wreck-strewn coast of Western Australia. But the wrecks have been there quite a long time -- no GPS in the days of the Dutch East Indiamen.

Its many virtues -- climate, weather, cleanliness, healthiness, bright light, no pirates, friendly natives -- certainly have quite a bit of competition from the little bits of paradise that members do visit, especially some of the islands.

John Maddox, Port Officer Sydney, Australia

In mid-February I've just come back from visiting War Baby with Warren Brown and Jill Baty, who have come from New Zealand and will leave for a circumnavigation of Tasmania on Monday (see War Baby in New Zealand). The previous week Malcolm and Pixie Moore of Matador were here on a `flying visit' to see Malcolm's brother Philip in Sydney and Pixie's brother in Perth. They plan to revisit in their Rival 41 during a circumnavigation in a few years' time.

The Sydney-Hobart Race was good, though the three of us bringing the yacht back had a fairly rough passage across the Bass Strait. We were knocked down and the damage included a lost liferaft and one of my ribs! I'm sending you a piece about OCC participation in the Race and our return passage to Sydney (see The 50th Sydney-Hobart Race).

Harry Primrose, Port Officer Bahamas

I was glad to receive your letter and am responding accordingly with some updated information on the Bahamas. On entering, a cruising permit is issued which allows a yacht to cruise in Bahamian waters for one year without paying duty. An extension for an additional year is available for $500. The exchange rate is even with US dollars but Bahamian dollars are not readily exchanged elsewhere.

My familiarity is greatest with the nearby area of Abaco and much less with the rest of the Bahamas. There are quite a few good marinas and two shipyards in the central Abaco area. Adequate supplies of food and hardware as well as mechanical services are readily available in Marsh Harbour. Yacht equipment shipped in (with a copy of a cruising transire attached) is not dutiable but prices in general are high because customs duty is the chief source of revenue for the Bahamian government.

Anchorages are plentiful but any draught over 5ft will limit cruising in certain areas. Steve Dodge's The Cruising Guide to Abaco, published annually, which contains sketch charts with GPS waypoints, general info, history, and tide tables would be a very useful resource to have aboard. The price is approximately $12.00 including shipping (VISA & Mastercard are accepted) and a copy may be ordered directly from White Sound Press, 1615 West Harrison Avenue, Decatur, IL 62526. Phone orders: 1-217-423-0511; fax: 1-217-423-0522.

The Exumas are thought to be a little warmer than Abaco and a little further from the northers which come off the Florida coast, so are a popular wintering area. However Georgetown at the southern end of the chain, the main supply point with an airport, is frequently very crowded.

Harry Anderson, Port Officer Bras d'Or Lakes, Canada

With the Bras d'Or Lakes under a couple of feet of ice there is not much yachting activity on Cape Breton. We can report, nonetheless, that a triumvirate consisting of Henry Fuller who is owner and operator of the Cape Breton Boatyard at Baddeck, the Boatyard and myself have acquired the 46ft Sparkman & Stephens yawl White Mist. Originally the flagship of GW Blount White when he was Commodore of the CCA, she had been in the Grosvenor family (editors of the National Geographic) for two generations on the Lakes and is counter planked mahogany over steam-bent white oak frames.

We are putting her into the charter trade primarily for CCA members and their friends -- which indubitably includes OCC members -- so that my main craft remains the 40ft north coast Nova Scotian lobster boat, Annie B The latter's mooring in Maskell's Harbour, when not occupied by Annie B, is always available to CCA and OCC boats; there are showers and a telephone (902-725-2687 -- but no answering machine since the only power is propane) in the red barn on the peninsula visible from the anchorage.

Will furnish notes prior to the September deadline. In the meanwhile am off for the CCA mid-winter cruise among the islands of the north coast of Venezuela.

Mike Hillyar, Port Officer Representative Larnaca, Cyprus

Nothing much has changed at Larnaca since I sent the Cruising Information Service form to Jeremy Knox last October.

The franchise for the repair yard has changed hands and a new 50 ton travel hoist is expected in the next month. New pontoons are to be installed on the south side of the old jetty to replace the existing ones. Daily rate (minimum three days) is CYP 0.30 per metre per day; multihulls or exceptional beam, times 1.3, both subject to VAT at 8 percent. I enclose the latest price list from the Marina Office (now in the Cruising Information Service -- CIS -- files).

Both Larnaca and Sheraton Marina in Limassol are full during winter so early booking is a must. There is talk of five new marinas being built in Cyprus but so far nothing concrete has materialized.

Carl Freeman, Port Officer Representative Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

The past summer months have seen a number of yachts visit our shores, mainly short stopovers on their way to South Georgia and Antarctica. During December '94 it was pleasing to have two French, one American and one British cruising yachts join the local yachts and motor boats for a day sail to commemorate a local event. At the moment we have a Welsh yacht, Alarch Wen, cruising the islands.

The third leg of the British Oxygen Challenge has claimed three casualties -- the American Thursday's Child has had repairs to the mast step, Newcastle Australia arrived under jury rig to have a new mast and rig installed and the British entry Cornwall (Robin Davie) also arrived under jury rig to be fitted with a new mast and rig. By 21 March the first two yachts had left for Punta del Este to start the fourth leg, and Robin is due to leave today.

Although we are far away from most places there is a twice weekly RAF service from the UK and regular commercial flights from Chile. These enabled the necessary kit and professional riggers to make the repairs a speedy success.

It would be good to see more cruising yachts here -- a year has passed since an OCC member visited. Many months can be spent sailing around the many small islands, even though an extended stay at some places may be needed due to bad weather.

Helmut Bellmer, Port Officer Cuxhaven, Germany

Last year more than 6000 yachts passed Cuxhaven bound for the Baltic. In September/November we had Swedish member Walter Carl Robertson of Avatara in our harbour. He was coming from Sweden bound for the Mediterranean, but was swept onto the pier in the harbour entrance by the strong tide and suffered a broken mast. We assisted him in our yard and were able to give information and assistance as well as use of our telephone and fax. I have since heard that he has reached the Mediterranean via the French canals.

Ron and Marianne Sickler, Port Officers Flensburg/Kiel, Germany

Flensburg is a border town with Denmark, of about 90,000 inhabitants, lying on the Flensburger Fjord. It has several marinas but the best one for a short visit is in the middle of the town. Here you can stock your boat, deal with customs and enjoy the town. The Danish border runs up the middle of the fairway and you have to clear out of Germany officially. The stores you are allowed to take are normal, the hard liquor limited.

There are possibilities for wintering in Flensburg or nearby in Denmark. There are travel-lifts in Flensburg up to 20 tonnes. A good place to work on your boat is Marina Minde, five miles north in Denmark. There is no tide, but the current runs about 1 to 2 knots depending on wind direction. Also the water level differs about 1 metre due to wind direction and speed, which must be kept in mind when anchoring or mooring in shallow water.

The area is very beautiful, with friendly people and enough spots worth a visit. During the season it can be crowded in the marinas and favourite anchorages. Our method is to leave early and arrive early, which works well and gives time for walks or bike trips. The prices in Germany are around 2 DM per metre -- sometimes more, sometimes less. Water is mostly free, electricity 220 volt.

Just a few miles sailing brings you to Denmark, with lovely landscape and the opportunity for relaxed cruising. Sweden is about 180 miles direct -- with a bit of luck you can do it in thirty-six hours. From there on there is the whole Baltic in front of you. So why not start in Flensburg next time!

Lisa Carr-Grant, Port Officer Representative Kastellorizo, Greece

This island is now designated a Port of Entry, though the Port Police cannot issue OR receive Transit Logs. At present the only islands in the Dodecanese which can do this are Simi, Rhodes and Kos. If a yacht has to clear out from here, the transit log has to be sent back to Rhodes with a covering letter explaining why they couldn't hand it in before. It is possible to get passports stamped here -- ie. if a Turkish visa has expired. If you need to change crew here there are three ferries a week and, in the summer, Olympic Airways flights from Rhodes every day.

In accordance with every Greek island in the Dodecanese, yachts are now being charged per day whether tied to the quay or out at anchor (except in designated marinas). The charge is:

EU flag yachts: (per ton x 100 Gdr) + (per foot x 34 Gdr) + 13% tax

(So a 33ft, 9 ton yacht = 900 Gdr + 1122 Gdr = 2022 + 263 = 2284.86 Gdr. The price for the same yacht for a five day period would be 7356 Gdr).

Non EU flag yachts: (er ton x 150 Gdr) + (per foot x 50 Gdr) + 13% tax

(For a 33ft, 9 ton yacht: 1350 Gdr + 1650 Gdr = 3000 + 390 = 3390 Gdr).

Peter and Peggy Stevens, Port Officers Hong Kong

Having only recently joined the OCC as Associate Members and then being appointed Port Officers for Hong Kong, I felt that I ought to put pen to paper to let members know our credentials and also what Hong Kong has to offer the cruising yachtsman.

Peggy and I have only just caught the cruising bug and were infected as a result of a few days spent in the Bornean jungle with Peter and Rosie Barton in mid-1993. We were on a bird watching trip, they were on their way around the world. Their tales of exploits on the high seas so fired us that we came back to Hong Kong, put the house on the market and started researching boats. Now, eighteen months later, we are living aboard a brand new Prout Escale catamaran which is fully kitted out for blue water cruising and counting the days until we can get out there and do it.

As you can see, our cruising credentials are pretty slim, but our knowledge of Hong Kong is somewhat better. We have been officers in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force for nineteen years and know the place very well. We have extensive contacts in many fields including, latterly, the local boating scene. If we don't know the answers to any questions that members or visitors may have we can soon find out. We are very keen bird watchers and have travelled extensively in SE Asia and China.

There is a very active sailing community in Hong Kong, centred around the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club which is right on the harbour. They organise a number of major races throughout the year, the next being one to San Fernando in the Philippines over Easter. If you're into racing, you can be on the water every weekend in anything from a Mirror or Dragon right up to world class pedigree racing machines. Unfortunately, with space being at such a high premium, there are relatively few empty berths or moorings for visitors, what is available is generally expensive and one is required to join the particular club if staying for more than three months or so.

I am in the process of putting together a detailed database of all clubs and what they will (or will not) do for visitors. This should be ready in a few weeks and I will forward a copy to the OCC or will be happy to fax/post it to anyone who is interested. (The OCC copy will go straight into the CIS files). There are a number of medium to long-term visitors here, most of whom end up at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club. I will be including their experiences of Hong Kong from the perspective of a visitor arriving by sea in the information package mentioned earlier.

That's all for now, except to say that Hong Kong is one of the greatest cities in the world. It is safe, public transport is excellent and very cheap, and it provides a stepping stone to China or a good base from which to cruise South East Asia. With luck, over the next few years the coast of China will become more open to casual cruising and more secure than at present. Japan is also opening up, as is Vietnam, while those who have `been there and done that' reckon that parts of the Philippines are the best cruising grounds in the world. Come and see for yourselves!

Gulshan Rai, Port Officer Representative Bombay, India

The scare of a plague epidemic in the western part of India perhaps made all yachts, except one, skip Bombay or Goa and head directly to the Red Sea from Galle in Sri Lanka.

American yachtsman David Tillson, a hydrogeologist, sailed in here from the Philippines in his 40ft cutter Lizzie (named after his daughter). The yacht was built at Manila by Tsi, is fully equipped with two GPS sets (Raytheon and hand-held Magellan), Yaesus HF and 44hp Yanmar engine. The 14 tonne yacht is being crewed by Philippino Ms Della Reyes and, from Phuket to India, by two Canadian sailors. David's plan is to sail in the Asian Caribbean.

I met well known British yachtsman Chris Edwards at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. Chris has circumnavigated twice, in 1973/4 in the Whitbread Round-the-World Race and in 1978/9 with Robin Knox-Johnston. In 1983 he took three years sojourn to sail solo around the world. Now settled at Singapore he owns the 29ft Xiphias (a mythical controller of marine life) and races regularly. In 1994 he won the inter-island Asian regatta in which eleven yachts from seven nations participated. At present working on an assignment with Fugro Surveys at Bombay, his association with sailing and India goes a back a long way -- his father General Anthony Edwards was Commodore of the Nainital Yacht Club during the Raj.

Donal McClement, Port Officer Crosshaven, Ireland

Now with the peace firmly established in Ireland perhaps many more members will visit. We Irish can well understand the fears many people had but it is worth noting that in the twenty-five years of the so-called Troubles there were almost no incidents in the South of Ireland.

The coast from Cork westward to the Shannon Estuary must be one of the best kept secrets left in the world today. Totally unspoilt, uncrowded, good anchorages, excellent food and drink and prices that are much cheaper than the UK or mainland Europe.

Facilities are fairly limited but Crosshaven in Cork Harbour and Kinsale both have modern boatyards with travel-lifts and storage facilities. Kilrush Marina on the Shannon Estuary also has a good yard whilst Oldcourt near Baltimore is developing and Rosbrin near Schull can accommodate up to about 38ft. Typical costs for winter storage of a 40ft yacht range from about œ750 to œ1000, depending on whether the boat is inside or out in the open. These figures are for a twelve month period.

Marinas exist in Cork Harbour, Kinsale, Baltimore, Dingle and Kilrush and typical charges again for a 40ft boat range from œ14 per night, œ70 per week or œ1200 per annum. Harbour dues as such are unheard of and there are no restrictions in visiting any of the numerous anchorages along the beautiful coastline.

Ireland and in particular the South West is very well served by air and sea with Shannon Airport for transatlantic flights as well as UK and Europe, and Cork for UK and the Continent. There is also a small regional airport in Kerry for access to Dingle, etc. Cork has regular ferry services to Swansea, Roscoff, Cherbourg and Le Havre and the ferry port is only eight miles from Crosshaven. This means that Crosshaven and Kinsale are both ideal for crew changes.

The Irish Cruising Club's excellent Sailing Directions, South and West Coasts of Ireland is all that one needs for cruising this area and is available from most good chandleries, in the UK from Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd, or direct from the ICC Hon Publications Officer, Ms Barbara Fox-Mills, The Tansey, Baily, Co Dublin.

I would be happy to help in any way I can, with information etc, if members wish to contact me. Finally for non-EU nationals may I say that the Irish Customs authorities are adopting a most reasonable attitude to visitors and there is no difficulty in obtaining permission to leave a boat here for up to a year or even longer.

Maurice O'Keeffe, Port Officer Kinsale, Ireland

I hope the following information will be of use to our members:

Kinsale is a seaside town on the mouth of the Bandon River, population approximately 4000. Well known centre for yachting and sea angling. Good hotels, guest houses, restaurants etc. Cork City 30 minutes -- train connections to Dublin etc. Cork Airport 20 minutes. Regular bus services to city and airport. Excellent location for crew joining or leaving.

Kinsale Yacht Club -- visitors very welcome -- all usual club facilities of a high standard. Deep water yacht marina located in the centre of Kinsale. All usual facilities, rates: œ1 per metre + œ2 per night. European Blue Flag award.

Castlepark Marina -- all usual facilities, including ferry service to town. Rates: 31ft-40ft, IR œ13 per night. Discounts for longer stays.

Kilmacsimon Boat Yard -- construction, maintenance, repairs. Catering for boats up to 60ft and 40 tons. Full travel hoist and lay-up facilities. Interspray and Gelshield centres. Yacht brokerage and chandlery. Avon dealers and service centre.

Sailing Directions -- see previous section.

Meo Vroon, Port Officer Breskens, Netherlands

The Port Scaldis marina has had a facelift, and been enlarged by building a new seawall towards the east. This new development has been made possible by building three units housing 260 apartments with river view. Gone are the days of ground chains to hold the pontoons in place, sternlines trying to foul your propeller, and boatowners unhappy because they want to plug in and the box is full. Now all the pontoons have finger piers and every can boat have electricity whenever required. Work started last summer and should be completed by spring 1995. The clubhouse of the Jachtclub Breskens overlooks the marina and welcomes all visitors. The harbourmaster is Andr' Schoenmaker, who can be contacted by telephone at his office on 01172 1902, or on VHF Channel 31.

Rita Hayman, Port Officer Auckland, New Zealand

Mike and Rhonda Cheston have been at Westhaven for some time aboard their yacht Rakme but are now cruising in the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island. We also had a visit earlier this year from Kama Lua. Please, any visiting members do get in touch because it is always good to meet OCC members!

(Rita also sent an account of the OCC gathering hosted by Peter Aitchison, held on 21 February at the Royal New Zealand YC. This will be found in the accompanying Secretary's Newsletter).

Tim Thompson, Port Officer Christchurch, New Zealand

Beautiful weather this week, though we have had a changeable summer, wet and stormy for our Banks Peninsula Cruising Club picnic, which had to be cancelled.

There are great plans for our marina, which at present consists of a series of finger jetties with posts support floating tyres to which mooring ropes are shackled, enabling vessels to enter between, bow or stern to the jetty. Floating tyres form a long `breakwave' against the strong southerlies and a four mile fetch at high tide. A set of about 3 knots beam-on to the boats occurs for the first few hours of the ebb, making it difficult to approach or leave the moorings. The new plans are for a better breakwater and many more `pens'. We already have electricity, water and a telephone. Our yearly rate has more than doubled from $900 to $2000 per year.

Our club has a haul-out area and yachts of up to 6ft draught -- perhaps more -- can be hauled out by the tractor/trailer which lifts cradles by hydraulics. We are charged $100 for this. The local boatbuilder has a slip in the inner harbour which takes larger vessels, and there is a drydock for commercial craft. Tidal range is only 6-8 feet.

We have had about eight visiting yachts this summer and there is a German in now, but none were OCC members. We are worried about our Government bringing in a law to inspect yachts (including foreign flag vessels) leaving the country as to their safety gear etc, and the cost of $75 for an inspection. OCC members must be warned. It all blew up after the expensive search and rescue in the race to the Pacific islands last May.

We have a local pilot book, Cruising Banks Peninsula which I enclose. It gives information concerning weather, radio, fuel and water, anchorages, plans, chartlets etc. There are similar books for Marlborough Sounds and Auckland, which has large scale charts for yachtsmen. We have our favourite anchorages but do not publicise them to avoid overcrowding. Fright Bay at the south end of Stewart Island has room for one yacht at a time, safe in all weathers. In Lyttleton Harbour we have Port Levy, Camp Bay, Pile Bay, Puran Bay and Diamond Harbour, all pleasant places in various winds. (The very useful 82 page Cruising Banks Peninsula has been passed to the CIS files).

Rudolfo Burmester, Port Officer Representative Leix'es, Portugal

I enclose some documents regarding the harbours of Viana do Castelo and Leix'es from which you may learn about the facilities over there. (Now in the CIS files).

At Oporto, some floating pontoons were installed on the north side of the Rio Douro for the Henry the Navigator Tall Ships Race last year, but fearing the winter and possible floods they have been dismantled. It is expected that they will be put afloat again, but for the time being no one knows where.

Ann Melrose, Port Officer Ibiza, Spain

There is not a lot be said about Ibiza except that there are all sorts of rumours of ambitious plans for Ibiza town port which will include a new mole for cruise liners to lie alongside instead of having to anchor off and a new gas terminal. Already two new pontoons have been laid alongside the main ferry port, and this has attracted a number of large yachts (mostly British) to lie bow-in to the wall even though the facilities have not yet been fully installed. However the attractions of lying right under the walls of the Dalt Vila (Old City) are very evident and there are gates supposed to stop the uninvited walking onto the pontoons. The very large marina of Botafoch remains efficient and reasonably helpful though a long walk from the town, and there is also the Nueva Ibiza Marina a bit nearer the town. The Yacht Club is very friendly and welcoming. Anchoring anywhere in this area is no longer approved of but it is still possible to do so out near the `Far de Botafoe' lighthouse on the Punta Grossa, on the starboard hand going into Ibiza Harbour. The bay of Talamanca the other side of this headland looks very inviting but considerable care must be taken because it is very shallow.

The newish marina at Santa Eulalia del Rio is a delightful place to stay, and is very welcoming and efficient with good services and excellent restaurants both round the port and in town, only a short walk away. A call ahead on the marina frequency will secure a berth.

Then there is our own delightful Sant Antoni de Portmany (previously San Antonio but we have gone all Catalan). Here berths are few and far between, available only if any locals are away for a while, but the very efficient harbour master Juanito or one of his helpers will show where the holding is good for anchoring or allocate a mooring if one is free. Good showers, and a restaurant so good that we use it all the time...

So far I have been unable to discover the standing rates for marina berths, as they seem to have a system all their own which I have come to the conclusion depends on whether they like your face and/or your boat. Not one of them would commit themselves as to set rates.

Water is a big problem everywhere, normally being very saline in the ports -- when I had a yacht I used to sail over to La Savina, the main harbour on Formentera, to fill up. Here you check into the marina office and hire a meter which fixes on to the standpipes (nothing else will) and you then pay for the amount of very sweet water that you take aboard. Washing down boats is strongly discouraged. The only snag about going to Formentera is that at weekends almost every motorboat on the island seems to race across at high speed and they all converge on the rather narrow channel between Ibiza and Formentera. It is quite alarming but so far I have not actually witnessed a crash, though one (unlit) fishing boat did get mown down by a Sunseeker one night. We have fixed a pretty powerful stern light to our little Llaut (fishing boat), just in case.

There is one rather serious snag as far as navigation is concerned -- it is not unknown for the solar panels and storage batteries which supply some of the lighthouses to go missing, so it behooves everyone to make their night approaches very carefully. This applies particularly to off-lying islands, and not so much to thee passage to Formentara which is fairly busy.

The island is full of lovely anchorages, and apart from August there is always plenty of room once the locals have gone back to their own harbours, for they rarely stay out overnight. Restaurants abound, varying in quality, but they all sell fresh fish simply and well cooked and one can still catch the odd fish for the pot.

I hope to see some members here this summer -- I get terrible longings for a sail so enjoy listening to other peoples adventures. I reckon that a swimming pool was a poor exchange for my beautiful Mother Goose!

Keith Robinson, Port Officer Mallorca, Spain

George and Rosa Day, and sons Simon and Tim, have been wintering on their Masan 43, Clover in the Real Club Nautico Palma after a season exploring the Mediterranean. They are now about to haul Clover and prepare her for a May crossing from the Canaries to Florida direct, thus completing their circumnavigation.

Walter Robertson on his 28ft Great Dane Avatara arrived in Puerto Andraitx at the end of February. He left Sweden on 1 September 1994 and came down through the canals from Cuxhaven to the south of France in two months, 15 October to 15 December. All but five days were singlehanded. He crossed the Gulf of Lyons in January. At present Walter is also planning to cross the Atlantic in April/May so it was opportune to be able to introduce him to the Days on Clover for them to compare plans.

Santosh and Muditha Windsor, Port Officer Representatives Galle, Sri Lanka

The port of Galle is full of yachts since the beginning of this year -- all very happily enjoying Sri Lanka. I am happy to inform you that at our end things have changed to better prospects than before and we hope to be on a very good footing in the future. I will let you have some photographs in the near future for your information and guidance. (These will be placed in the CIS files).

Richard Naylor, Port Officer Marmaris, Turkey

Two bits of news: on the night of Sunday 19 March there was a serious act of malicious vandalism in Netsel Marmaris Marina, and unfortunately our vessel Bewildered was the target. The decks had recently been repainted and work was still underway. Someone threw paint remover into the cockpit, and onto the cabintop and decks to starboard -- the damage is in the region of 1000 GBP. To have this happen in a marina of the standard of Marmaris is quite worrying and both Turks and berth-holders are very concerned. There are signs of unrest in Turkey at the moment, and we are worried that this may be another act to hurt the tourist business.

On a happier note, for the last two years the Cruising Division in the Marmaris Race Week has been most successful (see Flying Fish 1994/1). The Race Week takes place at the end of October and all cruisers are welcomed. Prior to the Week we are considering organising a Cruisers Meet over two or three days in the area. Any members who are interested should contact me direct.

Ian Nicolson, Port Officer Clyde, UK

As a cruising ground this area is special, because it is `graded'. If you lay your yacht up on the Clyde, you can spend the first few days afloat just pottering in the local semi-sheltered waters, never far from a sailmaker, chandler, marina and all the other facilities one needs during a `tuning up' period.

Out of the Clyde, and heading north or west, one is off in the ocean but there is still plenty of semi-sheltered areas behind islands, and facilities are not far away. There are also local airfields in case you have to dash back to the office to grind out a few extra hundred-thousand of your home currency to finance the next few months afloat.

Further north and west the semi-sheltered waters are behind, but stilI within a day or two's sailing if the mast falls down or the engine seizes. For all these reasons, the Clyde is the ideal place to start or end a major cruise. It has a lot of special features which seem absent in the rest of Europe, like a sailmaker who often mends sails while you wait ... none of this `come back next week' nonsense. One can get wood masts made or mended, old boats rebuilt and so on and on. Above all there are spare moorings galore.

In much of England one pays as much for a year's moorings or marina berth as the purchase price of a small cruiser in Scotland. In Scotland there are places where a mooring can cost one tenth a typical English price. A few people in the know pay even less!

The Highlands and Islands Board, which is a sort of government charity aimed at keeping the remoter parts of Scotland populated, has laid visitors' moorings in all sorts of bays and creeks from the Clyde northwards. They cost nothing to use, and are normally within shouting distance of a decent hotel or pub or restaurant, or all three.

Anne Hammick, Temporary Port Officer Falmouth, UK

Mike Grubb is heading off shortly on another Atlantic circuit so I've offered to standing in for him. From June to August inclusive Wrestler can usually be found on a mooring not far from Falmouth Lifeboat; September to May I live in Falmouth Yacht Marina (which explains why my telephone is only plugged in part of the year). The Marina remains my permanent Falmouth mailing address.

Visiting yachts have much the same choice. Most moorings are administered by the Harbour Authorities, though the Royal Cornwall YC have five or six. The cost is identical, but if you can get a RCYC mooring you are entitled to the services of the very helpful boatman (who listens on VHF Channel 37 from 1030 to around 1830). The Marina monitors the same channel -- their facilities are good and staff helpful, though short-term berthing is pricey and it is a fair walk into town.

I'd be delighted to welcome any members who are passing through, particularly those from beyond our shores, and can offer assistance and transport within reasonable limits. Falmouth will again be hosting a West Country Rally (on Saturday 26 August), organised this year by Ben Pester. Last year's was great fun, so be there if you can!

The other event not to be missed is the `Falmouth Classics' -- half race, half parade of sail -- to be held this year on Saturday 12 August. The term `classic' is applied pretty loosely and in practice yachts of all ages, rigs, sizes and materials seem to be welcome.

Gary Naigle and Greta Gustavson, Port Officers Norfolk, USA

We are looking forward to the spring and summer as this will be our first real season as Port Officers. Last fall we received only one OCC yacht but I'm sure many others passed through before our appointment.

We enclose a copy of the spring '95 Port Officers Report, and would be happy to mail a copy to anyone coming this way. (The four page Report contains general information for yachtsmen; a list of marinas, marine services and suppliers; storing up advice plus a list of grocery stores and malls, and a town plan on the back. The copy enclosed has been lodged -- where else! -- in the CIS files).