Harbour expects to be busy after Covid, Brexit

When harbour master David Barker looks out at the view from his office window, he would usually see a hive of activity at this time of year.

Boats would be rafted across the pontoons, many people would be milling about, different languages would be heard, and there might be a tender from a cruise ship going back and forwards.

On this weekday, however, it is quiet because Guernsey’s borders remain restricted, and although local boat owners can still go out, they have to sail within the Bailiwick bubble unless they want to return to two weeks’ compulsory quarantine.

Another challenge is Brexit because as the regulations start to take shape there are consequences for sailors.

There are only a handful of Customs clearance ports around the Bay of St Malo, including St Malo itself, Carteret and Cherbourg.

Local boats can still go to smaller ports like Dielette, but they have to call the harbour authorities there before they arrive, and the details will be passed on to the nearest clearing ports.

Guernsey has always been a popular stopping off point for boats, and harbour master Captain David Barker does not anticipate that Brexit and the new rules will change that.

The phones have been ringing with pent up demand, and the harbour authorities are waiting for the green light from Public Health to start taking bookings.

As a test of demand, even during border restrictions, the isolation pontoons in the middle of the Pool have had good use.

‘For example at the weekend we had two French boats come in. One was on its way from Roscoff round to Cherbourg and another one was from Gibraltar going round to Cherbourg.

‘We aren’t encouraging that, but quite often by the time they get here if they’ve battled their way across the Bay of Biscay they’re quite tired and are looking for a rest.

‘And because we’ve got the isolation pontoons we can offer them a shelter. We don’t encourage them to stay overnight but if they really have to they can do that, rather than sit out somewhere at anchor.

‘But in a normal season when there isn’t a global pandemic on, we get an awful lot of those boats.

‘We also get races, groups of sometimes 300 yachts, who use us as one of the destinations on their race and are maybe going from France, through here, to Cornwall and back again.’

Before boaters race to hit the water further afield when the restrictions are lifted, Captain Barker urged caution.

‘Despite the fact that this is a strange season, the same sea safety messages go out to boaters and they’re the three Ps. So prepare yourself and your boat properly, provide the right equipment, and perform responsibly when you’re out on the water.’