The best laid plans…….

As we are sure you will be aware the weather has not been the best over this week and as a consequence we have had to delay the installation of the new pontoons.

It is now hoped that they will be installed towards, weather permitting the beginning of March. We’ll  keep you posted of any further changes to the schedule.

Following on from my earlier information regards the works to upgrade the harbour facilities I can now report that the second phase works to install the pontoons will commence week commencing 19th January.

Initially we will be lifting the baulks from the harbour entrance to allow the pontoons to be floated into the harbour prior to installation. Prior to arrival they will be delivered to Penzance harbour, craned into the water and then towed to Mousehole by local tug boat Danmark. It is anticipated that this can be completed within one day with the baulks being reinserted to provide protection to the pontoons and prevent any major loss of sand resultant from any future bad weather we have in the next couple of months.

The pontoon providers will then commence what is anticipated to be a two day operation to affix the pontoons to the vertical I beams fitted earlier in the summer. Once in place the pontoons will be fitted with furniture such as life rings and mooring cleats making them ready for use when the harbour reopens properly in the spring.

In addition to the pontoons, further works will commence on the South quay to install both the new crane and the electrical equipment to power it and provide power more generally to the South quay. Like the pontoon installation works will be weather dependent but thankfully forecasts are good so we anticipate good progress.

Should anyone have any questions regards the works we will be undertaking please don’t hesitate to contact either myself any of the commissioners who will endeavour to answer those queries.

 

As reported earlier in the year Mousehole Harbour Authority were successful in obtaining grant funding to improve facilities for fishers and boat users working from the harbour.

As you may have seen the first phases of installations  of these improvements are either complete or underway. One of the first jobs complete was the installation of the vertical “I-beam” girders that the floating pontoons will be fixed to early next year. Being towed round from Newlyn towards the end of January next year they will be fixed to the I beams and be capable of rising and falling with the tide to accommodate ladder free access to boats moored against them. This installation will necessitate the baulks being temporarily removed to allow the pontoon sections to be floated in after being towed from Newlyn post delivery.

In addition to the I beams you may have noticed works have also commenced on the South Quay both adjacent to the Rowing Club and along the South Quay itself.  This work is to install power supplies to the South Quay to provide power for the upgraded lifting davit and to provide us with power to more easily undertake maintenance jobs such as welding. Running tight to the quay wall along the quay wall ends of the quay parking spaces the cable will be both hidden from view and protected by a narrow band of cement capping mirroring the installation already in place of the North Quay.

In parallel with the power installation work, work is also underway to fabricate a protective enclosure for the equipment necessary to convert the power supply from a domestic type single phase power supply to a three phase power supply more able to handle the requirements of an electric lifting davit. Completion of this phase is entirely weather dependant and perhaps not surprisingly, posting this on the morning of Tuesday 9th December we won’t be doing any work today.

Should there be any questions about what we are undertaking please don’t hesitate to contact any of us for further information.

Stay safe.

Micky, Harbour Master