Recently, I had the unwanted experience of being that man. You know the one, the bloke who stands on the harbour wall looking on with utter wonder as you cruise by on your boat. Yes, I was he who looks on enviously and I didn’t like it. I’m used to being on that boat. But it did serve to remind me of that extra ‘kick’ a boat gives to your life. I’ll give you an example.

A few years back I was fortunate enough to visit Lake Como, in Italy, to test a new sportscruiser and I had a wonderful time. It was so enjoyable that I went back for a holiday. This time round it was still very nice, with the food and the lakeside villas, but without a boat it felt, well, normal. Even worse, I was normal, lumped in with everyone else, a mere spectator. What I would’ve given for a boat, just a little one, to go off and explore in, or better still, to moor up in one of the small harbours that dot the lake’s boundary. I think there’s something very special about arriving by boat.

The reason for my more recent land-based distress was a trip to south Devon, right in the middle of the storms. Actually it was fantastic down there; the scenery, the coastline, the enormous crashing waves...perhaps, in this instance, I was best off on land. It was a truly exhilarating experience, made all the better by the friendly charm of the people we met.

However, a  potential banana skin was Salcombe. Once a jewel in Devon’s crown, it has become an expensive no-go area for many boaters, its reputation plummeting to the equivalent of a theme pub; it looks bright on the outside, thanks to all those freshly painted second homes, but its soul has been lost. Places need people, diversity, a bit of hustle and bustle. That’s how they develop character and depth. Clothes shops and builders’ vans are poor replacements.

It has to be a major concern when once great coastal towns surrender their marine roots in favour of real estate profit. But there is good news. Salcombe’s harbourmaster, Ian Gibson, is shaking things up, working to add new pontoons, facilities and even a boat-to-boat licenced grocery service, run by the local fishmonger. If all goes well, perhaps Salcombe will get its soul back and we can all experience that buzz of arriving into a fabulous harbour.

Carl Richardson, Editor