Clearance.

I finally had a letter from the Harbour Board this week outlining the clearance that is going on.

Apparently nothing is safe, they're even clearing the tenders from the beach.

Its a shame to see what were once good boats reduced to scrap, but there are too many boats that have been left to rot.

There's one wooden boat that the last owner spent hundreds on and then found it sunk one day. He found the previous owner had kept it afloat with wads of silicone sealant. The more he looked, the more rotten wood, holes and sealant he found. To be honest it was a blessing it happened while it was on a mooring: if it had happened at sea the story could be worse.

Fixing it cost more than he could afford so he walked away from the boat, leaving it intact on the beach with inboard and outboard attached. Everything is ruined after months of daily submersion, because the boat doesn't float any more.

There are a few wooden boats on the beach that have surpassed their owner's enthusiasm, skill and bank account and have been left to die an ignominious death.