Portpatrick
Robert Erskine MBE is a bit of a legend. We met after his weekly game of golf, by which time we had read of his exploits in the RNLI visitor centre, as he was coxwain of the lifeboat for 27 years! See slide 7. On the harbour cliff there is a very evocative sculpture in memory of the ferry MV Princess Victoria which went down close by losing 133 lives. This is a dangerous piece of water.
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Portpatrick is bang opposite Belfast and the only refuge port on the Scottish side of the infamous North Channel. Like so many harbours, it became a hub of transport with regular ferries as early as 1616, through to 1862 when the nearby port of Stranraer took over as the main harbour / train hub.
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Until recently the port had been privately owned, and very run down, but in 2015, led by Robert and others, the community secured £225k of "wind farm" money and sold 500 shares to the local community to create a Community Benefit Society who now own the harbour. Robert proudly showed us around the new facilities which includes a "Community Workshop" which anyone can come and use - that is just such a good idea!
It is now a thriving harbour, very popular with yachts travelling the North Channel, a safe haven in all respects and very pretty. As a yachtie Robert will always fit you in - his record is 98 boats all rafted up together. Thank you very much to Robert and his wonderful harbour! #portpatrick #portpatrickharbour
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Portpatrick is bang opposite Belfast and the only refuge port on the Scottish side of the infamous North Channel. Like so many harbours, it became a hub of transport with regular ferries as early as 1616, through to 1862 when the nearby port of Stranraer took over as the main harbour / train hub.
.
Until recently the port had been privately owned, and very run down, but in 2015, led by Robert and others, the community secured £225k of "wind farm" money and sold 500 shares to the local community to create a Community Benefit Society who now own the harbour. Robert proudly showed us around the new facilities which includes a "Community Workshop" which anyone can come and use - that is just such a good idea!
It is now a thriving harbour, very popular with yachts travelling the North Channel, a safe haven in all respects and very pretty. As a yachtie Robert will always fit you in - his record is 98 boats all rafted up together. Thank you very much to Robert and his wonderful harbour! #portpatrick #portpatrickharbour