Whitstable Harbour
Whitstable so much more than oysters.
Some Harbour Masters really "get" what I am doing and Mike Wier, was one of them. We had a lot to talk about.
Mike is rightly very proud of his harbour. When he arrived 20 years ago, the harbour was decaying and loss making... today it is thriving and profitable, a jewel in the crown of Canterbury Council.
After a career at sea with the South African Merchant Navy, Mike has been HM of a variety of harbours. Brixham in Devon, Unst in Shetland, and Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. He has even trained HMs in Sierra Leone.
Mike explained that running a diverse harbour is all about involving the whole community - the businesses, local residents, fishermen, visitors and commercial users. His technique is to get the community to solve local problems and he clearly has the knack. This small harbour now makes a profit of £250k used for re-investment. Other Council run harbours could learn so much from Mike.
The harbour itself is very commercial - not one for yachties - and as photo 4 shows it is full of fishing boats of all descriptions. In the corner, an outdoor community stage is currently adorned with support for Ukraine and he is about to let out the refurbished South Quay Shed to small food and retail outlets.
In the 1860s, 80 million Oysters were sent from Whitstable to Billingsgate market each year. Today the largest offshore beds in England still produce a staggering 4 million oysters each year - 80% farmed (rock) and 20% native. Each oyster takes up to 3 years to mature.
I have been in touch with Mike quite a bit since I visited him and I know he would welcome a knock on his office door if you ever visit his bustling harbour. Thank you "181" for all your interest in and support of my challenge.
I am slowly circumnavigating #GB to support @seafarers_kgfs The Seafarers' Charity
Mike is rightly very proud of his harbour. When he arrived 20 years ago, the harbour was decaying and loss making... today it is thriving and profitable, a jewel in the crown of Canterbury Council.
After a career at sea with the South African Merchant Navy, Mike has been HM of a variety of harbours. Brixham in Devon, Unst in Shetland, and Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. He has even trained HMs in Sierra Leone.
Mike explained that running a diverse harbour is all about involving the whole community - the businesses, local residents, fishermen, visitors and commercial users. His technique is to get the community to solve local problems and he clearly has the knack. This small harbour now makes a profit of £250k used for re-investment. Other Council run harbours could learn so much from Mike.
The harbour itself is very commercial - not one for yachties - and as photo 4 shows it is full of fishing boats of all descriptions. In the corner, an outdoor community stage is currently adorned with support for Ukraine and he is about to let out the refurbished South Quay Shed to small food and retail outlets.
In the 1860s, 80 million Oysters were sent from Whitstable to Billingsgate market each year. Today the largest offshore beds in England still produce a staggering 4 million oysters each year - 80% farmed (rock) and 20% native. Each oyster takes up to 3 years to mature.
I have been in touch with Mike quite a bit since I visited him and I know he would welcome a knock on his office door if you ever visit his bustling harbour. Thank you "181" for all your interest in and support of my challenge.
I am slowly circumnavigating #GB to support @seafarers_kgfs The Seafarers' Charity