At the SAMIC2017 Maritime industries conference taking place at Port Elizabeth’s Boardwalk Conference Centre today and to-morrow I was reminded of one of the focus areas of Operation Phakisa.
SMALL HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT – which needs to be a liitle bit SHOUTY for our city fathers to read!
Ponder on this:
If we establish a small boat harbour just across the road from Bayworld we could leverage Boat Based Tourism in a very accesible and tourist friendly way.
No waiting for the PE Waterfront.
No waiting for the Manganese Ore and Tank Farm to move
No need to put dolphins back in Bayworld – a short trip into the bay will reveal thousands
AND a much needed impetus to our claim as the watersport capital of Africa.
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Alan Straton
Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth.
Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
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An emailed comment from Lance:
Greetings Alan,
I am in two minds about the small craft harbour.
I believe the waterfront is the correct place for it and I would also have a concern that by building one it would take the pressure off on moving the existing facility. Any breakwater needed for a proposed harbour would without any doubt whatsoever change the floor pattern, the currents, the waves and possibly quite a few other.
Having said that it WOULD offer opportunities to be different again to any other city in SA. Nowhere else is there a setting so unique. In order to help it pay for itself this would be an opportunity to build up to date boat-building and repair facilities —-but that could also happen (probably less expensively) at the waterfront.
The pros and cons seem to balance out quite evenly on this one but personally I would stick with the waterfront —-it just seems more “right” for me and the “unknown” results of a breakwater etc give me concern.
Very interesting—-would love to be able to sit in on the brainstorming sessions