BEWARE "another Solent, south Brittany or Channel Islands, full of huge tinkling soul less overpriced marinas and concrete blockhouse lavatories".
Quoting the British journalist and sailor, Libby Purves, the west Cork port of Baltimore has drawn up a development plan for the harbour to improve safety, develop tourism, cater for the fishing and leisure fleets and island traffic without opting for a marina.
The £3.3 million plan has local support, says the Baltimore and Skibbereen Harbour Board which commissioned it from Cork Regional Technical College's nautical enterprise centre.
The safety and viability of Baltimore as a fishing port, tourist centre and "gateway" to the offshore islands of Cape Clear, Sherkin and Hare hinges on its implementation, the board says.
The problem is that Baltimore is not earmarked for EU funding under the 1994 1999 Operational Programme for Transport. As the board points out, the harbour is central to the town's tourist base, yet construction on land has not been matched by investment "on sea".
The port landed more fish than Union Hall, Co Cork, in 1994; yet Union Hall has received £1.8 million for its harbour development. The Minister for the Marine, Mr Barrett, has said he will "review" the progress of the ports programme, without giving any specific commitment about change.
Safety is one of the main justifications for State support, the Baltimore board says. While the island populations are falling, the number of visitors is rising by about 10 per cent a year.
Between 1989 and 1993, there was a 45 per cent increase in passenger traffic to Cape Clear, while approved tourist bedrooms on the island also doubled in that period.
There have been consistent difficulties with berthing space. Passengers often have to clamber over boats, and 60,000 visitors a year have to use worn steps built in the 800s.
The harbour also attracts marine tourism. The Cork RTC study notes that for every £10 spent on berthing a boat, another £100 is spent ashore. A previous proposal to run marina type pontoons in the harbour ran into difficulties with local fishermen, and resulted in a court injunction. Part of the pontoon structure was relocated to Sherkin island, while the harbour board has taken a section on a lease purchase basis for use off the ferry pier.
Despite its location, Baltimore has consistently created employment by expanding existing industry, the plan says. Over 15 years ago, one of its boatyards employed 115 people in the village. The yard was closed in 1984 but reopened again in 1992.
The plan should "give something to everybody" without causing conflict, according to Mr Kieran Cotter, chairman of the harbour board and coxswain of the Baltimore lifeboat. For the fishing fleet, it aims to provide more and better space.
For the island ferry traffic, it proposes widening and shortening the existing ferry pier, and building a sheltered waiting area and ticket office. For anglers, divers and local small boats, it recommends a separate slip.
Embracing all this would be the major investment, construction of a breakwater to the west of the ferry pier, with berths inside it for visiting yachts.
The plan also recommends providing tourist and laundry facilities for visiting yachts, an inshore lifeboat slip, a harbour office and RNLI operations room for the lifeboat, and a better roll on/roll off slip for transporting vehicles to the islands.
"This is one of the fastest growing villages in west Cork, percentage wise," Mr Cotter said. "It relies heavily on tourism, but without its fishing fleet, its sea traffic and its harbour there wouldn't be any Baltimore at all."
