Old Gaffers visit Poole Quay, Dorset

Poole is my home port.

Many claim that Poole Harbour is the third largest in the world or largest in Europe. They do not seem to have taken Plymouth Sound, Southampton, Falmouth, Milford Haven, Sydney harbour, Hong Kong or San Francisco among many others into account.

No, Poole harbour is the most beautiful, that’s what it is. Based as it is on the eastern edge of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, famously now a world heritage site, more than half of Poole Harbour’s one hundred mile coastline is protected countryside. There are many sites of special scientific interest. Mind you the coastline is much less than one hundred miles at low tide, in between the two double high tides from which Poole benefits. There are at least six islands at all stages of the tide which include the National Trust’s Brownsea, the birth place of Baden Powell’s Scouts.

Poole Town Quay's modest size belies its history as a Roman, Medieval and eighteenth century port known for its profitable trade with Newfoundland. In the nineteenth century Francis Frith’s photographs show it crowded with sailing trading vessels. The Port is now the home of Sunseeker luxury motor boats as well as Brittany Ferries to Cherbourg and the Channel Islands. Then there is mostly modern yacht racing in the harbour and divine cruising around that coastline and the islands.

It is a treat when each May members of the Old Gaffers Association gather alongside the quay. The assorted gaff rigged boats come from all along the South Coast, mainly the Solent. Sadly, very few of them are locally based.

The choice of gaff rigged boats in this tallshipsandsmallships.com collection is too many to list but do consider with the east coast smacks and Falmouth Working Boat (both in sailing fishing boats) but do consider Pilot Cutters racing around the isle of White 2003 for your display .