THE marina project at St Sampson’s Harbour is entering its final stages. All the inner harbour pontoons, which will provide 120 berths, are now complete.

Scaffolding has been erected at South Side in preparation for the installation of a gangway, which should go in sometime next week.

Once this is in place, the Harbour Authority will install the services to the pontoons, including water and electricity.

‘We are very pleased with the pontoon system – it has fitted very nicely,’ said harbour master Captain Robert Barton.

Work on the outer harbour is almost down to the dredge level and most of the excavation is complete in preparation for installation of the piles.

‘We have to install the tidal drop gate and once that is installed and we have finished the ends of the fill, we can remove the access road that runs from the Crocq beach to the gate,’ said Capt. Barton.

This is likely to take a couple of months to finish and then it will be ready to install pontoons for 230 berths in the outer harbour.

‘It is still hoped that boats will be on the pontoons before the end of the year.’

He said that he had had nothing but compliments about the pontoon system and how it looked.

‘It looks user-friendly and well made and is low-maintenance.

‘It will be a 350-berth marina that lots of people can benefit from and it will be a great asset for the harbour and its users.’

Work is also continuing on the retaining walls and drainage for the land reclamation area on North Side.

As soon as that is finished, material that is currently stored in the car park opposite Vale Castle will be removed and taken to the site.

The area will be used for boat layouts and maintenance.