Archive for February 1st, 2007

Big Brother

Coastwatch Station on St Albans Head 

This headland is several miles south of my house. I’ve paddled around it dozens of times, bouncing through the big tide race at the bottom. Most of the time I’ve been paddling without companions, but I’ve never been alone.

‘The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) is a voluntary organisation set up in 1994 to restore a visual watch along UK shores after many small Coastguard stations closed due to Government cutbacks. NCI is a registered charity and controlled by a board of Trustees with a Constitution agreed by the Charities Commission. In 1994 when two fishermen lost their lives off the Cornish coast below a recently closed Coastguard lookout, local people decided to open and restore the visual watch. When the first station was opened at Bass Point on the Lizard, NCI was born. During the next ten years other stations followed and at the start of 2006 we have thirty operational stations keeping visual watch around the coastline of England and Wales. NCI stations have been set up along the coast from Lands End in the South West to Hartlepool in the North East. Each station has a qualified and highly trained team to watch over its own particular area whether it is a popular seaside town, busy port or shipping area. Accidents will always happen at sea and along the coastline, wherever there is an NCI station a watchkeeper will be looking out for danger and ensuring your safety on the water.’ From the NCI website.

View from the St Albans Head Coastwatch Station

 


The Book

The Book

A Sample Chapter

Prawle Point in south Devon.

About

During 2006-8 I researched, photographed and wrote a sea kayaking guide to the South West of England; from the Bristol Channel to the Isle of Wight. I have used this blog to keep folk updated as to my progress and to reveal some of the wonderful scenery, culture and wildlife of this little corner of England.

Pesda Press Titles

 

Sit-on-Top Kayak Sea Kayak Navigation

 

Welsh Sea Kayaking Sea Kayak

 

The Northern Isles Scottish Sea Kayaking

 

Oileáin English White Water

 

Scottish White Water Kayak Rolling

 

British Canoe Union Coaching Handbook BCU Canoe & Kayak Handbook

 

Kayak Surfing The Seamanship Pocketbook

 

Scottish Canoe Classics Scottish Canoe Touring

More Good Reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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