Let me take you back to 1994. At this time the Coast Guard maintained many small stations around our coasts, some no more than lookouts, most of these were forced to close because of government rationalisation and modernisation. Shortly after this lives were lost when two fishermen drowned near the site of a recently-closed station at Bass Point, Cornwall.
This tragedy caused a public spirited group to band together and the National Coast Watch Institution was formed. Registered as a charity No 1159975 it campaigned for the re-establishment of a visual watch in Cornwall. This was opened at Bass point near the Lizard in November 1994.
Other stations quickly followed and by the end of 2012 there were 49 stations around the coast of Great Britain.
Today there are over 2000 volunteers maintaining a visual and radio watch in lookouts around the coastline of the British Isles. Additionally the larger stations maintain a RADAR watch. Emergencies are reported to the appropriate authorities for action, usually HM Coastguard. Last year (2011) a total of 190,039 man-hours watch were carried out by NCI Watchkeepers, who recorded over 424,497 commercial, military and leisure vessel movements, and reported a total of 304 incidents to HM Coastguard, Fire, Police and Ambulance services, of which 53 were NCI-initiated Lifeboat rescues.
We also dealt with numerous minor incidents such as lost children, carcasses, large debris or drums of chemicals washed upon the beach.
This all adds up to a worth-while project which is in need of volunteers.
If you feel that you could devote some time to this, contact our station manager and join us.
Contact [email protected]