A Decade of The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Stations in Cornwall.

The National Coastwatch Institution is a totally voluntary, independent organisation without grants or Government assistance. Every penny comes from public contributions, corporate sponsorship and local fundraising.

In 1994 when two Cornish fishermen lost their lives within sight of the empty HM Coastguard lookout at Bass Point, a group of local people, decided to set up an organisation to restore visual watches along the UK coast. The National Coastwatch Institution was born and the first station to open was at Bass Point in December 1994.

Putting eyes back on the coast quickly caught on and at the start of the third Millennium there are are increasing numbers of stations open around the shores with further sites coming on-line this year and others being investigated.

There are many cases each year where rapid and catastrophic failure aboard both small craft and fishing vessels has led to loss of life. In many cases there has been no time to get an emergency message away or vital communication equipment has failed, and in doing so has meant yet another vessel has just "disappeared". A capsized yacht can easily lose all contact with the shore and only the human eye can pick up a distress flare out at sea. Windsurfers, swimmers, canoeists and divers can be swept out to sea in strong winds and currents with no way of communicating when tragedy strikes.

High technology and sophisticated communications systems have vastly improved safety at sea but accidents can happen to experienced seafarers as well as novices. High-tech may fail or not be available just at the time when being seen is essential. This is where "eye-tech" and the National Coastwatch Institution comes to help.

Next Page ->