National Coastwatch Institution Station

Polruan By Fowey

The port of Fowey is a very busy place. Throughout the summer all types of sailing boats, motor boats, ribs, gigs etc. are constantly on the move. There are also visits by cruise ships, fishery protection vessels, custom's cutters and the occasional warship. All year round cargo ships sail to the china clay docks further up the river. There is a foot passenger ferry running between Fowey and Polruan and a motor car ferry between Bodinnick and Fowey.

There are over 45 volunteer watchkeepers who man the lookout between 0800 and 2000 with three four hour watches in the summer months and between 0800 and 1600 with two watches in the winter months. The lookout is comprehensively equipped with VHF radios and a radio scanner, a weather recording station, high power binoculars and a modern RADAR set for use in bad weather.

Visitors are always welcome, although we do ask that children under 16 are accompanied by a responsible adult. The lookout telephone number is 01726 870291, and the duty watchkeeper will always be pleased to give sailors the current state of the sea as observed from the lookout, this is especially useful for sailors moored up the river who have no sight of the sea and its current condition. At present the station only has a license to transmit on the emergency channel (0) and can only communicate with other emergency services by telephone.

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