Exmouth volunteer watchkeepers Julia Agar and Karen Goldby last week took the opportunity to sail with a local yachtsman aboard his yacht Rebecca, and extend their knowledge of the local maritime area while on board.

David (Bryn) Wilson offered this opportunity to show his appreciation and thanks for the work undertaken by the volunteers in the the Exmouth NCI lookout.

David calls on Channel 65 call sign “Exmouth NCI” when setting out from the estuary and finds comfort in the fact that he knows there is always someone there looking out for him should he encounter any problems.

The Exmouth NCI lookout is staffed by 50 volunteer watchkeepers who undergo an intensive training regime. They attend at least six full watches, being led and guided by one of the excellent team of trainers. This is followed by an assessment and a Royal Yachting Association VHF radio course.

David offers this opportunity so that watchkeepers can enhance their understanding of the sea from the perspective of the sailing community, to embed their knowledge of the local landmarks, coves, bays and to improve their understanding of the challenges of the Exe Estuary.

NCI volunteers are on duty 12 hours a day during July and August and daylight hours during the rest of the year. They look out for the safety of our beach and water users 365 days of the year.

Karen said: “It was a terrific opportunity to see everything from a different perspective, to be able to see some of the features on our charts in reality. We had a fantastic day, learnt a lot, David and his friend Barry were great company and the weather was very kind to us."

She added: "We would like to thank David very much for his generosity in offering this to Exmouth NCI watchkeepers. I would also like to thank Dave from the water taxi who ferried us to and from Rebecca.”

NCI Exmouth was established in 1998 and is part of the region’s search-and-rescue capability. It is part of the National Coastwatch Institution that celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019. It was the UK’s second busiest station in 2020. NCI Exmouth’s Queen’s Drive lookout is manned by some 65 volunteer watchkeepers.

Further information about Exmouth NCI can be found on their website: exmouthcoastwatch.co.uk