52°26'.2N ~ 001°43'.8E

~~~~~~~~~~~Ever Watchful~~~~~~~~~~~

Life at the station starts at 0800 each day, summer or winter, seven days a week, and continues until 1600 in the winter and 2000 in the summer. There are three watches split between these times with one or two, or sometimes even three, watch keepers on duty.  Having hung up our coats and put the kettle on for a brew it is down to business for the day.

Equipment has to be switched on and checked, marine VHF radios for monitoring shipping traffic, radar for surveillance of passing ships, UHF radios for our beach patrols as well as the emergency mobile telephone in case our normal telephone link fails. Off with the covers on our binoculars and then a quick sweep around the horizon to make sure that all is well.

All being well, it is then time for gathering the local weather and sea conditions and then reporting in to the Coastguard at Great Yarmouth by radio to let them know that we are now on watch,  If they require it we also send a local weather and sea state report to them by radio.  Then we are ready to settle down for our watch.

Just north of us is the port of Lowestoft, the most easterly point in the United Kingdom.  It used to be a busy fishing port with large fleets of trawlers and herring drifters.  With the demise of the fishing industry we rarely see these any more with the exception of inshore fishermen and the occasional visiting trawler.  We do get some commercial traffic calling into the port as well as a number of Government and Naval vessels. 

Off with the covers on our binoculars and then a quick sweep around the horizon to make sure that all is well.

The tower to the left of the lighthouse has our "X Band" Marine Radar Radome mounted on top.

The view to our north with the port of Lowestoft in the distance

The villages of Pakefield and Kessingland still have a large number of small fishing boats launched from the beaches.  A sharp watch has to be kept out for these as they tend to keep close inshore.  With our view inshore restricted by the cliffs we only have a few minutes in which to spot and log them before they go on their way.  Anyhow, we invariably get a cheerful wave from them as they pass, we have heard a rumour that one of the wives of the skipper of a beach boat doesn't like her husband going out unless she is sure that we are on watch!

If the watch keeper is satisfied that you know your stuff then they can sign their name against the subject that they have tested you on on your training record.  We you are happy with what you have done then you can arrange for our training officer to come in and let you sit your written exam.  Then you can become a qualified watch keeper.  It doesn't require a degree to pass the exam, just common sense and the willingness to learn about the job and help other people.

Maintaining training standards is important.  Every year the station is examined and checked by the Coastguard in order to ensure that we are up to the standard required to keep our "declared facility status".

The view to our south with Kessingland beach in the distance.

Informing Great Yarmouth Coastguard that the watch is now manned and opened.

Another welcome interlude is also provided by visitors from the holiday camp. 

The camp is full almost all year round and we get many visitors from the camp visiting us at the lighthouse.  We always give any interested visitor a warm welcome and are happy to let them see and use any of the many pieces of equipment that we have in use.

We are a purely voluntary organisation, watch keepers even supply their own uniform!, and many of the visitors kindly leave a donation in our collecting box on the way out.  We do joke that "we don't charge you to come in but we do charge to let you back out again!"

Coastal erosion is a major problem around this part of the coast

Ever Watchful

A new watch and the checks and routine starts again.

You don't have to be an ancient mariner to join us, in fact none of us could claim that title, although any knowledge of matters nautical is useful.  Our watch keepers come from all backgrounds, occupations and age groups. A good pair of eyes (with or without glasses!),  common sense and a willingness to learn and help are the only qualifications that we require.  Physically fit?, well if you can climb the two short flights of stairs to the top of the lighthouse, then you have passed the physical exam! 

Beach safety takes on a new meaning and priority with holiday makers arriving on the sandy beaches found in this area.  Don't ever be complacent near the sea particularly if you have children with you.  Inflatable mattresses, boats and rings can turn a fun day at the seaside into one that you may always regret.  We think that they are best left at home, there are still plenty of ways for the kids, of all ages, to enjoy themselves. 

A passing yacht, about two miles offshore, heading south against the wind and tide.

Beach safety takes on a new meaning and priority with holiday makers arriving on the sandy beaches found in this area.

Thanks to the generosity of our visitors and local businesses, the lighthouse is fairly well equipped and is able to deal withy many types of emergencies.

We have three marine VHF radios.  Two of these are dedicated to monitoring channels 14 and 16.  Channel 14 is the local port operations  channel for Lowestoft harbour and we use it to identify many of the vessels entering or leaving the port.

Channel 16 is the main maritime calling channel and until February of this year was the main VHF channel used for transmitting Mayday distress calls.  Most of our watch keepers hold a Certificate of Competence for using the radios, those that don't have will find themselves doing the exam for their certificate normally within a year of joining us

Although we are allowed to monitor these channels, our licence does not permit us to transmit on any channel other than channel zero.  So please do not try to contact us by radio, although we may be able to hear you, we are not allowed to respond to your transmission..   

We recently also took delivery of an electronic weather centre which was kindly donated to us by Pontins Holiday Centre.  It is linked to a whole load of sensors mounted outside the lighthouse and enables us to pass on accurate weather readings to the coastguard.

Heavy mist or fog is probably one of the most dangerous things that you can encounter at sea and also is the one thing that makes our job of watching and observing most difficult. 

To help us, under these conditions, we have a radar system in use at the lighthouse.  This enable us to track both large and small ships at all times including those when visibility has been reduced.  Take it from us, when we have a really heavy mist you can't see far out of the lighthouse!

Under normal conditions we can spot ships up to about 9 or 10 nautical miles away.  As you've probably already guessed we have to get used to nautical terms and a mile at sea, what we call a nautical mile, is different to a mile on land.  It's 2,000 yards as against 1,760 yards for a land mile.

Our communications panel housing our electronic weather station and two VHF radios. One radio, bottom right, is set to channel 0 and is used for communication with the emergency rescue services.

The radar display mounted in the lighthouse.  If you want a better view then just click on the picture.  It may take a little time to download.

Thanks to the generosity of a web site, AIS Live, we are now able to use this technology and view it on our computer system.

So, as any one visiting us can see, we have plenty of things to do and enough modern equipment to help us.  Having said that, sometimes the best piece of equipment that you can have is still a good set of eyes!

So time on watch passes and before you know it you look up at the clock and it is almost time to close up the station.  Another weather report and then getting the station ready for the first watch in the morning.  A final radio call to the coastguard to let them know that the station is closing,  put tomorrow's tide times up on the tide board, take our flags down and switch everything off for the night (except the heater in winter of course!).