On Monday Making sure everything’s shipshape on estuary
I’VE just done my first duty back on the high seas again this summer as part of the crew for the Exmouth Harbour Master, patrolling the Exe estuary.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning and instead of being out on the BIG boat, the City of Exeter, I was with fellow crew member Martin in a smaller craft the cutter. I’m not allowed to helm at the moment without the boss being there until I’ve taken my level two powerboat-handling course so I was duty spotter! This entails making sure that everyone on the water is safe.
For instance if they’re water skiing they are in the designated area. If they are on jet skis they’re not launching or docking on the beach where children are playing and swimming or doing high speed donuts round anchored craft where folk might be fishing or kids just trying out their weekend inflatables or gently paddle boarding. And if there is a regatta pointing out it’s not funny to race in between the sailboats causing havoc. Of course making sure that nobody, but nobody, exceeds the speed limit of 10 knots!
There is plenty of room on the estuary for everyone to do what they want to do safely. Most people are pretty good if you ask them to cut their speed and politely point out where they can do what they want to do safely… but there’s always one!
This week is wasn’t some boy racer down from the Midlands trying out his new jet ski for the first time and showing off to his babe on the back, with perhaps a small child tucked between them, but an extremely well spoken 60 something out in his speed boat with friends for the day... exceeding the speed limit AND in the ski area!
I signalled to him that I’d like a word and almost before I could open my mouth Mr ‘I know the bye-laws and your boss’ decided to tell me in the most patronising tone that he was allowed to be where he was.
No matter how politely I told him he was mistaken he shouted over the top of me. For just one second I dreamt of paraphrasing Liam Neeson’s character in Taken.
“I don’t know who you are. But I have a very particular set of skills. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.”
Instead I smiled said “thank you” adding, without menace, “You have been warned!”
Now, the cutter has no on-board facilities, so it’s a bucket or the River
Exe Café whose proprietor the lovely Paul Craven lets us use his amenities, usually throwing in a coffee and a biscuit!
Guess which I prefer?
On this occasion I thought what the heck and pushed my luck seizing the opportunity to tap him up for a raffle prize for something I’m involved in at the moment.
Over the past few months I’ve been working with The Moving Tribe, part of Headway Devon, a charity for people with brain injuries, and we are planning Brain Aid at Manor Park Exmouth on 19th of June to raise funds. Paul didn’t hesitate. “Drop in the office and get a voucher,” he said.
We now have some fabulous prizes from people like Michael Caines and Michael Spiers Jewellers with more coming in all the time and our friend Julie is planning a 24-hour golf marathon. More about this event nearer the date!
So if the lovely ‘gentleman’ in the speedboat has something to offer that would be nice.
Perhaps a 24 hour sponsored recital of the bye-laws?
Most people are pretty good if you ask them to cut their speed… but there’s always one!