9th September 2017. Watchkeepers at the National Coastwatch are volunteers who keep an eye over the seas to keep sailors and their vessels safe from harm. The Porthdinllaen station, one of the charity’s 52 lookouts, eight of which are in Wales, is based at the ex-Coastguard facility on the Nefyn and District Golf Club course.

As the ‘Eyes Along the Coast’ the watchkeepers were featured last month on ITV’s Coast & Country TV program and one of the watchkeepers interviewed on TV stressed that anyone, whatever their background, can volunteer to train as a watchkeeper. The bulk of this training takes place at the station, sharing watches with experienced watchkeepers. A spokesperson for the National Coastwatch at Porthdinllaen said: “There are short training courses on specific subjects for those interested. Porthdinllaen Station’s most recent, and spectacular, training course involved a ‘rib ride’ through the Menai Strait to learn about the significance of the buoys and other navigational aids in the area. Those who took part appreciated the need for the waterproofs handed out before their trip! We are always on the lookout for new volunteers – most watchkeepers do two or three watches per month – so if you are interested please visit the national website at www.nci.org.uk for more information”.

Photograph of the watchtower at Porthdinllaen courtesy of The Cambrian News.