17th August 2017. For one week each August the usually tranquil town of Fowey attracts thousands of visitors who flock there for the Fowey Royal Regatta, one of Britain’s premier sailing events and this year NCI Polruan played a major part of the event.

Polruan station was actively involved in the planning and organisation of the event, working closely with the Harbourmaster, HM Coastguard and the Fowey Yacht & Sailing clubs. During the event, they also assisted the RAF’s world-famous aerobatics team The Red Arrows.

Following a three-year absence, the sky turned red, white and blue once again when the Red Arrows finally returned as one of the highlights of the Fowey Royal Regatta.Due to the introduction of new safety regulations, the display had to take place outside the entrance to Fowey Harbour. This meant that the ground co-ordination was based at the NCI Polruan watch station with ‘Red Ten’, the team manager, operating from the lookout. The station also hosted the display commentator for the display – another “first” for the NCI.

The display was a success and the Red Arrows unique diamond nine formation of Hawk fast jets gave a truly memorable and thrilling display of synchronized, formation aerobatics with the famous Synchro Pair performing their breath-taking “opposition” manoeuvres.

NCI Polruan also provided their own display with the events exhibition caravan on site to provide information about the NCI and the role we play in helping to keep people safe on the water. In fact, to emphasise this, the station assisted the Fowey RNLI Lifeboat in their successful rescue of seven persons from a sinking vessel by monitoring the situation and keeping Falmouth Coastguard updated on the situation.

Quite a busy and successful day for the volunteers at Polruan!

The photograph (courtesy of Station Manager Ray Rigg) shows ‘Red Ten’ along with the Red Arrows commentator and helicopter pilot outside NCI Polruan lookout.