How all this started...

Looking for some resources for a workshop I'm doing on Saturday, I stumbled across this old piece of work, the piece of work that started me on the rocky road to On A Shout. This feature was for the illustrious publication the Holderness Advertiser, back in the day. I'm not sure when it was in, 2001 I think, maybe 2002.


REMOTE. Desolate. Isolated. Anyone would think that Spurn Point didn't have anything going for it. However, this unique location is a place where you can be at one with nature, the Humber Pilot and Britain's only full time lifeboat crew, as DAVE WINDASS discovered . . .

ANYONE that has driven down the narrow concrete road leading to Spurn Point will have asked themselves the same question: "Will this journey ever end?" Ten miles an hour on a bumpy surface for three miles is no fun. And just what is at the end of the road?

For one, there are bird spotters, as ever out in force. For another, there is the crew of the Humber Lifeboat, carrying out routine maintenance between calls. Then there are the team of Humber pilots, ready and waiting to assist ships in their safe passage down one of the country's most treacherous estuaries. There are empty beaches, a lighthouse, the Humber Pilots Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) tower, a cafe and...and...oh, there's plenty.

Remote Spurn Point is unlike anywhere else you are likely to visit. It is, if you allow your imagination to run riot, like something from another planet.

For people seeking a natural day out, this is certainly the place to head. A nature reserve owned and managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Spurn's mud flats are the perfect feeding grounds for wading birds. The peninsula is also the perfect place from which to spot birds migrating to sunnier climes. Bird spotters head to the Point in their droves, in the knowledge that this is one of the most important sites in Europe for wintering and migrating wading birds and wildfowl.

Andrew Gibson is the new Spurn Nature Reserve officer. He said: "Two different types of people come here. There are those that want to experience the wildlife and natural history and then there are those that just want to wander on the beaches, to have a day out.

"There are some misconceptions about Spurn. Some people think that it's an island, which it isn't of course, it's a narrow, vulnerable peninsula. Spurn is desolate but that it one of its most appealing features.

"This is a very natural environment. It would be easy to think, we'll add new features for visitors but if we added too many it would become just like the things that people come here to try and get away from.

"Right now, at this very moment, there are around 20,000 birds feeding.

"We own and manage the land, right down to the low level water. So, even if you are on a beach at Spurn, you are on land owned by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

"Why is this a bird spotters' paradise? How's this for an example. On Sunday September 22, at 6.12pm, there was a Black Browed Albatross here. That is a very rare sight. But the chance of seeing birds like that is what draws the enthusiasts here."

John Bennett, a bird spotter down for the day from Barton-upon-Humber, agreed. He said: "On a typical day, you will see a lot of migrants heading across the east coast. This is the perfect place to spot birds. This morning, for instance, I spotted an Arctic Skua. The beauty of Spurn is that you feel at one with nature. If you want solitude, this is the place to be."

Spurn Point is actually made up of material that washes down the coast from the North. It is a constantly evolving piece of land, being eroded and re-formed as mother nature goes about her business. History suggests that Spurn point is on a 250-year cycle of breach and re-growth. Areas where recent breaches have taken place can be seen from the road diversions on the famous bumpy road, originally built at the time of World War II. The area known as Narrow Neck was built up to defend it in 1860 - up to this point it was constantly wave swept.

While cars can travel down the road at a cost of £2.50, perhaps the best way to enjoy these natural surroundings is on foot, providing you're confident you can manage the 3.5 mile walk to the end.

While the atmospheric surroundings are totally unique, it should not be forgotten that there are two functional and essential services housed on the Point. The Humber Lifeboat - manned by the RNLI's only full time crew - is stationed here, as is the Humber Pilot, whose jetty is situated on the Humber side of the Point and their VTS tower located on the North Sea side. Both services are tenants of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

The first lifeboat was stationed at Spurn Point in 1810 and the crew was made up from the men of Kilnsea. The lifeboat then was a ten oared boat and carriage costing £284. Today's Severn class lifeboat - the Pride of Humber - costs more than £1.4m. The RNLI took over the lifeboat operation in 1911.

The Men of the Humber Lifeboat have been awarded 33 RNLI medals; 3 Gold, 13 Silver, 17 Bronze and also awarded one George Medal and an MBE. The MBE recipient was none other than the legendary Brian Bevan, who retired last year.

Dave Steenvoorden, second coxswain of the Humber Lifeboat, has been on Spurn for 12 years. A former Grimsby fisherman, Dave said that the team of seven is a tight knit group.

"We are a very close team. We're well drilled and when we head out on a job we can read each other's minds.

"We work seven days on and one day off and we're on 24 hour call. Our main bread and butter work is maintaining the lifeboat and the station, and we have to keep in form with regular exercises. I would say, on average, there is one call out per week.

"The Humber is a very hairy waterway. If we were to compare traffic levels to those on a road we'd be looking at the M25 so, when we're heading out on a call it's similar to crossing three lines of motorway. The Humber is also notoriously difficult to navigate - one minute you'll be in water 50ft deep, then nearly to ground the next.

"We have a close working relationship with the Humber Pilots and in emergency situations they will route shipping around us, to allow us to cut across traffic.

"Living here is very strange. When I started in this job an old hand gave me some good advice. He said I should, without fail, try and get off the Point on my days off, make sure I have regular holidays. So I make sure I follow that advice."

Dave's wife Karen operates the café situated near the Lifeboat station."It's a bit of a sideline," says Dave, "It gives visitors somewhere to get a snack and provides us with the extra money to get off the point when we need to.

"For me, life revolves around the boat and the chance that we could get a call at any minute of the day. It's an unusual place to live, an unusual job but I would say that my quality of life is excellent. There are seven families here, and eight school-age children and we all know each other and have bonded in a way that would not have been possible if we lived in more conventional surroundings. There are definitely more pros than cons to being here."

Gary Hartley, launch coxswain for the Humber Pilot, said: "Currently, we have around 34 staff here. Our vessels include five pilot launches and four conservatory craft, used for surveying the estuary. There are three launches here on the station, which allows us to get out to vessels when needed. The Humber is the busiest estuary in the country, there is a huge volume of traffic here and all have to be piloted up and down to ensure safe passage. Given the volume of traffic there are remarkably few incidents.

"The tower allows us to monitor traffic. Day to day tasks include ensuring that we have enough fuel here to power the boats. That sounds easy but this is not the simplest place to get to, we've been cut off a couple of times.

"As for Spurn itself, this can be a perfect place given the right conditions. There are no amusement arcades, just beaches and nature and, although winters can be a bit harsh and it becomes a bleak place to work, there is always somewhere to get out of the wind. I actually live in Hull but I often bring the family here for a day out."

Visitors can see for themselves this natural beauty. As well as birds, Spurn is full of flora, and supports a unique selection of species. The dunes are full of Marram Grass, while the mud flats contain Sea Aster and Glasswort. The most visible plant life is Sea Buckthorn.

There are also many species of moths and butterflies, while the most observant of visitors will spot rabbits, weasels, foxes, stoats, field mice and even Roe deers. As there is a chance that, at some time in the future, Spurn Point may split from the mainland, perhaps you should head down that bumpy road while you can.

For more information about the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, visit the website www.yorkshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk.

For more information about the Humber Lifeboat and a history of the Spurn Bird Observatory, visit the website http://www.spurnpoint.com/lifeboat.htm

FACT FILE
Spurn point is situated on the north bank of the entrance to the River Humber.

Spurn stretches 3.5 miles into the Humber estuary.

Spurn's mud flats are a major feeding ground for wading birds.

Spurn is full of the remnants of military fortifications.

The rail lines that are still visible led to Kilnsea Camp during World War I.

Spurn was an important military base during the Napoleonic war and World War I and II.

Spurn is a National Nature Reserve owned by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust since 1960.

Spurn Low Light was built in 1852.

Spurn Light House was built in 1895.

The RNLI's only full-time lifeboat crew live on Spurn.

The Humber Pilots' control centre, situated at the very tip of Spurn Point, monitors shipping on the Humber, while pilots navigate vessels down the estuary.

No dogs are allowed on Spurn Point.

Warren Cottage, which stands at the entrance gates along with the Information Centre and was built between 1840-50, houses the Spurn Bird Observatory.

Tags: On A Shout, Spurn Point

Come back to what you know...

Back to Spurn for a photocall for the RNLI's Compass magazine. Funny times for a writer - the play, conceived between my ears when out strolling beside the River Humber and written, mostly, on this machine now resting on my lap and in my dining room, is now taking on a life of its own. People are taking a serious interest in the words on the page, it's no longer my play but our play, I'm a very small cog in a big machine. Which is how it should be but it's a bit like handing over one of your children to a foster carer.

Somehow, 15 minutes into our coffee-fueled chat, I ended up taking a fitness test involving stepping on an off a box to a pre-determined rhythm and designed for lifeboat crew. Apparently, if my pulse had been two beats per minute higher I would have been asked to step down from the crew - if I'd been a member of the crew, that is. Thankfully, I'm a writer and it's perfectly acceptable for me to be totally unfit and a borderline heart attack candidate. No, it's not - I must sort myself out.

Spurn Point Warden Andy Gibson - man in charge of the nature reserve - confirmed, as we drove in, that local history group SKEALS had block booked a huge chunk of seats for the play and will be arriving en masse in a coach. Which is just one of many nerve-wracking nuggets of information keeping me awake at night these days.

A gent from KCFM - head of news Wesley Mallin - arrived to interview coxswain Dave for a feature about emergency services. Which was very opportune for us, with press officer in tow, and we ended up being interviewed too for a separate piece. As I'm still mentally ordering my thoughts on the latest draft I was probably at my incoherent best. Apparently it will be broadcast over the weekend.

Tags: On A Shout, writing, Spurn Point

On board...

Coxswain Dave gave an impressive display of his trim-tabs, demonstrating how the pitch of the Pride of the Humber can be adjusted to suit the conditions (given that the water was ridiculously calm, there were not a lot of conditions to deal with but I got the idea), and showed off his echo sounder, which, as it provides a readout of the depth of the water, allowed him to nuzzle her right up to the Spurn beach without running aground, a move which baffled a few people fishing there, I think. Dave's a feet and inches man, the readout's in metres, which means that, as well as looking at this dazzling array of equipment and pondering on rescues about to take place, he also has to do a swift mental conversion. It struck me that to grapple with all that goes on here and amid the adrenaline rush and confusion and the constant battle with the elemements that must accompany a shout, that Dave and his crew must have to have co-processors installed in their brains.
"This," says Dave, surveying the array of stationary vessels in front of him, "is the Humber's car park."
An hour later and that was that. We were sat having a cuppa outside the cafe that Dave's wife runs, met a couple of the young children that live here too and Dave did a nice monologue about the importance of his pager, how his clothes are always ready to leap into at any minute and how that, if they're stood at the checkouts in a supermarket and a bell rings, they always jump thinking it's the bell back in their house on Spurn. This, quite obviously, is a job that never stops for these heroes. Although it does have to fit in around domestic chores. "We do all that. Ironing, laundry, we're all just having new dishwashers installed. Which probably means they're closing the station."
I have, of course, kept the best bits to myself. For now.


On A Shout opens at Hull Truck Theatre on January 24th, 2008.

Tags: On A Shout, Spurn Point, RNLI, lifeboats

On a pleasure trip...

Down to Spurn Point to experience the ride of a lifetime. We were blessed with ridiculously calm waters and, of course, some amazing company. Impossible not to admire these men and I apologise in advance if anything that follows seems flippant or disrespectful. But, I can vouch, these men are also 'ordinary' blokes too, who survive the rigours of the job with heavy doses of black humour. In comparison to what they do, writing seems such a lightweight occupation. Strange, then, that they live in a place - isolated, dangerous and incredibly unique and inspirational - that would be the ideal home for a writer.
We were on board for about an hour and given a full tour of the Tardis-like Severn Class Pride of the Humber; a mircaulous craft, make no mistake, and the wheelhouse a technical extravaganza. A mesmerising explanation of the electronics - radar, GPS, laser chart plotter, echo sounder and other mysterious devices, accompanied by a cup of coffee ("a lot of time when we've plotted the course and are heading out to a shout, all we can do is drink a cuppa until we get there") was followed by a below deck inspection where we got a sneaky peek at her gleaming ("we can instantly spot a leak") twin 1600 bhp Caterpillar engines, the unfathomably large seating area ("we can strap people in down here") where 61 people were once accommodated on a rescue, and the toilet ("we don't use it, it's a cupboard for the vaccuum cleaner. Unless someone really needs it. We just go over the side"). Then it was back up top, for the hotly anticipated but, frankly, rather scary "I'll chuck it about a bit" moment. In reality, the chucking it about a bit moment was much more fun than it had been made to sound and an impressive display of what the Pride of the Humber is capable of. As I battled to keep my stupidly self-inflicted the night before going out with a lifeboat crew hangover in check, coxswain Dave demonstrated how quickly you can bring her to a full stop when you're belting along at 25 knots. He then told me to take the wheel, but only with one finger ("the steering is incredibly light, eh?" It was, I must say, a damn sight easier to handle than the beat-up broken-down Citroen ZX I've been driving of late). But I was in fear of breaking this piece of blue and orange kit, given that it's worth around £2m, and feeling inadequate given that I was in the immediate company of a highly-decorated genuine contemporary superhero. I was at my most vulnerable when the immortal words sprang forth: "This play, then. Are the lads gonna enjoy it and will it be a good crack?"

...to be continued

Too real?

As a man that literally throws away hours of his time gawping at all incarnations of Big Brother I suppose I better express my thoughts on the recent shenanigans. It's certainly an uncomfortable viewing experience, and Brecht would be impressed with the alienation techniques at work. There's absolutely no doubt that racism has reared its ugly head - the housemates can't blame dodgy, out-of-context editing for their bigotry. But I'm not expecting Davina McCall to give any of the guilty housemates a grilling when they exit the bunker to their deserved chorus of boos. Nah, she'll talk about the important issues. Such as...erm...erm...nope, sorry, can't really think of anything else that's happened. She'll think of something vacuous, though, our Davina, she's a master at that. I'm thinking, though, that the reason CBB is such an awkward, horrendous experience for us audience members this time around is that those people slobbing around on the sofa really are a true representation of the worst, shitty bits of British life. Ladies and gentlemen, this country is home to many racists and, ooh, look, there they are. And when those racists are not called to task over their misguided views, it reminds us of the times when we've not intervened when we should have. Or it does me, anyway, and, as I watch these morons, I'm growing increasingly appalled. I've met the likes of Goody, O'Meara and Lloyd in the real world. Okay, the ones I've met aren't Z-list celebs nor footballers wives, but they spouted the same nonsense, and, like H from Steps, I've failed to confront them. Never again, though, I'm certain of that. For once, reality television is just what it says on the tin. And it ain't nice, is it?

Back to Spurn today, to gather some research and admire the choppy conditions out on the Humber. With Force 10s on the way the crew were all set to head to their second home at Grimsby (they move there when the wind is high, as otherwise it's impossible to launch the lifeboat). But it was the coxswain's wife I'd come to have a quick natter with, and she explained life at Spurn over a nice cuppa. We sat and talked in the control room. It looks like this:

Tomorrow? No Spurn, just J Arthur Rank, which is coming along nicely, thanks for asking.