Following the formation of the partnership between the Merchant Navy Association (MNA) and the RNLI last autumn to promote the RNLI's Respect the Water Campaign on the UK's inland waterways, the RNLI has recently re-branded its former Community Safety operations as 'Water Safety'.
For some years, the MNA Boat Club has operated a scheme to promote maritime safety under the brand name 'SeaVue'. SeaVue is whereby Boat Club members act as watchkeepers to "Spot, Plot, and Report" incidents, and potential hazards to alert the Coastguard accordingly, in a manner very similar to the National Coastwatch (NCI) operating from their fifty or more look-outs around the coast.
Given the involvement, the MNA Boat Club now has with the RNLI, in respect of promoting the Respect the Water campaign on inland waterways the Boat Club is currently in the process of launching its 'MNA WaterWatch' scheme. MNA Boat Club members will undertake the same "Spot, Plot and Report" activities in respect of the UK's inland waterways, including rivers, canals, lakes and the Broads. Initially, the MNA WaterWatch scheme will be launched as a "pilot scheme" in their East Anglian region.
The WaterWatch crew member acts as the eyes and ears for the emergency services to:
- SPOT a craft or person in difficulty
- PLOT the position
- REPORT the facts to HM Coastguard or appropriate inland waterway authority.
- RECORD the incident by completing a WaterWatch Incident Report Form
The MNA's WaterWatch members will operate both from their own boats or from ashore through ad-hoc patrols. They will of course report to the relevant waterway authority rather than to HM Coastguard unless the incident is in an area such as a major tidal river or estuary. In some cases, it may also be appropriate to report incidents to the Nautical Institute's Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting scheme known as CHIRP.
This initiative has now been endorsed by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who says: “I am really pleased to see the Merchant Navy Association (MNA) Boat Club join forces with the RNLI to reach inland waterway users with safety messaging, helping to raise awareness of the Respect the Water campaign. MNA Boat Club members are former professional seafarers with a wealth of maritime experience and expertise so they are perfectly placed to support the RNLI’s prevention work in non-coastal waters. As a former Merchant Seaman and a Vice President of the RNLI, it’s great to see these two organisations working together to reduce accidental drowning in the UK.”
The new MNA WaterWatch scheme is now featured on the www.seafarersafloat.com website where details of the MNA Boat Club's various other activities can also be found.
For further information contact Clive Edwards on 01305 781725 or email commodore@seafarersafloat.com or Steve Walker (MNA Boat Club East Anglian regional Chairman) on 07769 725434, email wavewalker@btinternet.com
