New official status bestowed on guardians of the Solent (From Daily Echo)
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New official status bestowed on guardians of the Solent
12:20pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Shipping
By Keith Hamilton, Shipping & Heritage Reporter
Calshot Tower
IT soars 130 feet into the air and stands guard over Southampton Water and the Solent, some of the busiest waterways and shipping lanes in the country.
Calshot Tower, which has been a distinctive landmark for almost 40 years, now has the distinction of being a “Declared Facility’’ for the Coastguard’s Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in the Solent area.
The station’s newly bestowed status means the structure can now be officially recognised as part of the Maritime Search and Rescue emergency services.
Manned by volunteer members of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), Calshot Tower sits on Hampshire County Council land, is owned by the Crown Estate and is leased to Associated British Ports, owners and operators of Southampton docks, who use radar equipment positioned on the roof.
With its motto Eyes Along the Coast the mission of the NCI is to Spot, Plot and Report.
l Spot: The NCI maintains a continuous visual watch from Ryde Steeple to the south east, Cowes to the south and from Fawley across to Netley , north of the lookout during daylight hours.
l Plot: Identify the location of any incident so it can be plotted quickly on an Admiralty Chart or Ordnance Survey Map, when reporting to the authorities.
l Report: Alert the coastguard at Leeon- the-Solent to co-ordinate any emergency action.
Just short of Southampton’s Civic Centre clock Calshot Tower has a watchroom with a 360-degree panoramic view into the Solent, with Fawley oil refinery at one end and the Isle of Wight at the other.
On a clear day, once at the top of the 100 steps, which have a steep incline, views stretch across to Cowes and Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, as well as Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower.
Back in the early 1990s cuts in funding resulted in Calshot Tower being closed down for more than 20 years until it was restored to its former glory by local NCI members.
Today Calshot Tower is manned 365 days of the year throughout the daylight hours.
It was in January 2010 when the NCI held a recruiting event at the Waterside Sports and Social Club in the hope of attracting 20 or 30 volunteer watch keepers, but were overwhelmed by more than 100 people.
Volunteers come from all walks of life with a number of watch keepers having no previous maritime experience.
A spokesman for the NCI said: “It makes no odds at all as to whether you are a master mariner or the local postman, the most useful assets are a sharp pair of eyes and inquisitive nature.’’ The Calshot Tower branch of the NCI recently passed a demanding assessment, which gave them the status of a “Declared Facility’’. To celebrate this achievement chief coastguard Peter Dymond will visit the Calshot Tower next Tuesday to congratulate the volunteers and officially present a certificate confirming its role with the rescue services.
Calshot Tower stands next to an ancient castle, occupying a strategic position on the eastern entrance to Southampton Water. The geography here is perfectly suited for the location of a gun battery as the deep water shipping channel runs very close to the shore at this point.
Following Henry VIII’s split with Rome and his subsequent divorce from Catherine of Aragon threat of invasion was posed by a combined French and Spanish fleet. To counter this fear Henry commissioned the building of a string of coastal fortifications stretching from south Wales to the River Humber in the north east and Calshot Castle was one of these.
Finished in 1540 Calshot Castle was designed specifically as a base for a large amount of artillery but also to repel an attack.
Henry’s forts marked a significant change in English castle building as medieval castles, although big, bold and imposing, were easy target for 16th century cannon. Walls and parapets of the new smaller, squat castles, such as the one at Calshot, were curved or circular and immensely thick, enabling them to absorb and deflect incoming enemy shot.
Dramatic changes to the surrounding area occurred between the two world wars as it first became the Calshot Royal Naval Air Station and then the Royal Air Force School for Naval Co-operation and Aerial Navigation.
During the Second World War quick firing guns were re-mounted on the castle roof and additional searchlights were installed. Calshot RAF Air Station had become a centre for the maintenance and repair of seaplanes.
When the RAF station closed in 1953 Calshot Castle reverted back to providing coastguard accommodation until their adjacent new tower was completed. At that time, English Heritage took over the guardianship of the castle, restoring it to its former appearance pre-1914.
Comments(21)
Shoong
says...
1:19pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:Why?
Time they built a new one, taller and wider
southy
says...
1:56pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Shoong wrote:30 plus years is old for a concrete building near salt water, Taller the building the greater distance you can see.
southy wrote:Why?
Time they built a new one, taller and wider
Georgem
says...
2:26pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:Is there some new requirement to see further than was previously necessary?
Shoong wrote:30 plus years is old for a concrete building near salt water, Taller the building the greater distance you can see.
southy wrote:Why?
Time they built a new one, taller and wider
Georgem
says...
2:28pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Did you see what Paramjit had to say the other day, by the way?
southy
says...
3:10pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:we been back and forth Georgem with e-mails, plus don't you think it should be drop for a few weeks seeing what happened in the USA on sunday, respect for those thst was killed
Does salt water adversely affect concrete, southy? I'm not challenging you, I'm genuinely asking, since I don't know much about concrete.
Did you see what Paramjit had to say the other day, by the way?
southy
says...
3:15pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:Seeing further is all ways a greater benefit, small craft unlikey to have radios, swimmers ect swep out to see.
southy wrote:Is there some new requirement to see further than was previously necessary?
Shoong wrote:30 plus years is old for a concrete building near salt water, Taller the building the greater distance you can see.
southy wrote:Why?
Time they built a new one, taller and wider
Think its only 15 miles you can see at sea level.
Georgem
says...
3:15pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:How about out of respect for those that were killed, you stop making up lies about their religious texts?
Georgem wrote:we been back and forth Georgem with e-mails, plus don't you think it should be drop for a few weeks seeing what happened in the USA on sunday, respect for those thst was killed
Does salt water adversely affect concrete, southy? I'm not challenging you, I'm genuinely asking, since I don't know much about concrete.
Did you see what Paramjit had to say the other day, by the way?
southy
says...
3:33pm Tue 7 Aug 12
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Georgem
says...
3:54pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
Shoong
says...
4:00pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:What credibility is there to rescue?
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
southy
says...
4:11pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:When its a name there is a letter between the H and T ie Rehit, Rehat, Rahat. = same name spelled differnetly but have the same meaning.
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
when its the code of conduct no letter inbetween the H and T ie Reht.
Now stop deliberately taking Topic off course.
Shoong
says...
4:19pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:Yes, because you don't do that, do you?
Georgem wrote:When its a name there is a letter between the H and T ie Rehit, Rehat, Rahat. = same name spelled differnetly but have the same meaning.
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
when its the code of conduct no letter inbetween the H and T ie Reht.
Now stop deliberately taking Topic off course.
southy
says...
4:28pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Shoong wrote:I normally follow after some one as all ready taken it of topic Shoong as you all ready know.
southy wrote:Yes, because you don't do that, do you?
Georgem wrote:When its a name there is a letter between the H and T ie Rehit, Rehat, Rahat. = same name spelled differnetly but have the same meaning.
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
when its the code of conduct no letter inbetween the H and T ie Reht.
Now stop deliberately taking Topic off course.
Georgem
says...
4:57pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:I presume you can provide evidence for these grammatical rules that you just made up. Need we go through the same charade a third time? It's perfectly simply. Stop making up these ridiculous lies, and we'll stop reminding you about them.
Georgem wrote:When its a name there is a letter between the H and T ie Rehit, Rehat, Rahat. = same name spelled differnetly but have the same meaning.
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
when its the code of conduct no letter inbetween the H and T ie Reht.
Now stop deliberately taking Topic off course.
As for the topic at hand, I did ask you 2 questions about it, and you chose not to answer.
Georgem
says...
4:58pm Tue 7 Aug 12
southy wrote:Then you lose the moral high ground on that one.
Shoong wrote:I normally follow after some one as all ready taken it of topic Shoong as you all ready know.
southy wrote:Yes, because you don't do that, do you?
Georgem wrote:When its a name there is a letter between the H and T ie Rehit, Rehat, Rahat. = same name spelled differnetly but have the same meaning.
southy wrote:Nice try, southy. However, you yourself previously mentioned how the name could be spelt differently. These are Punjabi words, the closest we can get with a western dictionary is to spell it phonetically. This is lame. We have already discussed that.
Georgem
http://sgpc.net/sikh
ism/sikh-dharma-manu
al.asp
Look how the word is spelled Reht and not Rehit.
Just give up. I've proven you wrong, freefinker's proven you wrong. Your friend Paramjit has said you are mistaken, and you can think whatever paranoid rubbish you want about me, but Paramjit I would imagine the last person on these boards who would wish you any ill whatsoever. Why would HE say you were mistaken, if he didn't believe it to be so? Just admit you made a mistake, and that will be an end of it. Is it really worth keeping up this ridiculous charade now? Not a single person actually believes you about this, and the longer you keep it up, the less likely anyone is to believe you about anything else.
when its the code of conduct no letter inbetween the H and T ie Reht.
Now stop deliberately taking Topic off course.
Georgem
says...
11:18pm Tue 7 Aug 12
freefinker
says...
12:11am Wed 8 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:.. yep, but he can't keep away.
And he's gone again.
Day 1 of Week 4 has reduced him to getting hung up on the red herring of spelling. Don’t see how he thinks that helps his discredited position.
Quite ironic really, in view of his limited command of English, that he has now become an expert in the transliteration of Punjabi words (or Sikh, as he called it) into English text.
Georgem
says...
9:10am Wed 8 Aug 12
freefinker wrote:Quite.
Georgem wrote:.. yep, but he can't keep away.
And he's gone again.
Day 1 of Week 4 has reduced him to getting hung up on the red herring of spelling. Don’t see how he thinks that helps his discredited position.
Quite ironic really, in view of his limited command of English, that he has now become an expert in the transliteration of Punjabi words (or Sikh, as he called it) into English text.
To say nothing of the fact that if The Rahit Maryada is indeed named after Rahed Maryada, why is it spelled differently? Marxism is named Marxism, after Karl Marx, as per his example. Why isn't it called Marksism?
freefinker
says...
9:33am Wed 8 Aug 12
Georgem wrote:.. or indeed, Karlism (or Carlism?) as his previous posts imply Rehit, Rehat, Rahat (take your pick) is a personal name and not a family name.
freefinker wrote:Quite.
Georgem wrote:.. yep, but he can't keep away.
And he's gone again.
Day 1 of Week 4 has reduced him to getting hung up on the red herring of spelling. Don’t see how he thinks that helps his discredited position.
Quite ironic really, in view of his limited command of English, that he has now become an expert in the transliteration of Punjabi words (or Sikh, as he called it) into English text.
To say nothing of the fact that if The Rahit Maryada is indeed named after Rahed Maryada, why is it spelled differently? Marxism is named Marxism, after Karl Marx, as per his example. Why isn't it called Marksism?
Georgem
says...
10:18am Wed 8 Aug 12
freefinker wrote:I'm struggling to believe that he's now inventing grammar rules for other languages, in order to avoid saying "Yeh I made it up in the heat of the moment". Baffling.
Georgem wrote:.. or indeed, Karlism (or Carlism?) as his previous posts imply Rehit, Rehat, Rahat (take your pick) is a personal name and not a family name.
freefinker wrote:Quite.
Georgem wrote:.. yep, but he can't keep away.
And he's gone again.
Day 1 of Week 4 has reduced him to getting hung up on the red herring of spelling. Don’t see how he thinks that helps his discredited position.
Quite ironic really, in view of his limited command of English, that he has now become an expert in the transliteration of Punjabi words (or Sikh, as he called it) into English text.
To say nothing of the fact that if The Rahit Maryada is indeed named after Rahed Maryada, why is it spelled differently? Marxism is named Marxism, after Karl Marx, as per his example. Why isn't it called Marksism?
southy says...
1:13pm Tue 7 Aug 12