20th October: Foil pumpers

Sunday 20th October was a misty day with force 6 to 7 SW to WSW winds.  On watch at NCI Stone Point we watched as two foil pumpers set off from Lepe and headed towards Calshot.  We passed them on to NCI Calshot tower who reported that they had landed.  They then must have driven further west  to launch because we then saw them approaching Lepe from that direction.

When we first started seeing foil pumpers it was clear that there is the potential for members of the public being concerned at seeing  a “paddle boarder” out far from shore in rough weather and phoning the Coastguard on 999.  Indeed that happened on 21st January this year.  We’ve occasionally seen foil pumpers since, but not so often that people are used to seeing them.