| Bristol Channel
Area
 The Bristol Channel Area has an ever-widening coastline in excess of
three hundred miles in length. So in addition to the traditional Area Officers,
four Regional Officers have been appointed to help provide a more local point of
contact for members and encourage events within their particular region.
Newsletter
A
regular newsletter entitled ‘Severn Tidings’ is edited by Claudia Crickmere
(seareach@dircon.co.uk).
Maritime History of the Bristol
Channel
The
Bristol Channel has an extraordinarily rich
maritime history.
Bristol itself has been a major
port for centuries and once stood second only to London in the amount of
trade it handled. And John Cabot sailed from Bristol in the Matthew in the 15th century en
route to discovering America. Further down channel are the
historic old shipbuilding and fishing ports of Instow, Appledore and Bideford.
Cardiff earned its
reputation on the back of coal in the 19th century when it fed the
trade routes of the world with the finest Welsh steaming coal. While ships from Swansea carried copper and
tin plate to the four corners of the globe. Milford Haven, one of the deepest
natural harbours in the world, is set in the heart of the only Coastal National
Park in Britain and owes its existence to the
whaling industry.
 Bristol Channel pilot cutters were tough, fast ships
designed to be handled by a man and a boy capable of dealing with the fearsome
tides and winning the race to put pilots aboard incoming merchant ships in mid
channel. Many were locally built
and the true seaworthiness of vessels like ‘Mischief’ and
‘Baroque’ were proven beyond doubt by the late Bill Tilman. An extraordinary explorer, Tilman
crossed the oceans of the world in these fine sailing ships on long and arduous
voyages of discovery to Arctic and Antarctic
waters.
Photographs:
Top left: ‘Tir an Og’ Cornish
Crabber gaff cutter, owned and sailed by Neil Johnstone out of Watermouth,
North Devon.
Bottom left: ‘Working Boat One’ 53 foot LOA
ferro ketch, built and sailed by John Laband out of the River Axe, Somerset.
Top Right: ‘Ester’ Oysterman
22, home port Watchet in Somerset, owned and sailed by Chris
Danby
Bottom Right: ‘Fleur’ 17 foot
Western Lugger sailed by Viv Head- active in the Trailer Sailor section and seen
here at Ulswater.
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