The Falmouth and Helford area has seen one of its busiest summers ever for people using the water.

This is according to the watchkeepers of the National Coastwatch Institution Station at Nare Point, which keep an eye on the water in the entrance to the Helford and Falmouth Bay safe and refer any incidents to the Coastguard in Falmouth.

The station reopened on May 25, following the decision to close all 56 stations in England and Wales in March because of Covid-19, March.

From July to September more than 9,000 craft have been logged by the volunteer watchkeepers - to the point that on several occasions recording was halted, because of the high volume, to ensure better observation.

The station said there had been a higher number of kayaks, paddle boarders, RIBS, small craft and solo divers this summer than in previous years.

Station manager Don Garman said: "The waters around the station have been busy from the day of reopening and activity has been very high every day from the minute the station opens until it closes."

The sharp eyes of the Nare Point watchkeepers have alerted the Coastguard to a number of incidents, whilst the Coastguard has also sought support from the station.

To date there have been 14 incidents that have included floating logs in Falmouth Bay - a danger to small craft travelling at speed - along with an unmanned yacht drifting out of the Helford, a yacht racing in Falmouth Week that collided with the rocks off Nare Point and a capsized Canadian canoe with two adults and four children aboard off Gillan Creek.

To ensure the health and well being of the volunteer watchkeepers able to undertake a duty, the station has been staffed largely by a single watchkeeper instead of the usual two and opening hours have been from 9am to 5pm for seven days a week, although during August and early September watches continued until 7pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Watchkeepers have been broadcasting current weather and sea conditions on VHF Channel 65 three times a day at 10.40, 13.40 and 16.40. Vessels have also been calling  “Nare Point NCI” on Channel 65 to make radio and AIS checks, to request current weather and sea conditions and local information.

Mr Garman added: “I am hugely grateful to watchkeeper colleagues who, despite the current health challenges, have been able and willing to ensure the station was open and we were fulfilling our role of helping to ensure the safety of those on the water and the coastal path."

From Sunday, October 25 the station’s opening hours are due to revert to the normal winter times 8pm to 4pm, seven days per week.

The station has been supported in opening this year by the Cornwall Foundation Trust and the Cornwall Council Community Chest, the latter of which has supplied personal protective equipment to be used.

Normally each station is expected to raise its own annual running costs, NCI Nare Point usually putting out collection boxes, organising events, supermarket and street collections and running a 50 -50 Club and “Friends of Nare Point” group.

However, the current challenges of the virus have restricted the stations ability to raise the £6,000 annual running costs for this current year.

NCI Nare Point opened in 2007 on the south side of the Helford entrance, in a former Ministry of Defence torpedo tracking station.

Watches also keep an eye on those using the South West Coastal Path that passes the station's door and record significant wildlife sightings to pass on to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.