Current Weather
Prawle Point NCI is one of around 60 National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) stations along the coasts of England and Wales keeping an eye on those at sea and on the coastline, ready to assist HM Coastguard when things go wrong.
The Prawle Point lookout stands 200 feet above sea level at the most southerly point in Devon and is open 365 days a year. We have one of the best views along the coast so do come in and visit (find us here).
We maintain watch at this time of year between 09:00 and the earlier of 17:00 BST and sunset but from 3rd May to 8th September the lookout will usually remain manned until at the earlier of 20:00 BST and sunset.
NCI stations receive no government funding and are entirely staffed by volunteers. We rely on public support and so please make a donation.
In addition to keeping a watch, we are available to provide information as to the local sea and weather conditions, by telephone on 01548 511259 or via our own VHF Channel 65. See also our weather station and webcams.
We are able to give radio and AIS checks; indeed, HM Coastguard recommends calling NCI on Channel 65 for this purpose.
Adjacent to the Lookout is a Visitor Centre with interesting information about the area, its ecology and history.
Our information pages have content directed at mariners and walkers and also summarise the history of the Prawle Point lookout. Watch our video to find out more about us. Please keep safe when on or by the water and take our Water Safety quiz.
SW Coast Path Passports
We are a South West Coast Path Way Maker and will be delighted to stamp your coast path passport. Just pop in to the Lookout and ask. If you don’t have one we can sell you one for £7.
Salcombe Crabfest 2024
Come and visit us at Crabfest on May 5. At Crabfest there’s hands-on cookery demonstrations by award-winning chefs, crab picking masterclasses, crab pot making, live music, kids activities and much more!
Spring fundraiser THANK YOU
Our Spring Fundraiser has now concluded Our Spring fundraiser has now concluded. This was our main fundraising event for the year. We’re still totting up the various streams of income
Prawle Point NCI keeps watch over coast and sea from Bolt Head to Start Point (Devon UK) all daylight hours.
NCI Prawle Point
Welcome to almost-May. A bit grisly...? The weather continues to be non-typical with strange weather patterns, a displaced jet stream, and a seemingly endless stream of low pressure systems. Even though we have a SW airflow this week it is coming not from the SW but coming down the west coast and then bending around Lands End - so in effect it is still a northerly or at least a north-influenced flow. Hence the continuing low temperatures and endless cloud.
NCI Prawle Point
Sally's walking the SW Coast Path for Hope Cove Life Boat
Help Sally Tyler raise money to support Hope Cove Life Boat
NCI Prawle Point
Here's part 2... It will be nice to have tanks without holes! We had a fab team of watchkeepers helping out yesterday to get these installed and working. Kudos to Don, Nick, Phil, David, Nigel, and Kim. Kim and Richard focused on clearing out what was known as the Generator Room ('cos it used to have a smelly and noisy diesel generator in there) and which had become a general dumping ground (sorry, storage facility) into a workshop to facilitate maintenance tasks. Pics to follow...
NCI Prawle Point
Our friends at South West Coast Path The South West Coast Path are focusing on May as National Walking Month and say: We're encouraging people to join us on the Path in May and June on our 'Magnificent Seven' fundraising walks across seven sections of the Trail as part of our Every Mile Matters campaign.'. Here at NCI Prawle Point we can stamp your SWCP Passport (or if you haven't purchased yours yet, buy a blank one from us for £7). www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/Get-involved/swcp-passport/ Just pop into the Lookout when you are
NCI Prawle Point
NCI Prawle Point has no mains water so we collect rain water for washing our all-important windows. BUT our decades-old galvanised tanks are shot (one, we discovered, had a big hole in the bottom!). So here's Richard Tucker's son (the Tuckers farm the land around Prawle Point) delivering our shiny new IPC tanks yesterday. We got both installed but lots more cleaning up to do! More to follow...
NCI Prawle Point
Over the weekend we spotted and reported a RIB chasing and harassing dolphins. We report such incidents to the Salcombe Harbour Master because harassing and potentially injuring these highly intelligent and playful creatures is not only a rather sad way to get your fun but is also illegal. The HM has the authority to take action against you and your vessel for this kind of activity. Dolphins love to come and play around your boat. They will not harm you but your propellor can easily harm them if you are
