0:00:02 > 0:00:05Stretching from Land's End to Dover,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08this is the busiest seaway in the world.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15And come hell or high water...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Three, two, one. Fire it!
0:00:18 > 0:00:20No amount of training can ever prepare you for what
0:00:20 > 0:00:21we faced that night.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25..it's open for business 365 days a year.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Over 90% of the world's trade travels by sea.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31It's not just TVs and refrigerators, it's everything around us.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Teeming with every type of vessel.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Everyone on board reckons their job is the hardest.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And a rich diversity of wildlife.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48It's kept safe by those who patrol its seaways.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49Drag him onto the boat!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Their actions standing between triumph...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54CHEERING
0:00:54 > 0:00:55..and disaster.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Ease off. Ease off.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59On the unpredictable waters of the English Channel.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Today a giant cargo ship braves the treacherous shipping lanes.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I expect to see the traffic increasing
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and obviously then we'll start seeing crossing ferries.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19There is a high possibility of grounding.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23A local oyster farmer finds treasures in the deep.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27That's a first. That will go on at auction, starting off at £1,000.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30That's the rarest pearl in England. Look.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34And the bomb squad unearth a blast from the past.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37All stations. All stations. Stand by to initiation.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The Port of Hamburg, northern Germany, and the cargo ship
0:01:46 > 0:01:52NYK Venus is loading up with goods ahead of its voyage to Southampton.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It's just one of hundreds of cargo ships
0:01:54 > 0:01:57heading for the English Channel, bringing us everything
0:01:57 > 0:02:02from frozen food to mobile phones, cuddly toys to kitchen sinks.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06So much comes to the UK via the sea because, as an island, we're
0:02:06 > 0:02:08very import dominant.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11So everything we use in our day-to-day lives
0:02:11 > 0:02:13from retail to manufacturing,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15at some point has to transit water.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17For security reasons,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20the port does not know what's in any of the containers that we handle.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25And they can vary from goods that find their way to the shops,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29to pharmaceuticals, to people's personal belongings.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31If you just use your imagination for a minute
0:02:31 > 0:02:35and look around your room and consider something you're eating,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38sitting on, or even wearing, that's probably come through a container.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46With such a valuable cargo on board, the NYK Venus
0:02:46 > 0:02:51needs all the help it can get on its 580-mile journey to Southampton,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and for each section of the voyage,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57a pilot with specialist knowledge of the local waters will come aboard.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Guiding the ship through the major part of his journey
0:03:00 > 0:03:03in the Channel will be deep sea pilot Kim Sykes.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08I've been at sea since I was 17 years old
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and after approximately 27 years,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16I then decided that I would like to explore a different aspect of life
0:03:16 > 0:03:17at sea and therefore I decided
0:03:17 > 0:03:19to become a deep sea pilot.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23I've now been a deep sea pilot for nine years.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26You do get to do the fun part of the job without all the paperwork
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and it is an enjoyable job to do.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31If there's any emergency once we've passed the...
0:03:31 > 0:03:35A deep sea pilot makes sure the ship is on the right course
0:03:35 > 0:03:37while it's at sea.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40It's really looking after the safe navigation for the master
0:03:40 > 0:03:43whilst he carries on with the routine task of the ship.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49For example, he'll be sending messages, he'll be talking to agents,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52he'll be organising ETAs and visioning
0:03:52 > 0:03:54for when the ship arrives in port.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56There's all sorts going on.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59So when we're at sea, the principle is that he will have somebody
0:03:59 > 0:04:04who's got command experience, who knows the waters well,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06and therefore he'll be secure in the knowledge that there's
0:04:06 > 0:04:08somebody there who could take care
0:04:08 > 0:04:10of the safe navigation of the ship for him.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11Prepared gear.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Before Kim can help navigate the container ship at sea,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18they have to get off the berth.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Because it's three football pitches long, it's no easy manoeuvre.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25No, negative.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28She's nearly full and can carry around 9,000
0:04:28 > 0:04:3020-foot steel containers.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36German harbour pilots get them out of the dock
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and under the Kohlbrand Bridge over the River Elbe.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42'Passing under the bridge.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It can be a tight squeeze between the ship and the bridge.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Each pilot has a designated zone of expertise.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57We've just brought the ship out of Hamburg Harbour
0:04:57 > 0:05:00from the jetty to the harbour pilot,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03reaching now the river pilot takes over, brings it towards the sea.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Pilot or boat captain picks us up,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09brings us back to the pilot stage before the next job.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13The ship's captain Pero Paljetak
0:05:13 > 0:05:16now takes advantage of the local river pilots as they steer
0:05:16 > 0:05:19the giant vessel down the narrow river to the North Sea.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23We have got to take extra caution
0:05:23 > 0:05:25with another container ship.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28A big one is passing nearby in the river.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Then we have to take care and slow down
0:05:32 > 0:05:34to pass freely and safely.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40After seven hours of careful river navigation,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43night falls and they make it clear of German waters.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55The next morning, deep sea pilot Kim begins his job of getting
0:05:55 > 0:06:00the container ship safely towards and through the English Channel.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05The captain's doing his accounts, so he's busy doing paperwork
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and so we're up here busy running the ship.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09HE CHUCKLES
0:06:09 > 0:06:12There's been a bit of northbound traffic and in particular
0:06:12 > 0:06:16one small one we're overtaking because there's some fishing boats.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20They pushed us a little bit further to the north than I would have liked.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23So we speeded up little bit now and we've just entered
0:06:23 > 0:06:27the southbound lane and the traffic is just slowly building up
0:06:27 > 0:06:32and it's an increase now until we get down to the Dover Straits.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35So, you see, he's going to come up round to starboard.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39And when he's going to starboard just meet him ahead for a few minutes
0:06:39 > 0:06:40and then come down to stern.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42From the German Bights,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46round the Dutch coast and down through the Dover Straits,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50there's traffic separation lanes whereby this makes sure that
0:06:50 > 0:06:53all the vessels are going in one direction.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Of course, you need to cross traffic lanes,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58you have to get from one side to the other, therefore the traffic
0:06:58 > 0:07:01becomes more dense and the situation becomes more critical.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05And that's one of the reasons why I'm here.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Aboard the NYK Venus with its refrigerated containers,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12what we know as fresh food can travel thousands of miles
0:07:12 > 0:07:16across the world by sea before it reaches our supermarkets.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Up on deck, some of the crew check the refrigerated containers,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24known as reefers,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27to make sure that they're the right temperature for the food inside.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42With 800 reefers aboard, it's an exacting process.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57For refrigerated cargos in particular
0:07:57 > 0:08:01it's quite critical the carriage temperature of the cargo,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03and most of the majority of it is monitored
0:08:03 > 0:08:06to within plus or minus half a degree.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And there's also things like fruit, for example.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Bananas, you think a banana just comes from A to B,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14from Costa Rica into the UK.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16The temperature is absolutely critical,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19whereby if it's too cold, you will chill the fruit,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21if it's too warm, of course, the fruit will go off.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23And once it starts to ripen,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26you've lost the cargo because it gives off more and more gasses,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28the ripening process increases.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32You might have chilled meats, which is more expensive to buy
0:08:32 > 0:08:36rather than hard, frozen meats, which is carried at -1 degree.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And the critical thing there is, of course, once it goes above freezing,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41the meat starts to go off,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44but if you go down too low, then ice crystals start to form within
0:08:44 > 0:08:47the meat and therefore the cargo loses its value.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51The man in charge of all the containers
0:08:51 > 0:08:54heading for Southampton is second-in-command chief mate
0:08:54 > 0:08:55Rocco Di Doria.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02He needs to regularly check on the reefers up on deck.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06- How's it going, Mr Molina? - It's OK.- Everything OK?
0:09:06 > 0:09:07Everything OK, sir. OK, sir.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14One of his main jobs is to ensure any hazardous freight,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16from inflammable material to airbags,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18is being transported correctly.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Hazardous containers such as those carrying toxic chemicals
0:09:48 > 0:09:51are known as DG, or dangerous goods class,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53and are given special consideration.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Larger container vessels such as this one,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11commercially, you're carrying more cargo, and you've got one ship and
0:10:11 > 0:10:15therefore the carbon footprints when you're carrying 8,000 containers for
0:10:15 > 0:10:20each unit that you are transporting per mile is vastly, vastly reduced.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Carrying cargo by sea has to be one of the cleanest ways of doing
0:10:24 > 0:10:25it on the planet.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33440 miles into their journey across the North Sea,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35they reach the mouth of the English Channel
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and the Dover Straits, one of the most congested seaways in the world.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43You can have anything from a fishing vessel, sailing boats,
0:10:43 > 0:10:49numerous ferry crossings, ships of all sizes and description,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53warships, exercising, you will have survey ships towing cables up to
0:10:53 > 0:10:57five miles long, so all of these add to the congestion of the waterway.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The English Channel is a place of many hazards,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07some reaching back to a bygone era.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16On the seabed, there are thousands of unexploded bombs and mines,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18most dating back to World War II
0:11:18 > 0:11:22when the coast was fortified for an expected German invasion.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26It's estimated 30% of those are yet to be recovered.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31And it's the job of the Royal Navy's fleet diving squadron
0:11:31 > 0:11:34to dispose of them safely when they're reported.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Today the team has been called out by the Bembridge Coastguard
0:11:38 > 0:11:40on the Isle of Wight.
0:11:40 > 0:11:41Good morning, sir.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44It's chief diver Crew speaking from southern diving unit two.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48We are currently reacting to a task, and what's been reported is
0:11:48 > 0:11:52one time as possible, anti-aircraft round, 40 millimetre round.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It looks like it's been discovered,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59uh, on the new breakwater they're constructing.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02When construction or dredging work is carried out in the Channel,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06there's a real risk of disturbing one of the many unexploded
0:12:06 > 0:12:10bombs lying dormant, and yesterday construction workers building
0:12:10 > 0:12:14a new sea defence discovered a World War II shell close to
0:12:14 > 0:12:16one of the busiest areas of the Solent.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20It's since been covered by the tide but is now above water,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22so the team head straight there.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27One of three elite units, the Southern Diving Group
0:12:27 > 0:12:31are made of 60 clearance divers and specialists.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35The team cover 1,400 miles of coast including the Channel
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and are called out on average nearly four times a week.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42They are available 365,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48And we are on call at 30 minutes notice to
0:12:48 > 0:12:51move from our location, here at Horsey Island
0:12:51 > 0:12:52on the south coast in Portsmouth,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55to anywhere within our area of operations.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59But a great deal of training goes into what could be
0:12:59 > 0:13:02seen as well as one of the riskiest jobs in the world.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06I talk to friends of mine, they say, "Why the hell do you do that?
0:13:06 > 0:13:09"You know, I can think of better ways to pay your mortgage."
0:13:09 > 0:13:12There is a certain amount of excitement to it, definitely.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14And people talk about the sort of danger
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and a bit of pressure that they live and thrive off.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Some people are addicted to it, definitely.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Today's job is a large artillery shell found on a shingle bank
0:13:26 > 0:13:27off the Solent
0:13:27 > 0:13:31containing an explosive charge meant for shooting down enemy planes.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34I say they're dangerous,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37a lot of these fuses worked on sort of impact, basically.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41These have then been, over the years, rusted and corroded,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45so they can still be in a really hazardous state,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48anything from dropping a musish to picking it up or bumping it
0:13:48 > 0:13:49could initiate it.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53The bomb squad arrive
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and the first task for chief of operations Simon Crew
0:13:56 > 0:14:00is to get the lowdown on the situation from the coastguard.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- Martin.- Morning.- Hiya. Simon.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Royal Navy OD. Nice to meet you.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06- Is this the sandbank over here, is it?- Yeah, you can actually see...
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- Shingle bank.- ..the sandbanks.- Yeah.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Can you see the black and yellow marker buoy?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- I can, yes.- If you go straight up vertically from that...- Yes.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19About halfway up the sandbank, there's a black blob.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- OK.- That's the sandbags.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Brilliant. So it was discovered yesterday about 1.30?- Yes.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29And so we've had two tidal cycles over it as well.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- It has got four sandbags around it. - OK, fantastic.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- Right, thanks ever so much, Martin. - No problem.
0:14:34 > 0:14:40Guys. Max. Good timing. Right, that's the shingle bank over there.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42What I want you to do is get the Zodiac out.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44We're going to go over solely for a recce first
0:14:44 > 0:14:46cos it's only a five-minute transit,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48and then if we're going to have to do some sort of control,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51then make an assessment of how much bang we're going to need,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53we'll come back, get the dem stuff here,
0:14:53 > 0:14:54then go back out again and do it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Yes, no probs.- All right, Max? - Yes.- Good stuff.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The team assemble their portable motorised RIB
0:15:00 > 0:15:03so they can carry out an initial recce.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04If we need to dive,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08we'll have to come back, get some diving gear.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Maybe we've got to swim it out to a safe area
0:15:11 > 0:15:13so it's a safe cordon away from the public.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16But, yeah, first things first, just build a boat, get over,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19get a recce done and then we'll take it from there.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Jack Pearce, from Bembridge Coastguard,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24was one of the first to the scene when the device was reported
0:15:24 > 0:15:29and has been instructed to accompany the bomb squad over to the site.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Basically, I'm going to go out with the bomb disposal crew
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and just to show them where the actual location is.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We're going keep quite a way back in the safe-zone distance and we'll
0:15:39 > 0:15:43let the actual experts get on with it and let them do their jobs safely.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48The local coastguard are often involved in bomb squad callouts
0:15:48 > 0:15:50but this is the first time for Jack.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Suppose the best way to put it is it's nerve-racking,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56very nerve-racking.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57And...
0:15:58 > 0:16:00You know, you've just got to keep yourself safe,
0:16:00 > 0:16:01I suppose, at the end of the day.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09The bomb squad and two members of the coastguard team
0:16:09 > 0:16:11head off to the sandbank.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'Serving coastguard. Roger. En route to the sand bar.'
0:16:27 > 0:16:32Right. Can you just stay with the boat? That'd be brilliant.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39Simon takes the long walk out of the safety zone to the device alone.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41Yeah, we've just...
0:16:41 > 0:16:44The coastguard officers have just got out there with the bomb
0:16:44 > 0:16:47disposal team, one of whom is just looking at where the sandbags are
0:16:47 > 0:16:51and hopefully the shell is still there from last night.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Inspection confirms it's a World War II anti-aircraft shell.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51The turbulent waters of the English Channel can throw up many
0:17:51 > 0:17:53unexpected relics.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56But it's also a place where treasure can be found.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05Up with the sunrise,
0:18:05 > 0:18:0973-year-old ex-builder David Scott is getting ready to harvest
0:18:09 > 0:18:13oysters from the farm he's been tending for the last nine years.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Cold, rain, snow, shine, whatever the weather, we have to go.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23People wanting their oysters, so we have to go and get them.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25We have to go out at all times.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Right, we're off down now to bring you some oysters,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31but be very careful, if you start to go,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34you have to keep going till you get down on the sand.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Farmed in the Fleet Lagoon near Chesil Beach, Dorset,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39David has to work all year round
0:18:39 > 0:18:44to ensure the farm is productive, but luckily he's not on his own.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45We're going to some of these.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48They're going to be moved the other side. Come on, Kyle.
0:18:48 > 0:18:49Come on, Kyle, now!
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Get up here.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53He's got Kyle to assist him.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't know anything.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I taught him everything he knows. HE LAUGHS
0:18:57 > 0:18:58Didn't I?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Young Kyle does most of the leg work these days...
0:19:05 > 0:19:08..cos his legs are a bit younger than mine.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11I love working here. It's a lovely place.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16Bring the fishing rod after work and just go straight off out after work,
0:19:16 > 0:19:17so that's nice.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22I enjoy working with Dave. He's one-of-a-kind, yeah.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24He's taught me a lot, got a lot of wisdom.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28I taught him how to fish, so he's always a bit envious and he
0:19:28 > 0:19:32still can't out-fish me, but apart from that, it's all good.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35We're just going to move these. Well, we might if he hurries up.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37DAVID CHUCKLES
0:19:37 > 0:19:41During high tide, the oysters are completely covered by the sea
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and are harvested when the waters recede.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47So we're not fishermen, we're oyster farmers.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49And we work just in the Fleet.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52We don't need boats to go out to catch them.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Some people think, oh, you're working in the cold water,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57that must be hard work. Well, it's not hard work.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58It's a pleasure, to be quite honest.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And it's just an enjoyable way of life. I just love it.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06David may be as happy as an oyster farm in mud,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10but like any farming, this is a precarious business.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Over the years, disease and pollution has knocked out
0:20:14 > 0:20:17most of the UK native oyster supplies, so nowadays David has to
0:20:17 > 0:20:22source juvenile Pacific oysters from Guernsey.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26These are what we call seed oysters. That's about a year old, that oyster
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and this is the size when they're ready.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31These are about three years old, these.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Three, three and a half years old.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36So you can see it's quite a slow process.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39The oysters David is harvesting today have lived almost their entire
0:20:39 > 0:20:44lives in the handmade oyster beds in the lagoon, feeding off the tide.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Obviously, at the moment, the tide has gone out.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51As the tide comes in, the plankton comes in with it
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and basically they just feed on plankton.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57They just open theirselves like that and it's a mollusc.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01And they just feed on plankton, so we don't have to feed them anything.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Every time the tide comes in, it brings in a fresh supply of feed.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07The Channel, the English Channel, is only just there
0:21:07 > 0:21:09outside the harbour and that is fresh water
0:21:09 > 0:21:11coming in from the Channel twice a day
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and that's what they feed on.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16We don't get any, almost nout from sewers or anything like that.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20It's just a little bit overrun from fields, which is natural.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24It makes it...the oyster very, very easy to grow,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27and it's very clean and the taste is wonderful.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30That's lovely. 80% eat them raw.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33And you're supposed to chew an oyster.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34Chew it, don't swallow it.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37You don't swallow a leg of lamb, do you? You chew it.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's the same with an oyster, get the flavour.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42HE LAUGHS We're show you later on.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47They may be delicacies to some but not everyone finds them appealing.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48I'm not a big fan of oysters.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51I've tried a couple of times, there won't be a third time.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I don't like them. I haven't tried them cooked, so I might try that.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56But raw, it's not for me.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Put them under the grill, bit of Parmesan cheese,
0:21:59 > 0:22:00or a bit of ham on there
0:22:00 > 0:22:04and put them under the grill for a couple of minutes, they're lovely.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Compared to large-scale mechanised farms,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10the number of oysters David produces is a drop in the ocean.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13So we're going to take four off
0:22:13 > 0:22:17which will give us about 400 oysters for now.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22We have about 100 in each basket, so... Good boy, that's the way.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Right, we take these over, put them into the vehicle.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35The only way to make the business viable is for the oysters to
0:22:35 > 0:22:37be sold in local restaurants.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40They're in there, they're ready to go now.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44So we'll get Kyle to take them up and then they'll be up there and washed.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47We just...we powerwash, clean and then they'll be
0:22:47 > 0:22:52taken into the inside and put them into purifying tanks
0:22:52 > 0:22:53ready for the customers.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57The restaurant that sells the majority of the oysters
0:22:57 > 0:22:59is just a stone's throw away.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Let's just hope they make it.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03There she goes.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06ENGINE ROARS
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Brilliant that, isn't it?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It's why we like working, all great fun. We just love life here.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17While for David and Kyle the English Channel
0:23:17 > 0:23:21is a source of home-grown produce, aboard the NYK Venus
0:23:21 > 0:23:24deep sea pilot Kim Sykes is shipping goods
0:23:24 > 0:23:26to our shores from around the world.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Over halfway through their voyage, this monster of the sea is
0:23:34 > 0:23:37approaching a particularly hazardous stretch of water.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39We're just entering the Dover Straits now,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42so we expect to see the traffic increasing
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and obviously then we'll start seeing crossing ferries
0:23:45 > 0:23:49and therefore it will be quite dense the traffic,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51so we'll be vigilant and keeping a watch on that.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55Dover Coastguard.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58'NYK Venus, Dover Coastguard. Good evening to you, sir.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01'Could I have your port and destination? Over.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02Yes, good evening to you.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Last port was Hamburg, destination Southampton,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09with an ETA of 0600 in the morning.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13'Please could I have the total weight of your general cargo? Over.'
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Total weight of cargo on board today 63279.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20In case of accident, it's vital that Kim keeps the coastguard
0:24:20 > 0:24:23informed about the ship's manifest and crew.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25If something happened to the vessel en route,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27they know exactly how many people are on board,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29they know that we've got hazardous cargo on board
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and they also know that we have so much bunkers on board.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37'Can I have the maximum draft and number of persons on board? Over.'
0:24:37 > 0:24:43Maximum draft 13.1 metres and there are 30 persons on board.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46'That's all. Over. Thank you for your assistance.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47'Have a safe onward journey.'
0:24:48 > 0:24:52As Kim keeps an eye out on the bridge, captain Pero Paljetak
0:24:52 > 0:24:55is planning his approach to Southampton.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00The most critical point on this stage
0:25:00 > 0:25:04in this first passage is
0:25:04 > 0:25:06when we are reaching Cowes
0:25:06 > 0:25:10that is not a port of the north of Isle of Wight.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Reaching Cowes
0:25:11 > 0:25:17and then we have 90-degrees turn to starboard to enter tall channel.
0:25:17 > 0:25:24There is a high possibility of grounding or collision.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27with other ships that are passing nearby.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35As dawn breaks,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Kim sees the boat safely through the English Channel towards
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Southampton, where harbour pilot Bruce Thomas is ready to take over.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45So two tugs, attempting to release fore and aft.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47As we come in, we'll make the swing to starboard.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51The tide through the Solent, it's just starting to ebb,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54so we may turn earlier on the westbound return.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57My duties are to conduct the vessel
0:25:57 > 0:25:59and take the vessel into Southampton
0:25:59 > 0:26:02with the captain and manoeuvre
0:26:02 > 0:26:04the ship in the docks
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and safely alongside.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09We could get caught by a strong gust,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11so we need to be aware of the weather forecasts.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15So constantly looking at the environment
0:26:15 > 0:26:19and making sure that we anticipate these situations.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Well, we're just coming into Southampton.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27The Southampton pilot is onboard now. So that's me.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29That is the end of my voyage as such.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32When we get alongside, I'll be going home, back to Newcastle.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I am feeling rather tired, rather jaded,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38but whereas I'll be going home, I'll be leaving the ship's
0:26:38 > 0:26:43crew to meet immigration, customs, get on with the cargo work.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Whereas I can just go home and relax now.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51As they get beyond the Isle of Wight,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55they take on the tricky, 90-degree Bramble turn.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01The Bramble sandbank needs to be avoided because it is very
0:27:01 > 0:27:05close to the surface and sticks out of the water in low spring tides.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15The harbour master's launch SP will be patrolling us in now.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19They'll stay ahead of us and keep any small craft out of the way.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Thanks from the NYK Venus. Over.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Southampton Water is a drowned valley
0:27:31 > 0:27:34created by the rivers Itchen, Test and Hamble.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It is just a mile wide and full of pleasure boats.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- Stop the engine.- Stop the engine.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46As the NYK Venus heads for its berth, the team at Southampton dock
0:27:46 > 0:27:49are well aware of the importance of the waterway on its doorstep.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52From starboard side, secure.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57The Channel is a major part of the supply chain.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Without the Channel, the ships wouldn't come up the river,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03we wouldn't be able to load or discharge the cargo.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05And that cargo then wouldn't be able to find its way to the
0:28:05 > 0:28:08delivery centres in the Midlands.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12So much comes to the UK via the sea because, as an island, we are
0:28:12 > 0:28:14very import dominant.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17So everything we use in our day-to-day lives,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21from retail to manufacturing, at some point, has to transit the water.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22And as time moves on,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27the number of containers on each ship just keeps on rising.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30The container ships are getting bigger every day.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34At Southampton, we service vessels up to 396 metres long.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37They hold 16,000 20-foot containers.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41And if you stack them all end to end, they would go from here to London.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Dead slow ahead.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Engines, dead slow ahead.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52The containers are stacked so high on the NYK Venus,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54they act like a giant sail.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56And when the wind gets up,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59it can affect the delicate berthing manoeuvres.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01It is left to the tugs to help
0:29:01 > 0:29:04slot her into the right place in the dock.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Without tugs, this size of a ship,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09we could not turn or we could not come alongside.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12They will make fast with the line, with the mooring line.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Dead slow astern.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Engines, dead slow astern.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18With the hand system,
0:29:18 > 0:29:22they indicate that we need to turn the ship or that we need to
0:29:22 > 0:29:25slow down or if we need to push
0:29:25 > 0:29:29or pull to one side or another one.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32But we need minimal one tug.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35And in a case like today, that we have wind, strong wind,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37then we need two tugs.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39Go forward.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54We have to stop the ship now.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59It is always a little bit fiddly just getting the last metre
0:29:59 > 0:30:01or two, or so, into position.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03We'll leave...nicely alongside,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05the captain can go visit Southampton
0:30:05 > 0:30:06and I can go home.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Four different pilots with specialist local knowledge
0:30:11 > 0:30:13have ensured this giant cargo ship
0:30:13 > 0:30:18and all its freight have safely reached our shores from Hamburg.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Farther west, up the coast in Dorset, the journey taken by David
0:30:22 > 0:30:25and Kyle's home-grown oysters, although hairy...
0:30:25 > 0:30:26There she go!
0:30:28 > 0:30:30..requires slightly less help.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Just metres away, the Crab House Cafe run by David's
0:30:37 > 0:30:41son-in-law Nigel Bloxham is where most of the oysters end up.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Nigel bought the farm nine years ago
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and has made some significant changes.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51The oyster farm was
0:30:51 > 0:30:54acres and acres of metal racks.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And this metal rack was rusting away.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02An oyster will filter between ten and 18 litres a day.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Now, that's rusty water.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12We've taken ours out, we've gone to these wooden racks.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15We've now got a different tasting oyster.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Despite being environmentally friendly,
0:31:17 > 0:31:21harvesting oysters is a far from lucrative business.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22The oyster farm... It is
0:31:22 > 0:31:26very difficult to make any money at it, but it is the romance.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29It is very difficult to survive when it is so labour-intensive.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Our wholesale is only about 50p, whereas in the restaurant,
0:31:32 > 0:31:36we are selling it between £1.50 and £2 each, really.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40We haven't had a blip for two
0:31:40 > 0:31:42to three years where we've not been
0:31:42 > 0:31:44able to sell oysters.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48When collected from the bay,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52David uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the size
0:31:52 > 0:31:54and shape of the oysters is just right for the restaurant.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56A lot of people don't do it, but we do it.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00We have a stick like that and we go, just walk along the row,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03just stir them up like that. When they start to grow,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05just stir them up like this.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09Like that. And it knocks the excess shell off.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13So instead of growing long like that, they'll grow to a nice shape,
0:32:13 > 0:32:14like that.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Just a tiny little bit of it starting there.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20And that will grow on and on and on as the summer goes on.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23So if you knock the ends off of it like that, that will stop it
0:32:23 > 0:32:26growing that way and it will be a nice, lovely shape like this.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28That.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30That is a five-star oyster, that is.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35After today's collection,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39the oysters undergo intense cleaning to get rid of the silt and seaweed
0:32:39 > 0:32:44from the receding tide before going to the restaurant for purification.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48David's hands-on process differs from the bigger commercial farms.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51The big commercial farm is in deep water
0:32:51 > 0:32:54and airlifted with machines, they're lifted onto bars.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57As they take it back, it is all graded by machinery,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59all washed by machinery.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01We do everything by hand.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I think that is why they are such nice oysters.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07We treat them with loving care. They are our babies.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10David's babies may lie in their crib-like nets,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14but there are many things that can affect their journey to maturity.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Storms can obviously damage it, but we can normally recover and repair.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20The other thing that can affect it is disease.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22The oysters could catch disease.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26For instance, we have seen France devastated,
0:33:26 > 0:33:30with their young oysters dying and being wiped out
0:33:30 > 0:33:33due to a virus.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37To ensure a healthy environment,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41the local authority test the water every two weeks to check
0:33:41 > 0:33:44for E. Coli and other viruses.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47And as David's oyster beds also supply other restaurants,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50their origin has to be stringently recorded.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52When we send them out,
0:33:52 > 0:33:56we have to write out a health ticket with the date that they went into
0:33:56 > 0:33:58the purifying tank and the date they were sent out,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00so they are traceable.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03If something did go wrong in a restaurant, they've got their health
0:34:03 > 0:34:06ticket, they can come back and we can tell them exactly what tank it
0:34:06 > 0:34:08came out of, exactly when they were brought in
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and what batch they were from.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11So it is very strict.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15Everything is done according to the book because that is how we like it.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18We don't want anybody suffering, nobody getting ill,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20which they don't. That's good.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25With the oysters thoroughly cleaned, there is
0:34:25 > 0:34:29one last process for them to go through before they can be eaten.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Here we are, just bringing these in now.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33They've just brought these in from the fleet.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35And they are so fresh, we grew them ourselves.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Just 50 yards we've brought these.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40And these are going into purification tanks now.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Ready for purification.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45They will sit in there like that for 43 hours
0:34:45 > 0:34:48and be purified with ultraviolet light, which is
0:34:48 > 0:34:50a protection for everybody.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53It checks there is no disease in them, no E. Coli in them
0:34:53 > 0:34:54and they are lovely.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57That is really my part of the job done.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Now, it is down to Nigel to get them ready for the plate.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02I select some nice ones here.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Move them over.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Technique, not brute force.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Cut the little muscle, it's there.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12That is the little muscle that opens and shuts the shell.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Now I cut underneath that muscle.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20That is the same muscle I cut the top off. Now underneath it,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22to release it, to make it easy to eat.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26- I have just got a pearl in this oyster.- Really?- Yep.- Where?
0:35:26 > 0:35:30I just lost it, but I've got it... It's there somewhere.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- There he is.- Where is it?- There's a pearl in the oyster.- There it is.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- Look at that.- A tiny one there.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38If you'd have left that, it might've grown-up.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- Look at that. That's a pearl. - That's a first.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45That will go into auction, sell it off at £1,000.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47That is the rarest pearl in England. Look.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50With one pearl every ten years, it is going to
0:35:50 > 0:35:53be a while before David can give up oyster farming.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55But then, why would he?
0:35:55 > 0:35:58These are the finest oysters in England, that's my opinion.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01These are our Portland Royals. Here we go.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Mm!
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- They're good.- That is beautiful!
0:36:07 > 0:36:09That is really beautiful.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Delicious!
0:36:20 > 0:36:24The 700-mile coastline of the English Channel has
0:36:24 > 0:36:27many areas of peaceful, idyllic beauty.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35But today, on the Solent, peace is about to be shattered.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44A World War II bomb has been discovered on a shingle bank
0:36:44 > 0:36:46near the Isle of Wight.
0:36:46 > 0:36:51Chief of operations Simon Crew has decided on a controlled explosion,
0:36:51 > 0:36:56a tricky thing to do in such a congested area of the Channel.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59First, he has to evacuate the construction workers who
0:36:59 > 0:37:00discovered the device.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- It has got an explosive hazard to it.- Sorry?
0:37:03 > 0:37:06- It has got an explosive hazard to it. - Right.- So I have to blow it up.- OK.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And then I think it is just a matter of getting the personnel off,
0:37:09 > 0:37:11- onto the barge.- Yeah. - Standing off, if that's all right.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13- A safe distance.- OK, that's great.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15- So that is going to take about an hour.- Yes.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19Simon must also notify anyone
0:37:19 > 0:37:22who may be affected by the imminent blast.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Like, if I could ask now that we could start with the coastguard
0:37:28 > 0:37:31and say at approximately 12.30,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33we intend to do a controlled explosion
0:37:33 > 0:37:37from obviously the middle of the shingle bank there.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41While the bomb squad prepare their equipment to keep the explosion to a
0:37:41 > 0:37:46minimum, the coastguard coordinates with the Solent Operation Centre.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49What time is the ferry due to come out, do you know?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Right, so they'll be well clear.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Well, it is a shingle bank.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57As you can imagine, even just the shingle with the explosive
0:37:57 > 0:38:01effect behind that could push out a small pebble or stone, etc.,
0:38:01 > 0:38:06at quite a distance and maybe cause injury to either property
0:38:06 > 0:38:09or maybe to the public themselves.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Cheers, mate.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13- That was Solent.- Brilliant.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14Ferries...
0:38:14 > 0:38:1712.30 is actually bang on. One will be coming out
0:38:17 > 0:38:19of Southampton Water, the other will be in the middle of the Solent.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- OK.- So they'll all be well out of the way.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26So, we need to push on now and make 12.30, ideal.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30A 200-metre cordon will be enforced by the coastguard.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Meanwhile, Simon needs to time the explosion with minimal
0:38:33 > 0:38:35disruption to the ferries,
0:38:35 > 0:38:39which means he has just 30 minutes from now to get back to the
0:38:39 > 0:38:43shingle bank, set a detonator and carry out an explosion.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54We've took one stick of PE7, which is the actual explosive itself,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58one electric detonator and we've got 200 metres of...
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Well, we've got two reels of 200-metre firing cable,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04which is this here. So this is what will send the charge all
0:39:04 > 0:39:06the way down to the electric detonator,
0:39:06 > 0:39:10from our safe coverage all the way down to the explosives.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11That will set it off.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19Back on the bank, Simon needs to make sure the last of
0:39:19 > 0:39:21the construction workers are ready to leave
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and the on-site equipment is safe.
0:39:23 > 0:39:24All right, all done.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27If you could just switch the crane round, just so
0:39:27 > 0:39:30- the glass is facing that way... - All right.- The plan is,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32I would like to go for...in about 20 minutes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Just cos that coincides with the ferry crossings.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37That'd be brilliant.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Drive round with Jack, he'll tell you where to put the nose on,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47by ordinance, all right? Bring the sand bags round.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49'Navy EOD, Bembridge, Bravo. Over.'
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Yep, copy your last...
0:39:53 > 0:39:58At the moment, we're just waiting for the contractors to slip into the sea
0:39:58 > 0:39:59from this location.
0:40:01 > 0:40:07OK, so we're just going up now. If you could just stop here. All right?
0:40:07 > 0:40:08Brilliant.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13The team now have just 15 minutes to explode the bomb
0:40:13 > 0:40:15between ferry crossings.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18We're going to prep the charge and then tamp it.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21What I mean by tamping is using the effective sand bags,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24digging a hole to make sure there's minimum kick-out.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Once we're happy with that, we'll run our cables back to a safe
0:40:26 > 0:40:28location, which will be on the eastern end.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Make sure everyone's clear and then brief the safety boat to go out
0:40:31 > 0:40:33and patrol the range.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Once we're happy, we'll go for the initiation.
0:40:36 > 0:40:37Together with the coastguard,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41the bomb squad RIB will control the waters for any encroaching boats.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Any boats approaching, just zoom out to them, keep them clear. All right?
0:40:48 > 0:40:49We're in.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54The detonating charge has been attached
0:40:54 > 0:40:56and it's time to demolish the device.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02Navy safety boat, Navy safety boat, RN-EOD.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05'Navy safety boat, go ahead.'
0:41:05 > 0:41:09All stations, all stations. This is Royal Navy EOD.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Stand by to initiation, five minutes.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Confirm all stations good to go.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18'Harbour HM2, understood. Copied.'
0:41:18 > 0:41:21'10, Navy-OD, HM2.'
0:41:24 > 0:41:27But at the 11th hour, a yacht comes dangerously close
0:41:27 > 0:41:32and the team need to step in before Simon can give the go ahead.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33Push them out of the way.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37OK, connect up, test for green.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41With the yacht moved to a safe distance
0:41:41 > 0:41:45and the ferry route clear, the bomb disposal team are good to go.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49All stations, Navy EOD, I confirm clear range.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Stand by, initiation in one minute.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- Good continuity.- OK, stand by.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07OK, let's go.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08Stand by.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11Stand by, firing.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Three, two, one... Firing now!
0:42:22 > 0:42:25All stations, Navy OD, demolition is now conducted.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Stand by while I assess to confirm clear range.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33The bomb experts need to check the explosion was
0:42:33 > 0:42:36successful before they lift the cordon.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43We've come down, we've confirmed the detonation.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46As you can see, the hole and the ammunition has consumed it all,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48so happy to collapse cordons.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52We can get the contractors back in now, the ferries can start running.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56Fill the hole in and we get back and wait for another tasking.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09Thanks to the Royal Navy's Fleet Diving Squadron, this area of
0:43:09 > 0:43:13the English Channel at least is once again safe for all those who
0:43:13 > 0:43:15wish to venture onto its waters.