0:00:02 > 0:00:06Stretching from Land's End to Dover,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08this is the busiest seaway in the world.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15And come hell or high water...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- Three, two, one... Firing! - BLAST
0:00:17 > 0:00:21No amount of training can ever prepare you for what we 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 > 0:00:40..and a rich diversity of wildlife...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..it's kept safe by those who patrol its seaways.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Try and get onto the boat!
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Their actions standing between triumph...
0:00:51 > 0:00:54CHEERING
0:00:54 > 0:00:56- ..and disaster... - Ease up! Ease up!
0:00:56 > 0:01:00..on the unpredictable waters of the English Channel.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Today, a new coastal defence is running out of rocks,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13as nearly £1 million worth of granite is stuck out at sea.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16We've got a 2-metre swell running up and down this side of the ship.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20- We won't be discharging anything. - We won't be discharging today.- No.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23A young naval officer is handing control of an aircraft
0:01:23 > 0:01:26to swoop down on ships in the Channel.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And grub's up on the way to France.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37But there's only one thing anyone wants to eat.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40We sell about 600 tonnes of chips and about...
0:01:40 > 0:01:43just under 60 tonnes of mushy peas.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Fish and chips is our biggest seller by far and away,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48500,000 portions a year.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59The English Channel has been eroding the coastline
0:01:59 > 0:02:03ever since Britain split from France more than 200,000 years ago.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10It's a large mass of water, nearly 180 metres deep in places.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13That's the equivalent of over 40 double-decker buses.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18But when the weather's bad and there are spring tides,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21it can wreak havoc on those living on the coast.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24The waves have just taken away the ground work,
0:02:24 > 0:02:28the ballast, that used to be underneath the track,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32leaving Brunel's famous railway track just hanging there, unsupported.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36And there's another high tide coming in right now.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39You just wonder, will that piece of track even survive?
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Last winter, a combination of high tides and bad weather caused
0:02:45 > 0:02:49widespread flooding in the low-lying coastal plain in Somerset.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58The Somerset Levels is a part of Britain that's been
0:02:58 > 0:03:00reclaimed from the sea over thousands of years.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06It's not the only area of the country vulnerable to
0:03:06 > 0:03:09the sea's attempts to re-occupy its natural seabed.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18This is Rye in East Sussex.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Once it was surrounded on three sides by the English Channel.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24But ever since Roman times,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27we've been reclaiming tidal land from the sea,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29and thousands of people live and work here.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Rye is connected to the English Channel
0:03:35 > 0:03:37by two miles of the River Rother.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Rye Harbour is the first line of defence against Mother Nature.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43This is all salt marsh out here,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46so that's where the tide occasionally gets up onto the land
0:03:46 > 0:03:48and obviously the earth embankment is the defence behind.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51As you can see, the land the other side of the defence is
0:03:51 > 0:03:53actually lower than the water now.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55So, without the defence, that land would be flooded
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and you can see the number of properties on the outskirts
0:03:58 > 0:04:03of towns like Rye, that those defences are protecting.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The importance of the salt marsh is when the tide is really high,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10they absorb some of that energy, as the water comes in.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So they're a really important part of the defences in the area anyway.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19So, there's a lot of marine activity around these places.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20Historic defences.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25These have actually got newer defences behind, protecting the town.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29It's up to the environment agency to manage the flood defences,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32protecting the homes and businesses around the harbour.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34A concrete wall there, that is the defence line.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38The green door, that's one of the flood doors that we close
0:04:38 > 0:04:41when the tides are particularly high.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Obviously, these marinas then get flooded.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47All the way through Rye, we've got lots of flood doors
0:04:47 > 0:04:51that we have to close when we get an exceptionally high tide.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55And then this is the flood embankment through Rye.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58When we're building these things, it can be really complicated
0:04:58 > 0:05:01because you're working in and out of people's gardens,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05in and out of people's properties. So they're really quite complicated.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And we have to keep inspecting them to make sure that people
0:05:08 > 0:05:12aren't building sheds on them or...damaging them in any way.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Architects and property developers have to adapt their schemes
0:05:17 > 0:05:19to accommodate high water.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23The defence actually goes underneath the houses, through the houses.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24You can see this brick wall here.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29That ramp is the flood defence, so where that wall is at the top
0:05:29 > 0:05:33of that ramp, that's where the flood wall goes through, under the houses.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36And these houses are designed with open spaces underneath
0:05:36 > 0:05:38that are allowed to flood.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41That's why the actual accommodation level is built
0:05:41 > 0:05:43up above the flood level.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50Last December, when we had the big surge tide,
0:05:50 > 0:05:55the water actually got within about a foot of the top of these walls.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57So you can see the impact they have.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02The latest project to hold back the sea is down the coast
0:06:02 > 0:06:05at Broomhill Sands, near Camber.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Giant boulders of rock protecting homes and businesses
0:06:08 > 0:06:12behind the sea wall, which is sat two metres below sea level.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16The next delivery of granite has arrived from Norway.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20But nearly £1 million worth of rocks are stuck out in the Channel.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Paul and Ian need to head up the river to work out
0:06:25 > 0:06:27if they can get them onshore.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It's not long before they are confronted with a problem.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- Hold on to your hats, folks!- Yeah! It's going to get rough in a minute!
0:06:34 > 0:06:36If the weather continues to cause rough sea,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40they won't be able to get the rocks brought in to shore.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43So we've got a 20mph westerly wind coming through.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46We've got a large swell building up through the bay.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49I think it's very marginal whether we can get that rock off.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Yeah, I think, well, we'll go out and have a look.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56A few miles offshore, a barge the size of a football pitch
0:06:56 > 0:06:59is stranded, waiting to be off-loaded.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02This is basically a 20,000 tonne trailer that is towed from here
0:07:02 > 0:07:04to Norway and back.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08It's recycled. It's material that comes from a quarry where they're actually
0:07:08 > 0:07:12looking for high-quality granite for work surfaces, etc.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16And this is the leftover materials. Granite is REALLY hard rock.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19The sea can be hitting this for the next hundred years
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and it will barely touch it.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24When this is empty, a tug will come and tow this back to Norway.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28It will be refilled and another 27,000 tonnes brought here for us.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32So, we've got the barge sitting about three miles offshore here,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36waiting to be unloaded. Each barge load is about £900,000.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The weather has to be calm enough for the boulders to be
0:07:39 > 0:07:43transferred to a smaller barge, to take them towards the beach.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Yeah, I see what he means about it being quite choppy.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Heavy lumps of rock and high seas do not mix.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52We've got a two-metre swell running up and down this side of the ship.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55- We won't be discharging today. - We won't be discharging today.- No.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Each one of those rocks is between five and ten tonnes.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Drop a boulder in the sea, that becomes a hazard to navigation.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04The 10-tonne ones have to be recovered within 24 hours.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08It would be difficult to recover anything in these conditions,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11so, erm, we just wouldn't be considering the operation.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- We'll have another look tomorrow. - Yeah.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18For now, the rocks will have to stay out at sea.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Back on land, you can clearly see why they need the boulders.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Based on an ancient principle,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32they're building a slope of rock to absorb the power of the sea.
0:08:34 > 0:08:40The Broomhill Sands project is costing £30 million over 18 months.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Any delays can be costly and they need to know
0:08:43 > 0:08:46the contractors have got enough rocks to be getting on with.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49So, the rock were placing at Broomhill today is
0:08:49 > 0:08:53all about what the conditions are going to be in 100 years' time
0:08:53 > 0:08:55and making sure we can defend our coast.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The key thing is the future storminess of the sea.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Er, climate change models predict that there will be a lot more
0:09:02 > 0:09:05energy in storms in the future, so our new defences have to be
0:09:05 > 0:09:09designed to take all of that into the equation.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14At least the kite surfers are enjoying the conditions.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17The diggers at the Broomhill site carry on regardless.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20But right now, there's just a giant hole in the beach.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22How much rock we got left there?
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Well, the team are telling us one and a half to two years.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29So, we really need this wind to start dying down now.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Get them over on that big barge.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34If the weather doesn't ease up in the next few days,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37the whole project will come to a grinding halt.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40What we don't want to do is run out of rock because the tides are
0:09:40 > 0:09:44right for the placement and that'll slow the whole job up, really.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46It's frustrating for the contractor
0:09:46 > 0:09:49because it adds to the cost of the project if we get delayed,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52with not being able to place rock because it's a big portion of the scheme.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56So, yeah, it's a time-critical activity
0:09:56 > 0:09:59getting the rock off the barge and onshore.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03As the day ends, the weather's calming down and there's hope
0:10:03 > 0:10:06they can bring in more boulders tomorrow.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15The English Channel is 350 miles long, from Cornwall to Kent.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20There's nearly 30,000 square miles of water for shipping to negotiate.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26In the skies above, the Royal Navy are training for war
0:10:26 > 0:10:29and always on standby to help identify
0:10:29 > 0:10:31suspicious vessels in the Channel.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37This is RNAS Culdrose, a Royal Navy air base
0:10:37 > 0:10:40on the south-west tip of Cornwall, on the Lizard Peninsula.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46It's the largest helicopter base in Europe, with 75 aircraft
0:10:46 > 0:10:49and 3,000 people helping to operate them.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54It's home to 750 Squadron,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57a unit that trains the people in charge on board a Navy aircraft.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Sub-lieutenant Phil Reid is being trained to become
0:11:03 > 0:11:06a Royal Naval Observer, ready to serve as part of the team
0:11:06 > 0:11:09flying Merlin and Wildcat helicopters.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The role of a Royal Naval Observer is that they will
0:11:12 > 0:11:15fly in the Wildcat and the Merlin helicopters
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and their principal job is to fly aircraft from ships,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21aircraft carriers, that we get in service shortly,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23and the frigates and the destroyers,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26to collect information to protect the ships.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And the observer is there, principally for navigation,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32communications, tactics...
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And he's got a God's-eye view
0:11:34 > 0:11:37of what's going on in that particular space.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Phil is building up to a flight over the English Channel,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43where he needs to map ships.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45But before he can do the real thing,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47he has to run through the trip on a flight simulator.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50I think simulators are as important as flying, erm,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52it's something we do a lot in our career.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56You have to get used to trying to make it a realistic environment,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59trying to get into your head that it is real.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03If we go up into the air and it's all totally new,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07it can be really difficult with all the added factors...
0:12:07 > 0:12:13The noise, the vibration, the sickening feeling.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15So, you've got to make the most of that and learn how to use...
0:12:15 > 0:12:18manipulate the kit properly to give you the best results
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and then in the air and everything becomes a bit easier.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22We're going into the sim.
0:12:22 > 0:12:28In a training environment, searching and identifying contacts
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and then going nice and low...and to identify them visually and then
0:12:32 > 0:12:37slowly it will ramp up to doing it in the aircraft out of the South West.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Guiding Phil through the simulated flight is his tutor,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Lieutenant Cmdr Matt Round.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Well, he'll be learning how to approach ships in the Channel
0:12:50 > 0:12:53and today, specifically,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57they're going to be looking at how to approach ships in IMC,
0:12:57 > 0:13:02which is instrument-mapped conditions, so in poor Met weather conditions.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06For security reasons, we're not allowed to film the training screen.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I'm going to resume the sim.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13I want you to use the standard techniques to build five contacts
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- in your area.- OK.- Are you happy with that?- Yes.- Good.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21What Phil's practising on the simulator is an operation
0:13:21 > 0:13:23known as a SENS op.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26He is building up a picture of what's out at sea through his radar
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and relaying that information back to RNAS Culdrose.
0:13:30 > 0:13:322.6 miles...
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- 26 knots...- OK.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38As an observer, his job is to instruct the pilot
0:13:38 > 0:13:42when to swoop down low and fly over boats to identify them.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45We certainly put the students here through their paces.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48They're with us for a good 16 weeks.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50And on day one, I promise them I will take them
0:13:50 > 0:13:53to the edge of their abilities and beyond.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56It's the best way to learn, isn't it? We do it in the sim.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58It's all well and good. It doesn't move.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01It doesn't shake, it's not noisy and the comms load is very easy
0:14:01 > 0:14:04in the sim, given that you're talking to one person.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06As you can see, out in the real aircraft,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09everything is a bit more difficult. Everything is a bit more cramped.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13With the sense op completed, Phil has the chance to relax with
0:14:13 > 0:14:15some of his fellow trainee observers.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Erm, certainly, when I come down, there is a lot of, erm,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23perceived pressure, on ourselves.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26We all do want to get to the end of the course.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I can kind of see the end and it's an uphill struggle.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33But it's good fun and we'll make it to the other end, I hope!
0:14:34 > 0:14:38It is tough. We're not here to fail. No-one is here trying to fail us.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41We're here to pass and we're here to come out the other end,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45erm, as...almost-trained observers.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49In a matter of hours, Phil must take to the air
0:14:49 > 0:14:53and swap a simulated computer exercise for the real thing.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57He'll have to take charge of an aircraft and its pilot
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and complete a live operation.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06The Channel is one of the busiest seaways in the world.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But whereas many vessels travel its length,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11some do nothing but cross it.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14The ferry business has grown,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17ever since the start of the 20th century, when the people
0:15:17 > 0:15:22of Britain began travelling to continental Europe for holidays.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25More than 15 million of us cross the Channel every year.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Ferries are now a crucial transport link for the exchange of goods
0:15:29 > 0:15:31with the rest of Europe.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35The shortest way across is Dover to Calais.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Giant ferries have been constructed
0:15:39 > 0:15:42especially for this busy stretch of water and this is one of
0:15:42 > 0:15:46the largest vessels crossing the English Channel.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50The Spirit of France makes five return trips every day.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52It takes 90 minutes for the ship
0:15:52 > 0:15:54to get to Dover-Calais, or Calais-Dover.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57And then we've got 45 minutes, roughly,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01between each sailing of arrival and embarkation.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04That could be unloading 2,000 passengers, erm,
0:16:04 > 0:16:09and loading 2,000 passengers. Within that 45-minute period.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13There's a lot of key tasks that need to be carried out in that time.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Cleaning the ship, preparing the food for the next service
0:16:16 > 0:16:20and obviously making sure that the ship is ready to go to sea again.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26With just an hour and a half at sea, and hungry passengers,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30the ferry is effectively a floating restaurant with on-board parking.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32This is one of our coffee shops on board.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37We've got one at the front of the ship and also one at the back of the ship and...
0:16:37 > 0:16:41where we serve a combination of spirits and soft drinks.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44There's something about being at sea that seems to affect
0:16:44 > 0:16:45the passengers' food choice.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Fish and chips, I think, they're on the sea,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51they are on a ferry, you know, going from Dover to Calais,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53the White Cliffs of Dover
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and they just naturally feel as if they want fish and chips.
0:16:57 > 0:17:03On one crossing, we could serve up to 400 or 500 portions of fish.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And one crossing being 90 minutes, during the day,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09where we could carry up to 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 passengers,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11it's very busy.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15And that kind of volume has to come from somewhere.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18This warehouse has £3 million worth of supplies,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21ready to cater for 15 different ferries.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23We deliver and store
0:17:23 > 0:17:26all the goods for the entire P&O fleet,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29just through this one warehouse.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Making sure each crossing has enough provisions
0:17:32 > 0:17:36for the number of people on board is a unique logistical proposition.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39We've got about 4,000 pallets of storage.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45We have a wide variety of goods, from fresh fish, fresh meat,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49fruit and veg to general dry stores and goods.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52From food products to retail, perfumes
0:17:52 > 0:17:56and confectionery lines, to plates and cutlery and cups and saucers.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58If you've seen it on board the ship,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00it's most likely to have come through us.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05After the ferry puts in its order, the warehouse has less than 24 hours
0:18:05 > 0:18:09to load the container truck and get it on the road.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Eight out of ten items are for the popular Dover-Calais route.
0:18:13 > 0:18:19That makes up probably about 80% of our actual outgoings here.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22So, that's our main line that we actually store for.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25So, we've got the five ships that we actually store for
0:18:25 > 0:18:29every single day. We can have a container fully loaded,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33so, up to 26 pallets per day, going out. And that's over six days.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37The operation is a well-oiled machine
0:18:37 > 0:18:39but it doesn't always go smoothly.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42You know, probably the worst thing that's been wrong is
0:18:42 > 0:18:45one of the guys on a forklift actually took out
0:18:45 > 0:18:47one of the sprinkler units,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50really just, so to speak, opened the floodgates.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Within about 10 minutes, there was
0:18:52 > 0:18:56about four inches deep of water, freezing as well!
0:18:57 > 0:18:59The warehouse is full to the rafters,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02with approximately 4,000 pallets,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04a third of which is food and beverage,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06all chosen by chief buyer Dave Lewis.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12I buy all food for all the restaurants.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17So, everything from the fish right down to, er,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20the cakes and cheesecakes and everything in between.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23We sell a lot of Toblerones. We sell enough Toblerone to go
0:19:23 > 0:19:26to the moon and back. It's one of our biggest confectionery lines.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30With chocolate from Switzerland and chips from Holland going back
0:19:30 > 0:19:33over the Channel, it's an international effort.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38But the ship does have its limitations.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It's not as easy as a restaurant. Our ship is moving all the time.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44It's not like we can just put an extra kitchen on the back
0:19:44 > 0:19:47or anything along those lines. It's really quite a challenge.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52With food being such an important part of getting across the Channel,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Dave has to put his body on the line.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58So, we do everything from mayonnaise tasting, which, trust me,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01on a Monday morning is not the best thing to be tasting,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03when you're tasting five or six different mayonnaises.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06And then really nice things, when were tasting pies or cheesecakes.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10That's when I get a lot more volunteers helping me - tasting these products.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13And as a British company operating at sea,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17the reputation of an important national dish is in his hands.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Fish and chips is our biggest seller, by far and away,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23500,000 portions a year.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26We sell about 600 tonnes of chips and about...
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Just under 60 tonnes of mushy peas each year.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31That's a lot of fish and chips!
0:20:31 > 0:20:34The fish consumed on the Channel has actually been caught
0:20:34 > 0:20:37hundreds of miles away and landed in the North of England.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Well, the fish that are brought in, that's actually come from Hull
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and that fish actually gets sourced from the North Atlantic.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49I want people to be proud and to say, "I ate on P&O and had the best fish and chips I've had!"
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Back on board, the fish has travelled south to Dover
0:20:57 > 0:20:59and it's only a matter of hours
0:20:59 > 0:21:01before it's in the hands of the chefs.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06With hundreds of hungry customers about to descend on the restaurant,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09the chefs have seen a shift in nautical eating habits.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12It used to be so that way that people would traditionally
0:21:12 > 0:21:14eat more fish on a Friday.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18But nowadays, it's a dish they would eat seven days a week.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21As passenger numbers fluctuate,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24they have to be ready for every eventuality.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28Our figures went from 200 to 1,100 on one crossing.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32And of course that causes problems and we have to step up to the mark
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and provide the extra food for these passengers wanting to eat.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40With such varying numbers of passengers from day to day,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44it's vital the warehouse supplies arrive on the ship
0:21:44 > 0:21:46within the 45-minute docking window.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52If the crew misses the deadline, it costs the company in lost revenue
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and delays the rest of the day's crossings.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58But technology is improving the process
0:21:58 > 0:22:02and has made turnaround times in the ferry industry much faster.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08The whole ramp will go up to make a big opening.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Then this platform all goes straight up
0:22:10 > 0:22:13and that will sit on the bottom car deck.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18The truck carrying the container of supplies has to be unloaded quickly.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Once the truck is in place, the crew have just minutes
0:22:24 > 0:22:27to pull off the pallets before the ferry departs.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Roughly about seven or eight minutes, we can take 26 pallets of stock
0:22:31 > 0:22:35without affecting the discharge or the load of the ship.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39With an entire container of fresh food and supplies unloaded,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43the Spirit of France just manages to depart on time.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46And within a few minutes, the hungry passengers get their order in.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I think I'm going to have fish and chips.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Would you like a slice of lemon? - Certainly.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57The English Channel is a significant training ground for the Royal Navy.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The Navy's air squadrons, based along the coast,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03are also on standby to help the civilian maritime agencies,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07should any vessels be identified as a threat.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11This is the Royal Navy's base at Culdrose.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15It's a large operations centre for the Navy's helicopters
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and the headquarters of the 750 Squadron
0:23:17 > 0:23:20that trains all the Royal Navy observers.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Sub Lieutenant Phil Reid is a trainee observer.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29If he passes his course, he'll be in charge of all navigation kit on board an aircraft
0:23:29 > 0:23:33and the technology that helps identify military targets at sea.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36I'm from Plymouth, erm...
0:23:36 > 0:23:39born and bred, just the Cornish side.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43I spent my childhood and my teenage years on the sea
0:23:43 > 0:23:49and here I am in a job working just off the south coast
0:23:49 > 0:23:53protecting that sort of asset, to me, I suppose.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56So, the sea has always been part of my life
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and the Navy is the logical choice really.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01There's always been plenty of military flying over the top
0:24:01 > 0:24:04of where I live and it's that moment when you look up as a kid
0:24:04 > 0:24:06and think, "I want to do what he does."
0:24:06 > 0:24:08So, here I am doing my best.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Today, Phil is flying in his first SENS op.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16He'll be in charge of a fixed wing plane on a mission mapping
0:24:16 > 0:24:18the ships in the English Channel.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21It's just a busy, fun place, isn't it?
0:24:21 > 0:24:24You've got everything from your commercial shipping
0:24:24 > 0:24:27to the local fishermen that I know quite well at home
0:24:27 > 0:24:30who go out every day, catch lobsters and crabs in tiny pots
0:24:30 > 0:24:34and it's important, being the island nation that we are,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37we have to protect the shipping around us
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and the shipping coming from wherever it is in the world.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43First stop is a briefing with his tutor for some last-minute checks.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47- How are you feeling about this of the day?- The sim went well.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51I did my first SENS observer flight, so we'll see.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54We're getting down to the bread-and-butter of what we're
0:24:54 > 0:24:57trying to achieve as a maritime observer
0:24:57 > 0:24:59so this will be the exciting bit,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02but maybe the more challenging bit of the course.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Phil is about a third of the way through the course
0:25:06 > 0:25:10so what he's done before, the SENS op sortie...
0:25:10 > 0:25:13he's done some very basic navigation skills.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16What we're now letting Phil loose with is the radar.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20You see the sort of bulge in the underbelly of the aircraft,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22that has got the radar in there
0:25:22 > 0:25:24and we're going to teach Phil to use the radar
0:25:24 > 0:25:28to gather some information and to see what he can see
0:25:28 > 0:25:30that's out in the Channel patrolling around.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36You seem to be pretty confident in the sense that you had some
0:25:36 > 0:25:39good activity in one go.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42I'd like you to take that forward, please, all right?
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Have you got any questions for me?
0:25:44 > 0:25:45No.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48No, I'm sure some will come up, probably when I'm in the air
0:25:48 > 0:25:50- and it's too late. That's OK.- Right!
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Before they can go anywhere, they do the final checks.
0:25:56 > 0:25:57Most of the Navy observers
0:25:57 > 0:26:00will be working on Merlin or Wildcat helicopters,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03but they train in fixed-wing planes
0:26:03 > 0:26:05because they are cheaper to operate.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Helicopters are notoriously expensive to run and to maintain.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13The aircraft you see behind me are pretty cheap to run
0:26:13 > 0:26:18and for some of the training that we're delivering here at 750,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22this is the cornerstone of what they do, the fundamentals of what they do.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23So, it's far better
0:26:23 > 0:26:27and more cost-effective to teach it on an aircraft such as this.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30But using the right equipment and technology, you can train,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34emulate and mimic a lot of the jobs that they'll be doing
0:26:34 > 0:26:36in the Merlin and the Wildcat helicopters.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39There's no turning back now.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Everything Phil has learnt has built up to today.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44His tutor keeps a watchful eye,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48but Phil is in charge of the plane and it's not long before
0:26:48 > 0:26:51they're up over the Channel and his mission has begun.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10'They're under an awful lot of pressure
0:27:10 > 0:27:12'every time we take them up in the air.'
0:27:12 > 0:27:16They will do in excess of 23 flights
0:27:16 > 0:27:19and pretty much the same again in the simulator.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Everyone is assessed, and the way I liken it to them,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24it's like doing your driving test every day.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29So that's in excess of 50 driving tests that you do whilst you're here
0:27:29 > 0:27:30under that same pressure.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49The radar picks up a small fishing boat and Phil has to decide whether
0:27:49 > 0:27:53he's got time to divert and take the plane down for a closer look.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12He's got to figure out what those radar returns are.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14It's a dot of light on his screen.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17At the same time, he's also got to manage his aircraft,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19got to direct and guide his crew
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and communicate his intentions to the rest of the crew.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So it's quite a tough job and he's got quite a few plates to spin.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31With the fishing boat identified and mapped,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33there's a bigger blip on the radar.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53It's a huge car carrier.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56With the SENS op nearly completed, they head back to Cornwall.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03- Yes, happy with that. OK, channel 6, I want you to form two.- Got it.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07Channel 8 on Uniform 1 and we'll go for a recovery...
0:29:07 > 0:29:11After successfully identifying a number of vessels,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14the operation seems to have gone well.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16But Phil will have to wait a bit longer to see
0:29:16 > 0:29:18whether he's passed this particular test.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23There is no better way to learn to protect our seas at home
0:29:23 > 0:29:27and abroad than to go out into the Channel and find real shipping.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29We use real shipping,
0:29:29 > 0:29:34real radar and we use real procedures that are going to take us forward
0:29:34 > 0:29:36onto the back of warships
0:29:36 > 0:29:39and helicopters or operational squadrons here at Culdrose
0:29:39 > 0:29:41or at RNAS Yeovilton.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44I enjoyed it. It was a good day for it.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49We ended up on top of all the contacts that I tried to get us
0:29:49 > 0:29:51on top of and we got back safely on time.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55And those, from the brief, were my objectives.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58But we'll wait and see if the instructor disagrees with me, I suppose.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01In the end, only his tutor's opinion will count
0:30:01 > 0:30:04and Phil has to face Lieutenant Commander Matt Round
0:30:04 > 0:30:06to hear the verdict on his efforts.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09What was this contact?
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Small group of fishing vessels.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Yes, small fishing vessel which we only actually detected
0:30:14 > 0:30:15in the smaller ranges.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17So, in terms of your aggression,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20how would I sum up your desire to go and do a homing here?
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Keen. Like you said in the aircraft, you said,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24"Are you going to go for it?"
0:30:24 > 0:30:26"How brave are you feeling?" Yeah. It was good.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29I really like the fact you were determined to do that.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31I tell you now, a lot of students would have gone,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33"No, I think I'll go for the easy one." All right?
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- But that should hold you in good stead for later in the phase.- OK.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40So, well done. Overall, being a positive person as you are...
0:30:40 > 0:30:43- Always. Pretty good. - Yeah. Pretty damn good, all right?
0:30:43 > 0:30:47And some really nice touches. So, well done. It's a good pass.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Have you got any questions for me?
0:30:49 > 0:30:50No. Fine, thank you.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53I'll have my pencil back!
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Phil, it appears, can stay,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00and after less than 20 hours' flying experience,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02he survives to fly another day.
0:31:04 > 0:31:10I feel... Yeah, relieved. Erm... And just quite positive.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12I'm not over the moon, there's loads more work to do.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15We're only two thirds of the way through the course,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17but actually it was a great day to go flying.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22It wasn't bumpy, it was fairly quiet, we found the ships we needed
0:31:22 > 0:31:24and we came back in one piece.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28There's not a huge amount more you can ask for on a day's flying here.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33In a matter of weeks, 750 Squadron will have a new group
0:31:33 > 0:31:37of observers trained up to take to the air and help keep our seas safe.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Not just over the Channel,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42but wherever in the world Britain's interests lie.
0:31:47 > 0:31:48Ever since Roman times,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52we've been taking back land from the English Channel.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Reclaimed areas now support new homes and businesses
0:31:55 > 0:31:58that are vital to the British economy.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01But they are low-lying areas and need protecting
0:32:01 > 0:32:02from the combination of high tides
0:32:02 > 0:32:06and storms which can bring the full force of the sea inland.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10Homes and communities can be devastated
0:32:10 > 0:32:14and it's a constant battle to maintain the man-made defences
0:32:14 > 0:32:17all along the English Channel that hold back the sea.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26In East Sussex, the Environment Agency is building
0:32:26 > 0:32:29a new sea defence system at Broomhill Sands.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33It's a £30 million project protecting the land behind
0:32:33 > 0:32:35that is two metres below sea level.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38After two days of bad weather, they've got to make up time.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43- Oh, yeah, there she is. - There she is, yeah. Dead-flat sea.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Today, the sea is calm enough for a small barge
0:32:46 > 0:32:49to bring in the next load of Norwegian granite boulders.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54While they come in to shore, Ian and Paul inspect
0:32:54 > 0:32:59the old sea wall that was built around 65 years ago.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03What we can see here is the old sort of 1950s defence that was put in.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07The concrete block works actually are in really good condition
0:33:07 > 0:33:10because of the maintenance that's been done since the 1950s.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14We've been keeping shingle on top of this existing defence
0:33:14 > 0:33:16to keep it in really good condition.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18So it's made it really easy to build the new defence,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21so that we have never, ever got to worry about,
0:33:21 > 0:33:25during the construction period, not having some form of defence in place.
0:33:25 > 0:33:26It's worked well.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28But as the population increases,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31so does the need to hold back the English Channel.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37There's about 14,000 properties that this £30 million scheme protects,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39so it's a really essential part for,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43not just the people who live out on the Romney Marsh, but also for
0:33:43 > 0:33:48the businesses out there, but some really important habitats as well.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52With the small barge inshore at last, they have to unload
0:33:52 > 0:33:56the granite as quick as they can before they run out of deep water.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00They can only be dropped off at high tide,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04so they are far enough up the beach to be picked up at low tide.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07These are ten-tonne lumps of rock he's chucking off there.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11The idea is, at high tide, they come in, they throw the rock off,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15and we gradually build up piles of rock, and, erm...
0:34:15 > 0:34:17A few guys wandering around here, they're getting ready.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21As the tide goes out, we then start placing the rock onshore,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and that's its final destination.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Norway to Camber in a simple journey.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33It takes about two hours to unload a full load from the barge,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35so he's getting near the end.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38You can see the tug's obviously working really hard,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40just holding the barge in place.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42At the back, it's actually anchored,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45but because of the tidal currents, the currents are wanting to push
0:34:45 > 0:34:49the barge round, so the tug's really working hard to hold it in place.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53There'll be another load tonight that will be unloaded in the dark,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55and tomorrow morning, they'll be ready to come straight in
0:34:55 > 0:35:00and hit that again, so, erm, yeah, it's constant work, constant work.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Another 20 minutes and it will be empty,
0:35:02 > 0:35:04and then the machines can start going to work.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06- Excellent. 20 minutes?- I think so.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11With its cargo unloaded, the little barge is taken back
0:35:11 > 0:35:13to the mother barge by the tug,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16to be fed with more boulders to bring to shore.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28At low tide, the piles of rock that were covered in water are revealed.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33The team of diggers have just a few hours to get the rocks
0:35:33 > 0:35:36shifted up the beach before high tide.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41The sloping granite boulder jigsaw is delicately put together
0:35:41 > 0:35:43against the clock...
0:35:44 > 0:35:48..like a herd of mechanical dinosaurs building a nest,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51operated by a small but close-knit team.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Name's Perry, and I do the rock placing
0:35:56 > 0:35:59for Ovenden Earthworks and Sea Defence
0:35:59 > 0:36:02along with a couple of other guys.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05As soon as the tide starts going out and you can get on the beach
0:36:05 > 0:36:08to do the job, you've got to get down there and crack on with it
0:36:08 > 0:36:11and get it done before the tide comes in and beats you again.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17Rolling it around.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21I was always brought up on the farms, driving tractors
0:36:21 > 0:36:24and things like that, and I suppose it's in your blood, really.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27But, yeah, it is a big boy's toy, definitely.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30What they're building is known as a revetment.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's a sloping structure made on banks to absorb
0:36:33 > 0:36:35the energy of the incoming water.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37First of all, they put down the geotextile,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40which is a reinforcement material. It's really, really strong,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43but it ensures that the rock we put in,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45individual rocks, can't sink.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It holds them stably on the ground,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and then they'll build the rock up around that.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53With just over an hour left to high tide,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55speed and accuracy are crucial.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58You pick up different rocks, and you'll go to put it in, check it on the screen,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00if it's not the right level,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02you either have to turn it around or take it out
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and find another one that'll fit, and put that rock somewhere else,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and that's how you carry on
0:37:07 > 0:37:09until you achieve the revetment that you want.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15It is a challenge, yeah. I found it very difficult to learn to do.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Yeah, all the rocks that are put in there,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23they're all put into a set level, so if you look along it,
0:37:23 > 0:37:25they all look like they're the same level, which they are,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28and all to within a specified measurement.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Record all the data on the GPS, and it goes back to the office,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36and they sort of download it
0:37:36 > 0:37:39and make sure it's all going in there right.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Back in the design office,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45they build up a picture of progress against the drawings.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47It's a combination of an ancient design,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50managed by digital-age software.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52We get the data from the crane.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57They have a complete positioning system, so the bucket can be
0:37:57 > 0:38:03exactly known in position, and the crane operator logs the data.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08They give the data to me, and I present it here in my survey system.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13The grey represents how far they've dug down,
0:38:13 > 0:38:18and is covered with a geotextile material the rocks are put onto.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22The dark red, smooth layer is the ideal angle they've designed
0:38:22 > 0:38:25for the rock slope, known as the design level.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27The light green peaks are where the boulders have ended up
0:38:27 > 0:38:30when the diggers have put them in place.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34The different colours represent the different levels
0:38:34 > 0:38:36that the rock is being placed at,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40and what we're looking for is the red to be just completely
0:38:40 > 0:38:44covered by effectively the green and the blue, which is below water level.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49So, as these operators are placing the rock in the cab, they're checking
0:38:49 > 0:38:51that they're working above the design level,
0:38:51 > 0:38:55but only just above the design level, because obviously if you go too high
0:38:55 > 0:38:59above the design level, then we're actually wasting materials.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01In the old days, we have to mark it first,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05where the level should be, of the work, and nowadays,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07the crane operator can work for himself.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11He can see everything, and so it's much faster than it used to be.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13It's made me very happy!
0:39:17 > 0:39:19What it looks like as it's coming onshore is we're just
0:39:19 > 0:39:22chucking a load of old rocks onto the beach,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26but actually it's a really cleverly designed piece of civil engineering
0:39:26 > 0:39:29to make sure that we absorb as much of the wave energy
0:39:29 > 0:39:32as it comes ashore as we possibly can.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35The total length of the rock here at Broomhill, the rock revetment,
0:39:35 > 0:39:40is about 1,400 metres, and so far we've done about 800,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43so we're just a little way over halfway through.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Keep going, keep going.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52Go on, go on, go on.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Keep going, keep going...
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Back on the beach, daylight's running out,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01and the last few boulders are put in place.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05Can you go onto rock now, please, mate?
0:40:06 > 0:40:08- WALKIE-TALKIE:- Yeah, will do.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10'It's a big team effort.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13'You know, it's not just down to one person putting the rocks in.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15'You need somebody that does the dig at the right level,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18'you need somebody else that's going to load the rocks at a decent speed
0:40:18 > 0:40:21'to get them over to you so you can get them in,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23'and you've all got to be aware of each other,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25'so we've all got two-way radios, communicating all the time.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:29See where my grab is? That's where you need to be tipping.
0:40:29 > 0:40:30Are you listening?
0:40:32 > 0:40:35It's not a bad job. It's all right. Quite enjoy it.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Site supervisor Ashley Frampton is making sure
0:40:43 > 0:40:47the seven-metre foundations are filled in correctly.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48Ash, how's it going, then?
0:40:48 > 0:40:51So, we've got all the rock ashore now, and the machines are working.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- How's progress?- Yeah, not too bad.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56They started about 40 minutes ago, started placing some rock
0:40:56 > 0:41:01down at the bottom after putting in a geotextile, erm...
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Building up slowly, placing shingle back on the rock,
0:41:03 > 0:41:05so they can keep working up.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Erm, yeah, it's progressing pretty well, actually.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Good weather means good progress.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14The ironic thing about this job is that it's quite difficult
0:41:14 > 0:41:16to build some of the fences when the storm was going on,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18as you can't get the materials in,
0:41:18 > 0:41:20and you can't really work in it either.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Days like today help us move on that much quicker.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Easier to get out, easier to see what you're doing,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- so yeah, better weather makes for better work, really.- Marvellous.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30And of course, when people walk along here
0:41:30 > 0:41:33when the scheme's complete, they won't know anything about it.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36No, no. There'll be people walking along here sort of thinking
0:41:36 > 0:41:39they've got the sand and shingle, and not knowing that
0:41:39 > 0:41:42three or four metres beneath them is a couple of thousand tonnes of rock.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- The very start of the defence, the protection.- Yeah.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48Over the next five years,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52they'll be spending another £150 million on this shoreline.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56In the far distance, the cliffs that would have been the shore
0:41:56 > 0:41:57all the way around us,
0:41:57 > 0:42:01and of course, the construction of these sea walls,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04which started 2,000 years ago, in effect,
0:42:04 > 0:42:07is an important part of the local economy,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10so what we're doing today makes that sustainable into the future
0:42:10 > 0:42:13for at least the next 200 years,
0:42:13 > 0:42:17so it's really important to the local area that we maintain these defences.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22There are thousands of people who own businesses, properties, et cetera,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25out on the Romney Marsh and, of course,
0:42:25 > 0:42:27this sea defence is protecting them from the sea.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34'You can look back over it and see what you've done
0:42:34 > 0:42:36'and see it's going to be there for a long time.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39'It is a sense of achievement.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42'We all take pride in what we do, the whole team.'
0:42:42 > 0:42:45I don't know if it'll be a million years, but it'll be a long time.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I don't think I need to worry about doing it again!
0:42:47 > 0:42:50So we just carry on now till the early hours,
0:42:50 > 0:42:54until it's all done and we're up to the top, then go home to bed.
0:42:55 > 0:42:56And have another go tomorrow.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Those that live and work on the English Channel
0:43:07 > 0:43:10know it can both give and take away.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14It remains a powerful source of natural energy
0:43:14 > 0:43:15that must be treated with respect.