0:00:03 > 0:00:06This is Portsmouth.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10The only city in the UK that can call itself an island.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14You can find connections with the sea around every corner.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17And, inevitably, people's lives are touched by it.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19I'll be meeting some of the people
0:00:19 > 0:00:21who are fascinated by the sea and its inhabitants.
0:00:21 > 0:00:27And find out what it's like to have all of this on your doorstep.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35This week, we meet novice sailors on board the tall ship fit for a queen.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38I get to grips with some interesting sea creatures.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41There's magnificent hymn singing from St Mary's Church
0:00:41 > 0:00:45and songs from West End star Ramin Karimloo.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00Under Henry VIII, Portsmouth became the home of the Royal Navy
0:01:00 > 0:01:03and there's still a significant naval presence here.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Almost every sea vessel imaginable can be seen in the harbour.
0:01:09 > 0:01:15And Portsmouth is a major ferry port to the Isle of Wight and beyond.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18All our music this week has been chosen
0:01:18 > 0:01:22to reflect the sea and the wonder of creation.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26The first hymn is one of our most popular,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and certainly my personal favourite.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32The words were inspired by the drama of a thunderstorm.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35So, let's join the congregation of St Mary's Church,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37together with friends from across the area,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41as they sing, How Great Thou Art.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36The Solent is one of the busiest
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and most dangerous shipping channels to navigate in the UK.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43When things go wrong, the coastguard is often the first port of call.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47We co-ordinate search and rescue.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51So when a mayday comes in on Channel 16,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53or a 999 call
0:05:53 > 0:05:55comes in, with somebody in distress,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59we co-ordinate which resources,
0:05:59 > 0:06:00which coastguards, lifeboats,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03we are going to send to effect a rescue
0:06:03 > 0:06:06or give assistance to somebody in trouble.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09'I wake up in the morning, come into a job I love,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12'and I thank God that I'm going to work
0:06:12 > 0:06:13'and I'm going to make a difference'
0:06:13 > 0:06:16to somebody's life today, and...
0:06:16 > 0:06:18whatever happens during the day, we take it as it comes.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21But he's in here with me. He's sitting with me
0:06:21 > 0:06:24and he's helping me do the best job I possibly can.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30'You can sit in the Ops room and a normal routine call will ring.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'It could be somebody asking for the weather, it could be a fisherman'
0:06:34 > 0:06:36going, "I have a little bit of a problem."
0:06:36 > 0:06:41When a fisherman says he's got a little bit of a problem, it's normally a rather large one.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47In April this year, Karen received just such a call.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53'It was a relatively quiet day and a mayday call came in
0:06:53 > 0:06:55'from a fishing boat, the Seabird,
0:06:55 > 0:06:56'saying that he was off'
0:06:56 > 0:07:02the submarine barrier in Portsmouth and he was taking on water.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06It was a rough day. About two and a half to three-metre swells.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10And as soon as we saw the boat, we saw the back, the stern of the boat,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12was almost underwater.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15It was a case of everybody off the ship.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Because it was definitely going down.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23The skipper was a bit reluctant to get off the boat.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26It's his pride and joy, his livelihood. But once I spoke to him,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29it was very clear that the inevitable was going to happen.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33We had no choice but to leave the vessel and let it sink.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38It was one of those fantastic times when everybody got off
0:07:38 > 0:07:42and I don't even think the fishermen got their feet wet.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45When you're out at sea and the weather's really bad
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and you're on this plastic boat...
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and the elements...I mean, I've been in positions
0:07:51 > 0:07:55where waves have been coming over the boat when I've been sailing.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58And you sit there and you go, "Well, I have to have faith in the boat.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01"I have to have faith in the ability of the boat
0:08:01 > 0:08:04"and I have to have faith that someone's looking after me,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07"because the position I'm in right now
0:08:07 > 0:08:10"isn't actually a safe place to be."
0:08:10 > 0:08:12And you come out at the end of it
0:08:12 > 0:08:15and everything is beautiful and calm and you go, "I survived that.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18"Somebody was watching over me.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21"Somebody has gone, "We'll get you back to harbour.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23"You're going to be safe."
0:08:35 > 0:08:43# God on high
0:08:43 > 0:08:50# Hear my prayer
0:08:50 > 0:08:55# In my need
0:08:55 > 0:09:01# You have always been there
0:09:01 > 0:09:07# He is young
0:09:07 > 0:09:14# He's afraid
0:09:14 > 0:09:19# Let him rest
0:09:19 > 0:09:25# Heaven blessed
0:09:25 > 0:09:31# Bring him home
0:09:31 > 0:09:37# Bring him home
0:09:37 > 0:09:42# Bring him home
0:09:42 > 0:09:47# He's like the son I might have known
0:09:47 > 0:09:51# If God had granted me a son
0:09:51 > 0:09:57# The summers die, one by one
0:09:57 > 0:10:02# How soon they fly on and on
0:10:02 > 0:10:06# And I am old
0:10:06 > 0:10:10# And will be gone
0:10:13 > 0:10:21# Bring him peace
0:10:21 > 0:10:28# Bring him joy
0:10:28 > 0:10:33# He is young
0:10:33 > 0:10:39# He is only a boy
0:10:39 > 0:10:45# You can take
0:10:45 > 0:10:51# You can give
0:10:51 > 0:10:56# Let him be
0:10:56 > 0:11:01# Let him live
0:11:01 > 0:11:07# If I die
0:11:07 > 0:11:14# Let me die
0:11:14 > 0:11:19# Let him live
0:11:19 > 0:11:26# Bring him home
0:11:26 > 0:11:32# Bring him home
0:11:32 > 0:11:39# Bring him
0:11:39 > 0:11:54# Home. #
0:12:07 > 0:12:10I'm passionate about the animals and nature.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The world is amazing. It's fantastic!
0:12:14 > 0:12:17And you have to enjoy it and see it
0:12:17 > 0:12:20and the beauty of the world!
0:12:20 > 0:12:22You have to appreciate it.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26A childhood fascination for sea creatures
0:12:26 > 0:12:32has turned into a dream job for marine biologist Jenna MacFarlane.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37I've seen the world on a microscopic level
0:12:37 > 0:12:39and I know that without the little things,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41the plankton, there would be no big things.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47The biggest shark in the world lives just by eating little plankton.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50And everything is connected. Everything is joined together.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53You take one thing out of the world and you harm everything.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Science and faith go hand-in-hand for Jenna.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Through my secondary school and college years,
0:13:04 > 0:13:09I was, kind of, purposeless and faithless.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13And we studied something called the Krebs Cycle.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16And every single element,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20every electron in that cycle, has a place
0:13:20 > 0:13:22and has a use and a purpose.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26And I just couldn't believe that that was chance.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28There's no way that was chance.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31When you look at the world that humans have created,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33and couldn't have created without
0:13:33 > 0:13:36that little tiny cellular cycle happening,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39you know that there's something greater,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42something more powerful involved in this.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And that's when I started coming back to faith.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50I found the science that I'd learned was utterly backed up
0:13:50 > 0:13:52by the faith I had developed
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and it all meshed beautifully.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59And I came out of it, not many years ago,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02but I came out of it happy and satisfied
0:14:02 > 0:14:05and at peace and, and...
0:14:05 > 0:14:08It's just...a brilliant feeling!
0:16:39 > 0:16:43When it comes to beaches, some like to sunbathe, some like to paddle,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47but Carol Tolfrey takes it a step further, challenging herself,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50swimming, cycling and running in triathlons.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53We meet here at 9:00, all get in our wetsuits.
0:16:53 > 0:16:559:30, we're in the sea.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Anything up to an hour.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02It's the fellowship of going out with someone else and doing it,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05which is absolutely brilliant.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08I just love the sea.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10It's just pure enjoyment.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14You just get your head down and you swim a bit and then you come up.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18So you're just really having fun. You're just like a little kid again.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24There's been odd times when I've gone in there and I've thought,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26"Oh, I can't do this."
0:17:26 > 0:17:28And the tide might be against me.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32I think that's where my faith comes in.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Because if I'm starting to think, "I don't think I can do this,"
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I ask the Lord and he does help me.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Carol hasn't always been so sporty.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47I was 44.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Real couch potato.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53I mean, seriously, I was about two stone heavier than what I am now.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57And I went to watch my son do the London Marathon.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01And he finished and I said, "Oh, son, I'd love to do that."
0:18:01 > 0:18:05And he said, "Oh, well, you could, Mum. You could do it."
0:18:05 > 0:18:08And the following year, I did the London Marathon,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11which was fabulous, really.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15So, I mean, I couldn't believe it myself, but I did it.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Exercising also helped Carol through a traumatic time in her life.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26My husband got ill and he developed Alzheimer's.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29The thing is with Alzheimer's is that it's not sudden.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31You're gradually losing them,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35so I think you're grieving for two or three years before they die.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38So I think all that helps you to cope, obviously,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42you know what I mean, with when it actually happens.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45We'd been married 44 years when he died.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50And obviously, that's a huge chunk out of your life.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54I had just started triathlon leading up to him dying.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58I think because I needed to do something.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03I was visiting him every day in the hospital where he was.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Then in my spare time, I was doing triathlon.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11That helps you, doesn't it? You know, this is the thing.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Um...I just like to think now he'd be pleased seeing me do all this.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22I hope that I'm going to carry on for quite a few more years, really.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22The tall ship Tenacious took pride of place on the River Thames
0:22:22 > 0:22:25at this year's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27The ship gives people of all backgrounds and abilities
0:22:27 > 0:22:31the chance to experience sailing first hand.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40We invite people to come on board, some of whom, sometimes,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43haven't stepped foot outside of their flat or their houses
0:22:43 > 0:22:45for a long time.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Perhaps because of their disability.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53We show them here that there is a community that they can be part of,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55there's a challenging job that they can do
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and there is an amazing objective,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00which is to sail this ship across the seas.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09Everyone takes turns helming, steering, keeping lookout.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12When we set sails and we brace the yards or tack,
0:23:12 > 0:23:15everyone is involved. It actually needs everyone.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19There's actually a lot of rope to pull on and there's a lot to do.
0:23:19 > 0:23:20All together!
0:23:25 > 0:23:30I get a lot of enjoyment out of it and there's no restrictions,
0:23:30 > 0:23:31like there is in real life.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Although I can't do a lot of things,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38I've never been made to feel that I can't.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I always give it a go on everything.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Everybody is equal on the boat.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47The highlight, I think, for me, was climbing the rigging.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Because it took me out of my comfort zone. But I had to do it.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54And I was quite relieved to come back down. I was shaking.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59The hardest part is the last bit where you go...
0:23:59 > 0:24:01you're almost leaning backwards a little bit
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and you go through the hatch into the platform.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Once you're through there, it's fantastic.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11The sea is a phenomenal place.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14It's a place to be inspired by,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16it's a place to be frightened in,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18it's a place to be challenged in
0:24:18 > 0:24:20and it's a place to achieve in.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23The sea is an amazing environment
0:24:23 > 0:24:26where you can learn the most amazing skills,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28make the most amazing friends.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30And that's what people get out of a voyage.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Before joining the Jubilee Sailing Trust,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Alex was a commander in the Royal Navy.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39For me to come from one career at sea
0:24:39 > 0:24:41and great big steel ships
0:24:41 > 0:24:44to come to another career being associated with the sea,
0:24:44 > 0:24:50moves me a lot more deeply than anything ever has done.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Um... God has played a powerful part in my life
0:24:53 > 0:24:55through challenge, through loss.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00And actually, you cannot come to sea on a voyage
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and not see his hand at work
0:25:02 > 0:25:05in the faces of the people who sail with us,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07in the storms that the ships go through,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11in the welcome that we get from ports wherever we visit,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14and in the friendships that are formed. He's there in all of that.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40We thank you for the sea and the many ways we have to enjoy it.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43For leisure and holidays, for fun on the beach.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46For the variety of creatures
0:27:46 > 0:27:49that live within the oceans or surrounding it.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53May we learn to look after them and protect them.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Watch over those who sail upon the waters and keep them safe.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04And guide all who work to bring help in times of danger.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05Amen.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22# Above all powers
0:28:22 > 0:28:25# Above all kings
0:28:25 > 0:28:28# Above all nature
0:28:28 > 0:28:32# And all created things
0:28:32 > 0:28:35# Above all wisdom
0:28:35 > 0:28:40# And all the ways of man
0:28:40 > 0:28:46# You were here before the world began
0:28:46 > 0:28:49# Above all kingdoms
0:28:49 > 0:28:52# Above all thrones
0:28:52 > 0:28:59# Above all wonders the world has ever known
0:28:59 > 0:29:02# Above all wealth
0:29:02 > 0:29:07# And treasures of the earth
0:29:07 > 0:29:14# There's no way to measure what you're worth
0:29:14 > 0:29:17# Crucified
0:29:17 > 0:29:20# Laid behind the stone
0:29:20 > 0:29:23# You lived to die
0:29:23 > 0:29:26# Rejected and alone
0:29:26 > 0:29:33# Like a rose, trampled on the ground
0:29:33 > 0:29:35# You took the fall
0:29:35 > 0:29:39# And thought of me
0:29:39 > 0:29:43# Above all
0:29:43 > 0:29:46# Crucified
0:29:46 > 0:29:49# Laid behind the stone
0:29:49 > 0:29:53# You lived to die
0:29:53 > 0:29:55# Rejected and alone
0:29:55 > 0:30:02# Like a rose, trampled on the ground
0:30:02 > 0:30:04# You took the fall
0:30:04 > 0:30:08# Thought of me
0:30:08 > 0:30:12# Above all
0:30:12 > 0:30:18# Like a rose, trampled on the ground
0:30:18 > 0:30:21# You took the fall
0:30:21 > 0:30:25# Thought of me
0:30:26 > 0:30:31# Above all. #
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Overlooking the harbour is Portsmouth's newest attraction,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50the sail-shaped Spinnaker Tower.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52From up here, there are fabulous views
0:30:52 > 0:30:54across the whole island of Portsmouth
0:30:54 > 0:30:59and over the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Time for one final hymn from St Mary's Church.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07It's the uplifting, Crown Him With Many Crowns.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Next time, Eamonn explores the great outdoors in County Antrim,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35where he meets up with surfers, bikers and rugby players
0:33:35 > 0:33:37who like to pray as hard as they play.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Great music from Keith and Kristyn Getty and the Rend Collective
0:33:40 > 0:33:42and uplifting hymn-singing
0:33:42 > 0:33:46from the congregation gathered in St Killian's College Chapel.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd