NCI St.Agnes Head

08/11/2026

21/10/2026

The Met Office has issued 2 weather warnings for Friday 23rd October.

Warning 1 is a yellow warning for strong winds from Friday midnight to 2pm.

Strong west to northwesterly winds will spread across southern parts of England and Wales during Thursday night and into Friday. Gusts of 50-60 mph are likely and some coastal or exposed areas could see 70 mph or more, this more likely over parts of southwest England. Ahead of this, a spell of southerly winds with gusts of 50-60 mph will move east along the south coast of England during Thursday night. Winds will slowly ease during Friday afternoon.
Strong winds will be also combined with periods of heavy rain making for difficult travel conditions.

Warning 2 is an amber warning for stronger winds from Friday 3am to 10am.

A spell of very strong northwesterly winds is likely on Friday morning. There is a good chance that gusts of 60-70 mph will develop widely for a time with perhaps some gusts around 80 mph for exposed headlands. Very strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain. Remaining windy for the rest of Friday but winds will gradually ease.

Please take care.

14/10/2026

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne was at Driftwood Spars in St.Agnes today, where she spoke with members of the NCI St.Agnes Head and handed out numerous Service Awards. During her visit, she also unveiled a commemorative plaque.

14/10/2026

Following on from our visit from Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal yesterday, 2 of our Watchkeepers, Caroline Pitura and Mike Childs, went to represent the National Coastwatch Institution at the Annual Service for Seafarers at St. Pauls Cathedral, London today.

St. Agnes Head was chosen as the NCI representative because in May this year we were the proud recipients of the prestigious Alan Richards Award for 2026.

This award recognises outstanding contribution, leadership, teamwork, and dedication across the organisation — and we were deeply honoured to receive it on behalf of our entire station team.

The citation acknowledges the tremendous work undertaken over the past two years to raise funds and completely renovate our station, culminating in our rededication ceremony in May 2025.

This achievement reflects the commitment, hard work, and community spirit of all our watchkeepers, supporters, partners, and volunteers who made it possible.

The Annual Service for Seafarers was first held in 1905 and has been observed annually ever since. Its purpose is to recognise and give thanks for the vital work of seafarers, whose contributions are often overlooked. The service is a reminder of their enduring importance.

Many attendees have served at sea, often in dangerous conditions. Others come to honour loved ones who died in service. Their personal tributes are shared by others who recognise this island nation's duty to remember those "that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters."

The ANSS honours seafarers from all maritime sectors: the Merchant and Royal Navies, fishing fleets, workboats, cruise liners, commercial ships, ferries, yachts, and others working at sea. It also welcomes maritime welfare charities, nautical schools, youth groups, veterans’ associations, and people of all faiths and background.

14/10/2026

What a great day we had yesterday welcoming Her Royal Highess The Princess Royal to our Lookout at St. Agnes Head.

Her Royal Highness is Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution. Her visit to St. Agnes Head yesterday provided an opportunity to recognise the dedication of local volunteers and the vital role they play in helping to keep people safe around the coast.

Her Royal Highness was welcomed to the station by Stephen Hand, NCI Chair, who introduced our Station Manager Mark Weston. Mark then introduced Technical Officer Paul Rafer, who although not a watchkeeper, plays an important role in keeping the station’s equipment operational, together with duty watchkeeper Caroline Pitura.

During her visit to the lookout, Her Royal Highness was briefed on the vital work undertaken by the St. Agnes Head volunteers, the particular coastal risks encountered along this stretch of the Cornish coastline and the challenges of operating the lookout off grid.

Following her visit to the lookout, Her Royal Highness travelled to Driftwood Spars in St. Agnes.

NCI Regional Trustee Helen Simpson formally welcomed Her Royal Highness and introduced the proprietor of Driftwood Spars, Louse Treseder. Her Royal Highness was then introduced to the attending St. Agnes Head Watchkeepers and invited guests.

In recognition of their dedication and commitment to the organisation, Her Royal Highness presented long service awards to Helen Simpson (20 years), Stephen Barry (10 years), Rachel Ellis (5 years), and Kathy Cullingworth (5 years).

Mark Weston, NCI St. Agnes Head Station Manager, said:
“It was a tremendous honour for us to welcome Her Royal Highness to St. Agnes Head. The visit was a proud moment for the whole team in recognition for what we do and the hard work to restore the lookout. Our volunteers give their time throughout the year to maintain a watch over these challenging coastal waters, and Her Royal Highness’s visit was a wonderful acknowledgement of their efforts and the valuable service they provide to the local community.”

Stephen Hand, NCI Chair said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to NCI St. Agnes Head and we are grateful to her taking the opportunity to meet our volunteers and learn more about the lifesaving work they carry out along this beautiful stretch of the Cornish coastline.”
“St. Agnes Head is a wonderful example of the dedication and resilience of our volunteers, who work tirelessly to help keep people safe on the coast and save lives at sea. We’re privileged that HRH The Princess Royal, as our Royal Patron, takes such an active interest in our work, and her visit provides a special opportunity to celebrate with our volunteers, friends and supporters from the local community.”

Many thanks to all involved in making yesterday’s visit such a success and to the Driftwood Spars, St Agnes for being the perfect hosts.

29/09/2026

As the summer season comes to an end, RNLI lifeguard cover is changing at some beaches in Cornwall.

Lifeguard cover will reduce at some beaches, while others will continue to have patrols into autumn.

Check the RNLI’s latest information on lifeguard cover before you visit, and where possible choose a lifeguarded beach.

29/09/2026

29/09/2026

🌊 Recognition for St Agnes NCI Watchkeeper -

Following the recent incident off St Agnes Head during the Bucca Kri event, we wanted to share some very positive feedback received from the Coastguard.

The Coastguard's report recognised the outstanding contribution made by the St. Agnes NCI Watchkeeper, particularly:

“Early detection of the distress traffic, proactive reporting, excellent situational awareness and effective provision of positional information.”

The report also highlighted the Watchkeeper's prior awareness of the event, understanding of local sea conditions and timely communication with Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC).

The Coastguard advised that this information "significantly enhanced" their ability to rapidly identify, locate and respond to those in difficulty, and that the Watchkeeper's actions contributed directly to the successful outcome.

This is a wonderful endorsement of the important role played by National Coastwatch Institution and our Watchkeepers, working alongside the Coastguard and other emergency services to help keep people safe around our coastline.

We're also pleased to say that this recognition has been shared with NCI National Office.

So, a massive well done to Watchkeeper Mark G for his professionalism, vigilance and excellent work on the day. 👏🏻👏🏻

And, as always, thank you to all our St. Agnes NCI Watchkeepers and volunteers for the vital work you do.

🌊 Watching the coast. Supporting the Coastguard. Helping to keep people safe.