East Devon Luncheon Club hosts Exeter harbour master

The East Devon Luncheon Club held its final get-together of the 2022/23 season at the Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth on Tuesday 21 March with a very enjoyable meal in its impressive dining room.

This was followed by an informative talk given by this month's guest speaker, Mr Grahame Forshaw, the harbour master at the Port of Exeter.

Graham's duties, amongst others, include ensuring the safety of canal and river users as far downstream as Exmouth.

An ex-marine, he had previously been the Harbour Master at Lyme Regis for 10 years and his duties had brought him into contact with several celebrities, including Sir David Attenborough, Kate Winslet, Len Goodman and Alan Titchmarsh.

One of his Lyme Regis anecdotes told of a very stormy day when waves were breaking over the Cobb.

Incredibly, an individual nevertheless tried to make his way onto the Cobb and before he could be warned off, a huge wave broke over him and washed him into the sea.

Again incredibly, the next wave deposited him back on the Cobb unharmed and he was able to make his way back to safety. Graham's talk was extremely entertaining, as were those of the other guest speakers this season.

The season has therefore ended on a high note and the Club has already lined up several speakers for next season, which begins in October after the Summer break.

The Club is happy to enrol new members and enquiries or applications for membership may be made to the Membership Secretary, Diane Birch OBE at [email protected].