Welcoming our new Head of Unit at MVS Poole

The 14th April saw us hold our Annual General Meeting, at Lake Yard in Hamworthy, where the top item on the agenda was the election of a new Head of Unit. Our current Head of Unit, Brian, has decided to step down from the role after three years, the first of which was jointly undertaken … Read more

Two units, one harbour cruise

MVS Poole recently played host to members of the MVS Bournemouth and Christchurch Unit, joining our members for a harbour cruise onboard Avocet. Whilst both units are based in close proximity, our working area is very different, with the Bournemouth and Christchurch Unit specialising in river operations and Poole working in a larger, open space. … Read more

Saving lives at sea – HM Coastguard visit Poole

We were delighted to welcome Tom Barnett from HM Coastguard to our monthly member’s meeting on Monday, 10th February to talk to us about the work of search and rescue (SAR) at sea. HM Coastguard is part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport. Not only are they … Read more

How we made a difference in 2024, and what’s next in 2025

As 2025 makes its (very wet and windy) debut, we’d like to wish all our members and supporters a very happy new year. Looking back on our 30th anniversary year, 2024 was a busy one at MVS Poole. Through our programme of harbour patrols (undertaken on behalf of Poole Harbour Commissioners), we were able to … Read more

Our part in Poole’s Flotilla of Lights 2024

We were delighted to take part in the PYC Flotilla of Lights tonight, an annual event that is fast becoming the highlight of Poole’s maritime festivities! Organised by Poole Yacht Club, the Flotilla of Lights saw a range of organisations and private owners decorate their vessels in as many Christmas lights as possible. Aside from … Read more

Double celebration for MVS Poole

Today we celebrated the return to service of our launch Avocet following essential engine maintenance – great job by Alan and the team in getting her back out and about! As a result, we were able to let Mike and Lloyd get out on the water to undertake their Competent Crew practical assessment, which they … Read more

A seagoing marathon? How we help other organisations

Harbour patrols aren’t our only means of contributing to Poole’s waterborne community! Today (14 September) saw the sun make a rare appearance for the 85 competitors of the annual Poole Harbour Race, organised by Poole Harbour Canoe Club. The race is akin to a seagoing marathon set over courses of 4, 8 and 15 miles. … Read more

Suspicious activity on our latest night patrol

Last week saw us carry out another night patrol with Poole Harbour Watch. Our team of volunteers gave up their evening to stay out late – not without incident. Harbour Control asked the team to investigate a tip-off from a member of the public about two people in an unlit canoe, apparently looking at boats … Read more

Lending a helping hand to a tired sailor

Sometimes, all any of us need is a little help. And that’s what our volunteers were able to do last week. Crew on our RIB Trevora spotted a tired solo catamaran sailor in the Balls Lake area having trouble righting his vessel. They helped him out and escorted him back to the comfort of Poole … Read more

Celebrating Merchant Navy Day 2024

Did you know that in a 2022 public survey, only 0.1% of participants realised that over 90% of the UK’s trade is carried by sea? If so, you’re not alone. In recent decades, public knowledge of Britain’s seagoing heritage and our continued reliance on seaborne trade has dramatically fallen. This has led to the term … Read more