Episode 9
Documentary following life on the English Channel. A new coastal defence is running out of rocks as nearly 拢1 million worth of granite is stuck out at sea.
A new coastal defence is running out of rocks as nearly 拢1 million worth of granite is stuck out at sea, a young naval officer is handed control of an aircraft to swoop down on ships in the Channel, and grub's up on the way to France, but there's only one thing anyone wants to eat.
The winter of 2012/2013 showed just how devastating the Channel can be to those living along the coast or on reclaimed land, when extreme bad weather and high tides caused the collapse of the Dawlish train line and extensive flooding of the Somerset levels. The Environment Agency are in the midst of an extensive programme to renew flood defences protecting homes and businesses. But as a team near Camber Sands discovers, carrying out flood defence work in the middle of winter can be a tricky business, especially when the Channel gets choppy.
The Royal Navy's airbase at Culdrose in Cornwall is the largest helicopter base in Europe, with 75 aircraft and 3,000 people helping to operate them. And the Channel's waters provide an ideal training ground for 750 Squadron as it puts the next generation of naval observers through their paces. Today, sub-lieutenant Phil Reid is in the hotseat as he carries out a spotting mission above the sea.
While Phil's focus is on his eyes, for others it's their stomachs. 15 million of us cross the Channel every year by ferry, and when it comes to the food, there's one thing we all want to tuck into. The catering crews on board P&O's ferries serve up 500,000 portions of fish and chips to hungry customers every year. And with deliveries of fish coming in fresh every day, it's a complicated logistical exercise involving many different individuals to get it from warehouse to fork.
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