As Watchkeepers, we are always on the lookout for people or vessels that are in distress or danger. It saddens us therefore when we see people – usually recent school leavers - deliberately put themselves into a dangerous situation. We refer to the act of ‘Tombstoning’, something we see a few times a year as youths jump off the Round Tower into the sea. Admittedly it takes a certain amount of courage to do that; unfortunately, it also involves a high degree of stupidity. Here are the thoughts of one Gosport Watchkeeper on the subject. Sunny Wells During 2008 a young man named Sunny Wells jumped off South Parade Pier into shallow water. Although he had jumped from the same spot a number of times before, on this occasion, he had not properly assessed the depth of water below him. Rescuers rushed to the scene to find him barely conscious and while they supported him and ensured his airways were clear, t...
