Captain Peter Lee, Harbour Master for Bridgwater Bay, is hanging up his sea-boots this month and retiring from the position after 21 years.
Mr Lee, pictured at the recent launch of Burnham’s new pilot boat, is a well-known face in the Burnham area, as well as with boat-users and trade vessels.
After holding the position since 1985, he is retiring next week and Captain Chris Spencer will take on the role after a brief handover period.
Council spokeswoman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Captain Spencer, the new Harbour Master, was first authorised as a pilot for the port of Bridgwater in 1988 and has been conducting ships up and down the River Parrett to Dunball and Combwich since then.”
“Chris is a Master Mariner, Class 1, and is founder and director of CF Spencer and Co Ltd, a firm of marine consultants and surveyors based in Banwell.”
.MEET BURNHAM-ON-SEA’S NEW HARBOUR MASTER
Captain Spencer has wide and varied experience. He initially served worldwide on the deep sea vessels of a UK oil major, reaching the rank of Chief Officer. Subsequently, he has trained officer cadets for the Omani Navy, has acted as Marine Controller of the Ninian Oil Field in the North Sea, and been a marine surveyor in the Middle East.
He has made several voyages as Captain of Square Rigged sailing ships around the UK and to Iceland, Greenland, Faeroe Island and Spitsbergen. And Chris has held the Queen’s Commission as Lt Cdr RD RNR for some 18 years.
Chris formed his own company in 1984, and in addition to piloting in the Port of Bridgwater, marine surveying and consultancy, he acts as a court and arbitration expert witness in maritime matters.
Sedgemoor District Council is the statutory harbour and pilotage authority for the Port of Bridgwater, and Capt Spencer and his colleagues will be acting as Harbour Master and pilots on behalf of the authority.
