Film water safety at Heysham
Heysham is a working port on the edge of Morecambe Bay, with ferries to the Isle of Man, freight ships to Ireland and two nuclear power stations beside the harbour. Just north, the old village, the ruins of St Patrick's Chapel and Half Moon Bay look out over one of the largest areas of tidal sand and mud in Britain.
A safety boat with qualified crew stands by whenever cast or crew are on the water, the foreshore or the harbour edge. We write the safety plan and risk assessment for your production to file, set turn-back times from the tide table, and brief everyone on them before the first shot.
The tide. The bay has one of the largest tidal ranges in Britain, and the flood runs in fast across the flat sands, filling channels behind anyone out on them. There is quicksand, and the channels move from tide to tide, so nobody walks out without a timed plan.
Cold water and edges. The water is cold for most of the year, and the harbour walls stand high above it at low tide. Anyone working near an edge wears a lifejacket, and the safety boat stays close.
Who is in charge. Heysham Port Limited, part of Peel Ports, is the harbour authority, and ships report to its port control on the way in. Filming near the harbour is agreed with the port before the day.
Drones. The port, the power station and Half Moon Bay all sit inside restricted area R444 (Heysham), which runs from the surface to 2,000 feet, so a drone there needs permission first.
Filming somewhere else? See all our film boat hire locations, or tell us where and we will find the right boat.
Only with a timed plan. Morecambe Bay has one of the largest tidal ranges in Britain, the flood runs in fast across the flat sands, there is quicksand, and the channels move from tide to tide.
Heysham Port Limited, part of Peel Ports. Ships report to its port control on the way in, and filming near the harbour is agreed with the port before the day.
Not without permission. The port, the power station and Half Moon Bay all sit inside restricted area R444 (Heysham), from the surface to 2,000 feet, so a drone there needs permission first.
