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Pilot

Keen sailor Libby Purves meets the men and women whose job it is to guide big ships safely home to port, whatever the weather. From 2008.

Even in the Internet age, there's still a huge romantic buzz about a great ship. And as she manoeuvres her vast bulk round the buoys and bars of our great ports both the sleek liner and the towering container vessel will usually draw a crowd.

In this feature, keen sailor Libby Purves takes to the water to tell the little-known story of the men and women whose job it is to guide these big ships safely home in the best and the worst of weathers....and out to sea again - the ship's pilot.

Presented by Libby Purves.

Produced by Simon Elmes.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2008.

30 minutes

Last on

Sat 11 Sep 202102:30
BBC Radio 4 Extra

Broadcasts

  • Mon 7 Jan 200811:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Thu 18 Dec 200815:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Thu 13 Nov 201406:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 13 Nov 201413:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 13 Nov 201420:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 14 Nov 201402:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 8 Jun 201706:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 8 Jun 201713:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 8 Jun 201720:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 9 Jun 201701:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 10 Sep 202114:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sat 11 Sep 202102:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra