What are these unusual buoys near Hinckley Point?

[SteveSarabande]

Out sailing today, Watchet to Portishead, I spotted these buoys west of Hinckley power station. Four yellow special buoys in a 50 m square with a flat topped yellow one in the middle. Any idea what they are for?

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/75351251@N03/13930019920/

 

[Keen_Ed]

No idea, but would guess at cooling water outlet?

 

[SteveSarabande]

Good answer, it wasn't right by the power station though, can't remember how far but a mile or so along the coast. Nothing on the shore that I could see and not on my chart plotter. Maybe I will dig the paper chart out to check

 

[Rigger Mortice]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_mark

 

[SteveSarabande]

I just discovered there is a wave rider buoy not far from hinkley, I think that is what i early run over today, http://infrastructure.planningporta...NCED REPORTS/HPC-NNBPEA-XX-000-RET-000185.pdf

 

[SteveSarabande]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_mark

I know what a special buoy is. I wanted to now specifically what was so special about the one in the middle of this group that it needed four guards

 

[SteveSarabande]

Navionics webapp shows something off stoke spit. It calls it a target consisting of 7 buoys. I didn't realise I sailed through a firing zone, maybe it part of that

 

[fergie_mac66]

View attachment 42255

military area bouys other bouys appear and disappear according to whims mind you if you find out what they are for youll become one of the disappeared

 

[SteveSarabande]

Problem solved. It seems to be part of Listock range, used as a target buoy for RN helicopter training. Photo of a very similar buoy here. Seems odd to have a live firing range so close to a nuclear power station
http://davidholman.smugmug.com/Airp...24096_V5cdZK#!i=2204685660&k=Jc76RXR&lb=1&s=L

 

[solitaire11]

A couple of years ago i watched them firing, there was 3 choppers all queing up for a go. All after 10 at night. Twas a sight to see.

 

[fergie_mac66]

Dylan winter was anchored just on the edge of a firing range in the wash at night posted a vid with soundtaken from his cockpit, tracer rounds bombs etc

 

[Lindsay All At Sea]

Possibly Waverider, part of the Wavenet buoy system?

http://www.cefas.defra.gov.uk/our-science/observing-and-modelling/monitoring-programmes/wavenet.aspx

http://cefasmapping.defra.gov.uk/Map