Sea defences

As an island nation Britain faces one of its biggest threats from the sea. Its coastline must be protected from the raw power behind the tides. I've already shown you the flood markers at Blakeney and explained how high some of them are. The 1953 marker was above my head. If I'd been standing on Blakeney Quay on January 31, 1953 I'd have drowned - as did 307 people in the UK and another 2,200 around the rest of the North Sea.

On the night of 5 December 2013 sea levels reached even higher than the killer 1953 tidal surge, but this time, thanks to effective sea defences, weather forecasting and communications, no-one died as a direct result of flooding. Of course, flood defences, by their nature, have to be high enough to keep the water at bay, which can result in some huge, blank concrete walls.

Net mending mural

In Sheringham they've got over the ugly problem by using their sea wall as a canvas for artworks depicting the town's history. There are murals and bronze plaques, paintings and poems about the fishing industry and associated trades, wildlife, brave lifeboat rescues, and the town's part in the war effort of the 1940s. Coupled with a sunny stroll along the Esplanade, it's a great way to spend an hour or so.

In case you can't read the small print on the net mending photo - it explains that when the fishing fleet came home, used nets would be laid out on a nearby hill to dry. Then fishermen's wives and daughters would mend them before the boats put out to sea again.

The top photo is a detail from a bronze depiction of a lifeboat rescue on the night of the 1897 flood tide. Sheringham's first purpose-built lifeboat, the Augusta, was launched in 1838. Back then they were still rowed, of course. The volunteers of the RNLI are very brave men and women!