From Shakespeare to King Eddie’s Bay: A Tale of Two Shipwrecks and a Climate Crusader
What does Shakespeare’s The Tempest have in common with King Edward’s Bay in Tynemouth? The answer — shipwrecks and a shared spirit of defiance.
In Shakespeare’s classic, Prospero conjures a storm that wrecks the ships of his enemies. In the recent London West End production starring Sigourney Weaver, the performance itself was dramatically interrupted by Just Stop Oil activists in January, who unfurled a banner reading, “Over 1.5 degrees is a global shipwreck.”
Coincidentally, one of those activists has since been involved in tackling a very real shipwreck much closer to home — right here on the North East coast.
Back in September 2025, a small sailing boat lost power during heavy seas and ran aground on Tynemouth’s King Edward’s Bay. While the sailor was rescued and taken to hospital, the boat remained stranded on the sand — at the mercy of the waves. A later storm broke it apart, scattering debris, fibreglass, and rigging across the beach and into the sea.
As days turned into weeks with no sign of official action, local residents became increasingly concerned about the environmental and safety risks. The wreckage threatened to become a hazard for swimmers, surfers, and marine wildlife alike.
That’s when retired heating engineer and climate activist Richard Weir decided to act. Rallying a group of ten local volunteers, Weir led a five-hour operation last weekend to make the wreck safe. Armed with spades, saws, and determination, the group stripped the rigging, dismantled the hull and superstructure, and carried the remains to a secure part of the beach. Only the heavy keel was left behind, awaiting council removal.
The BBC relayed a message from the local council advising against interfering with the wreck — warning that it was technically illegal. But Weir and his team pressed on, believing that immediate action was necessary to prevent a potential marine disaster.
“Sometimes doing nothing is the greater crime,” said Weir. “We weren’t trying to break the law — we were trying to protect our coastline and the people and wildlife that rely on it.”
Thanks to the efforts of this small band of residents, the boat is now safely secured, and the risk to the bay’s environment has been dramatically reduced.
From The Tempest to Tynemouth’s shores, the theme remains the same: storms may come, but it’s the actions of determined individuals that can turn chaos into calm.