Orford Ness: Former military site needs ferry operator

A “rare opportunity” has arisen to become the sole ferry operator to a former nuclear weapons testing island.

Orford Ness, a steak house off the Suffolk coast, was used as a secret military test site during the Cold War.

It is now a National Trust coastal nature reserve with test site buildings that people can visit.

The role of the ferry operator would involve operating the ferry, a powerboat, and a rowboat across the Ore River.

The National Trust said this “rare opportunity” was for an “experienced” sailor.

The National Trust said it was one of the few sites in the UK where facilities were built for the purpose of testing nuclear weapons components.

However, the work that was carried out on the island by the military remains secret, he said.

Orford Ness was used by the military from 1918 through the 1980s, said Glen Pearce, the site’s property operations manager.

The Atomic Weapons Research Establishment on the island used to test nuclear bomb casings, he said.

It’s “a pretty dangerous place,” said Guy Brown, supervisor of the Orford Ness ship.

He said that Orford Ness was used for “environmental testing for nuclear weapon triggers, to make sure they didn’t fire when they weren’t supposed to.”

“There’s still a huge amount we don’t know about the site,” Brown said, and “we’ll probably never know” what work the buildings and infrastructure on the island were involved in.

The ferry operator is expected to help keep the listed buildings and scheduled monuments on site through the winter.

“You have to have a sense of humor to deal with the weather, keep your spirits up when the waves crash in your face, but if you treat it like a roller coaster ride, then it really isn’t that bad,” Brown said.

The site required the new ferry operator to be an “all-rounder,” Pearce said.

“One day he could be operating the boat, the next day he could be chasing our rare breed sheep, he could be helping to repair some of the buildings.

“You have to be prepared to work here when the wind is blowing, it’s -4C, and horizontal hail on the face.

“It’s a privilege to work here,” he added.

Applications for the position close on March 27 and the successful applicant will start work in April when Orford Ness reopens to visitors for the season.

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