Billy Black / Gull (Larinae) sitting on mooring ball in calm waters on misty day. Robinhood, Maine, USA, July 2010.

Gavin Hellier / Boston Waterfront Marina sign, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 2009

Gavin Hellier / City skyline viewed across harbour at dawn, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 2009

Gavin Hellier / View across harbour with boats and coastal houses, Hamilton, Bermuda 2007

Gavin Hellier / City skyline and boats moored in harbour at dawn, Boston, Massachusetts, USA 2009

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Common cormorants (Phalocrocorax carbo) perched on buoy with industrial buildings in the background, River Thames, London, England, UK, December.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Common cormorants (Phalocrocorax carbo) perched on buoy with boat passing in the background, River Thames, London, England, UK, December.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Common cormorants (Phalocrocorax carbo) perched on buoy with boat passing in the background, River Thames, London, England, UK, December.

David Tipling / 2020VISION / Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) foraging on tidal flats. Norfolk, January.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Men in hard hats setting up net on tuna fishing boat "Le Drennec" in Concarneau, Brittany, France. November 2006.

Merryn Thomas / New Grimsby Beach and quay, Tresco, Isles of Scilly. December 2008.

Philip Stephen / Wick registered fishing vessel "Opportune" using the seine net method of fishing for haddock and flatfish, surrounded by seagulls. St. Magnus Bay, Shetland, March 2009.

Merryn Thomas / Lobster pots on Par Beach, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly. December 2008.

Benoit Stichelbaut / "Oracle" yacht rounding a mark at America's Cup Louis Vuitton Act 1, Marseille, France 2004

Merryn Thomas / Boats in Falmouth Harbour at sunset, from Flushing harbour, Cornwall, UK

Merryn Thomas / Tender and sea gull viewed beyond buoy tied to gate. Flushing harbour near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Merryn Thomas / Tender seen through buoys tied to gate. Flushing harbour near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Merryn Thomas / Boats in Falmouth Harbour at dawn, seen from Flushing harbour, Cornwall, UK

Merryn Thomas / Tender viewed beyond buoy tied to gate. Flushing harbour near Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Benoit Stichelbaut / Fleet passing a mark near Brest during the Tour de Bretagne, September 2009.

Philip Stephen / Paying out the trawl net over the stern of a North Sea trawler, June 2010.

Philip Stephen / Paying out the trawl net over the stern of a North Sea trawler, June 2010.

Onne van der Wal / Split level view of buoy / marker at the the Bahamian Sloop regatta, Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas. April 2009.

Toby Roxburgh / Boats moored in the clear waters of the harbour at Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy, 2006.

Onne van der Wal / Miami Acura Grand Prix, Key West, Florida. 2009.

Onne van der Wal / Miami Acura Grand Prix, Key West, Florida. 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / Melges 32 "Taboo" during a race at the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix, day 2, 6th March.

Rick Tomlinson / Melges 32 at the offset mark during a race at the 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix, day 3, 7th March.

Adam White / Crews racing in the final heats of the 19th World Pilot Gig Championships, Isles of Scilly, May 2008

Rick Tomlinson / SY "Adele", 180 foot Hoek Design, moored in English Harbour, Antigua, January 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / "Rambler" at the windward mark during Day 3, Antigua Race Week, 2008.

Rick Tomlinson / Onboard "Sojana" as she comes into the offset bouy during Antigua Race Week 2008. Day 2, halfway round the Island Race, Dickenson Bay to Falmouth anti clockwise.

Rick Tomlinson / Mini Maxi Class "Bellamente" rounding the mark during the Rolex Maxi Cup, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy. 9 September 2009.

Ernie Janes / Wells Harbour at low tide, Norfolk, UK, October

Ernie Janes / Rainbow over Wells Harbour, Norfolk, UK, December

Ernie Janes / The Wash at low tide at sunset with silhouette of boat and flocks of birds, Norfolk, UK, September

Charlie Summers / Steller's Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) resting on an Inland Passage buoy. Petersburg, Alaska, July.

Ernie Janes / Fishing boat grounded on mud flats at low tide, Brancaster, North Norfolk, UK, winter

Toby Roxburgh / Yachts anchored off the beach at Beadnell, with Dunstandburgh Castle in the background to the south, Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), England, July 2010.

Mike Potts / Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) small flock resting on a navigation buoy, South East coast of Anglesey. North Wales. UK, June

Jerry Monkman / Boats moored in Southwest Harbour, Mount Desert Island, near Acadia NP, Maine, USA, August 2009

Juan Carlos Munoz / Fishing boats in Puerto de Tarifa, Cadiz, Parque Natural del Estrecho, Andalucia, Spain, July 2008

Billy Black / Misty sunrise over water scattered with lobster buoys. Robinhood, Maine, USA, July 2010.

Alex Hyde / Fishing nets at Tobermory harbour, Isle of Mull, Scotland.

Philip Stephen / Paying out the trawl net over the stern of a North Sea trawler, June 2010.

Steven Kazlowski / Buoys and garbage litter a beach along the coast of Svalbard. Svalbard does not have trees and the logs on the beach have washed up from Russia. August 2009

David Woodfall / At work on Severn Estuary barge. Severn Estuary, England, August 2009

David Woodfall / At work on Severn Estuary barge. Severn Estuary, England, August 2009

David Woodfall / At work on Severn Estuary barge. Severn Estuary, England, August 2009

David Woodfall / At work on Severn Estuary barge. Severn Estuary, England, August 2009

David Woodfall / At work on Severn Estuary barge. Severn Estuary, England, August 2009

Merryn Thomas / Fishing equipment in marram grass on Par Beach, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly. January 2010.

Merryn Thomas / Fishing equipment in marram grass on Par Beach, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly. January 2010.

Steven Kazlowski / Buoys, litter and drift wood washed up onto beach along the coast of Svalbard, the wood being washed up from Russia, Svlabard, Norway, August 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Peltomäki / Pygmy cormorant (Microcarbo pygmeus) flapping wings, Lake Kastoria, Macedonia, Greece, February 2009

Ross Hoddinott / Bantham beach with a bouy on sand, looking towards Burgh Island, evening light at low tide, South Devon, UK, September 2009

Merryn Thomas / New Grimsby Beach, Tresco, Isles of Scilly. December 2008.

Merryn Thomas / Lobster pots on Par Beach, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly. December 2008.

Merryn Thomas / Lobster pots on Par Beach, St. Martin's, Isles of Scilly. December 2008.

Rob Cousins / Bow of moored boat, Bristol Floating Harbour, August 2008

Jerry Monkman / Wooden lobster buoys hang on a wall in Stonington, Maine, USA

Jerry Monkman / Wooden lobster buoys hang on a wall in Stonington, Maine, USA

Thomas Lazar / Lobster traps and buoys piled up on wooden pier in fog, Acadia National Park, Atlantic Ocean, Maine, USA

Thomas Lazar / Lobster traps and buoys piled up on wooden pier in fog, Acadia National Park, Atlantic Ocean, Maine, USA

Onne van der Wal / Yachts racing at Grenada Sailing Festival 2005, Grenada, Caribbean.

Barry Bland / Ben Ainslie competing in the fourth round of the Men's Single Handed Dinghy Finn, Olympic Games, Athens, Greece, 15 August 2004. Editorial Use Only.

Onne van der Wal / Underwater view of a red buoy floating on the surface, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean. December 2006.

Onne van der Wal / Local fleet of Shields evening racing in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Rounding the mark at the Sunfish World Championship, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.

Philip Stephen / Rock-hopper fishing net on quayside for repair.

Barry Bland / Ben Ainslie passing a marker bouy during the 10th round of the Single Handed Finn at the Olympic Games, Athens, Greece, 2004. Editorial Use Only.

Onne van der Wal / A yacht with a broken mooring chain washed ashore during a storm off Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Three 12m yachts rounding the weather mark during a corporate charter on a foggy day in front of Newport Bridge, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Bowman on the bowsprit of Schooner "Adix" sailing close by a large North cardinal mark at La Nioulargue, St Tropez, South France 1993.

Angelo Giampiccolo / Sunset over the Mediterranean, from the coast of Alghero on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Rick Tomlinson / Star Class, "UKR820" with Yevgen Avksentiev and Mykola Shapovalov lead the pack at the offset mark in race 6 during the Princess Sofia Regatta, Olympic Classes and Dragons Racing in Palma Majorca, Spa...

Rick Tomlinson / Class 7 "Mist" a Nicholson 33 skippered by Ross Elliston rounds NE Gurnard buoy during Skandia Cowes Week, Solent, UK, day 6, August 3, 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Will Morgan's Laser SB3, "Teenage Kicks", moving through the waves under asymmetric spinnaker at Skandia Cowes Week, UK, day 1 July 29, 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Darings round the leeward mark at South Ryde Middle in breezy conditions during Skandia Cowes Week, UK day 4 August 1, 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Open 70 "ABN AMRO ONE" rounds East Shingles Buoy during Skandia Cowes Week, UK, day 4, August 1, 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Boat moored with birds inside on a lake in Lyr, Sweden.

Rick Tomlinson / Two Ker 11.3's on day 4 at Skandia Cowes week round the leeward mark in a strong current, Tuesday August 5th, 2003.

Rick Tomlinson / Laser SB3 fleet start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Platform during Skandia Cowes Week, Solent, UK, day 7 August 4, 2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Overall race winner "ABN AMRO One" (NZ) rounds the weather mark during the inport race in Melbourne Australia during the Volvo Ocean Race, 2005-2006.

Rick Tomlinson / Darings round East Ryde Middle during Skandia Cowes Week, UK, day 4 August 1, 2006.

Onne van der Wal / Navigating yachts in the fog on Narragansett Bay, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Rick Tomlinson / Farr 40 "Atalanti XI" rounds the windward mark at Key West Race Week, 2000.

Rick Tomlinson / Flying Fifteen class meet the IRC yachts at the leeward mark during Cowes Week, 2001.

Rick Tomlinson / Santa rounds close to the windward mark at the Kenwood Cup, 1996.

Rick Tomlinson / Fifty footers rounding the windward mark at Newport, 1990.

Onne van der Wal / Fishing boat at starboard channel marker with gulls (Laridae) flying.

Onne van der Wal / Aerial view of race yachts rounding the windward mark.

Onne van der Wal / Spinnaker drop while rounding the leeward mark at the Kenwood Cup.

Onne van der Wal / Yachts moored along Newport waterfront, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Navigating in the fog next to the red #12 bell buoy off Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Onne van der Wal / Lobster boat "Patrol II" moored in Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA.