Coastal Exploration Co.

It was such a wonderful experience teaming up with the Coastal Exploration Co. for our latest photoshoot.  Their boats and ethos are completely in line with Oldfield Outfitters.

After years serving as a Royal Marines Officer and later working in humanitarian aid, the founder of The Coastal Exploration Company was searching for a way to return home to Norfolk—seeking not retirement, but a new kind of purpose. That vision took shape on a beach in Mogadishu during the 2011 Somalia famine: to build a life rooted in heritage, nature, and adventure, using traditional Norfolk fishing boats to offer a slower, more sustainable way of exploring the coast.

Today, The Coastal Exploration Company offers something rare and meaningful—journeys under sail that connect people to the rhythms of the sea, the stories of the Norfolk coastline, and a lifestyle grounded in environmental respect. This isn’t about fast tourism, but about slowing down, unplugging, and rediscovering the beauty of mindful, low-impact travel.

The company operates a fleet of restored wooden boats—historic crab boats, mussel flats, whelk boats, and the 42-foot smack Victorious, built in 1923. Each vessel has been carefully brought back to life by traditional boatbuilders and craftspeople. These boats now serve not only as platforms for exploration but as working examples of maritime heritage. Some carry paying passengers. Others carry cargo—like coffee, which arrives by schooner from Colombia, is roasted in King’s Lynn, and delivered by sail to their HQ—demonstrating how sail cargo can once again be a viable and sustainable alternative to road transport.

At the heart of the business is a deep respect for the environment and for Norfolk’s coastal history. The team is committed to using the wind as their main source of propulsion, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and offering experiences that leave little trace. Every journey is an invitation to reconnect—with nature, with heritage, and with a slower, more thoughtful way of life.

For more information; www.coastalexplorationcompany.co.uk or +44 (0)7817 307551
explore@coastalexplorationcompany.co.uk