{"id":694,"date":"2012-04-29T17:11:23","date_gmt":"2012-04-29T16:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jeremyshiers.com\/blog\/?p=694"},"modified":"2012-04-29T17:11:23","modified_gmt":"2012-04-29T16:11:23","slug":"groynes-and-beaches-at-walton-frinton-and-holland-on-sea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jeremyshiers.com\/blog\/groynes-and-beaches-at-walton-frinton-and-holland-on-sea\/","title":{"rendered":"Groynes And Beaches At Walton Frinton And Holland-on-Sea"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are clear differences between the beaches at Walton, Frinton, Holland and Clacton.<\/p>\n

There are also differences at different sections of the beach at Walton and Holland.<\/p>\n

A FOI request revealed that 4 times more has been spent repairing the groynes at each of Walton and Holland compared with Frinton.\u00a0 About \u00a340k since 2004 at each of Walton and Holland but only \u00a310k at Frinton.\u00a0 However Frinton has probably the best beaches in the area.<\/p>\n

There are differences in how the groynes are constructed and also their size and spacing.<\/p>\n

At Frinton and Walton wooden boards are bolted to wooden uprights. Typically each board spans 3 uprights.<\/p>\n

At Holland and Clacton the uprights are usually concrete, though there are some new wooden uprights.\u00a0 Both the wooden and concrete uprights have grooves in which the planks are slotted into.\u00a0 This seems\u00a0inherently\u00a0 less secure than bolting the boards as<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Each plank only spans two uprights.<\/li>\n
  2. The grooves become worn as the sea wiggles the boards, eventually the grooves are so worn that the boards simply fall out.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I have been told\u00a0 people at cafes on Holland sea front saw new boards being installed in 2009\/10, only to fall out and be washed away with the first high tide.<\/p>\n

    \"newUprightWithGrovesHolland\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    The uprights at Holland are unsupported whereas at Frinton and Walton some are supported<\/p>\n

    \"uprightsHaveSupportAtWalton\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    New plank bolted on at Walton<\/p>\n

    \"repairedGroyneWalton\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    The other difference is the length and spacing of the groynes. \u00a0 In some places all the groynes are the same length, in others there are alternate short and long groynes.<\/p>\n

    I have estimated the length and spacing of the groynes by pacing \u00a0 While pacing may not be the most accurate method of measuring it gives an indication.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    The Length and Spacing of Groynes in my paces<\/th>\n\n
    Length<\/div>\n<\/th>\n
    		\n
    Length short<\/div>\n<\/th>\n
    		\n
    Spacing<\/div>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    \n
    Naze – north of cafe<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    80<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    80<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Naze – south of cafe<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    116<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    109<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Walton – opposite Standley road<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    96<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    112 (143)<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Walton – south of Albion groyne<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    95<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    109<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Frinton – opposite Cliff Way<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    122<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    67<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    59<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Frinton – Whalings<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    120<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    58<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    58<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    EA controlled beach
    \nbetween Frinton and Walton<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    Effectively no breakwaters<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Holland Haven<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    55<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    31<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    67<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    Gunfleet Sailing Club<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    44<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		<\/td>\n\n
    78<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    The groynes at Frinton are at least twice the length of the groynes at Holland, and they are closer together. On top of that they are in a reasonable state of repair, unlike the groynes at Holland which almost entirely consist of forelorn uprights.<\/p>\n

    I do not understand why replacement uprights at Holland have groves.\u00a0 TDC also repair the groynes at Frinton and Walton, it must be obvious that bolting planks to the uprights is a far superior method.<\/p>\n

    There are separate numbering schemes<\/p>\n