Yesterday, 20 April 2013, I noticed the groyne at the northern end of the whalings in Frinton had been repaired, presumably by Tendring District Council.
You can clearly see the sand is level by the groyne.
But in this picture taken on 2 January 2013, there is a pool on either side of the groyne where there are missing boards.
Conclusion – not maintaining groynes leads to the sea washing sand way.
In the January photo you can see the bottom of the rails are several steps from the sand (4 I think). But in this photo taken on 20 April 2013, the bottom of the rail is only on step from the sand. So either
- Someone has altered the rail
- The level of the sand has risen
It would be curious if the level of sand has risen as the local press recently ran a story about residents in Walton contacting the council to ask where their sand had gone.
Perhaps the increase in sand (assuming no one has altered the rail) is due to repairing the groyne.
The level of sand has fallen in Walton as you can clearly see by comparing photos I took in 2012 and last week.
In 2012 by the coastguard station sand was almost up to the top of the groynes and sea wall.
April 2013 and the level of sand has clearly dropped by the sea wall, although a few feet from the wall the sand is as high as it was last year.
A bit further south, by Standley Road
2012 looking north
2012 looking south
April 2013 looking north
The level of the sand has clearly fallen.
And guess what there’s an unrepaired groyne. I wonder if there is a connection.
By groyne 84 at EastCliff the level of sand doesn’t seem to have changed. In fact there is still grass growing by the steps.
I wonder if this is because groyne 84 is a much
- higher
- longer
- and better maintained groyne
Holland and Clacton
Tendring District Council stopped maintaining the groynes from Holland Haven to Clacton Pier in 2009 and don’t plan to do anything until 2015 at the earliest.
I wonder if there will be any sand left there at all by 2015.
Colwyn Bay
As I wrote this, Sky News had a story of £6million being spent on beach recharge at Colwyn Bay in north Wales. There are plenty of articles about this scheme, here is one.
Why?
Why are TDC prepared to repair groynes in Frinton but not Walton, Holland or Clacton?
Why can Colwyn Bay get a £6million beach recharge and Holland gets nothing?
If you know please let me know.
