Bacton To Walcott "sandscaping"

[ChrisB]

I walked from Cable to Rudram's Gap after breakfast and came across this new notice. Sorry for it being in 4 bits but sun was shining on it, could not see phone screen and had to eliminate as much as possible shadow. Apparently a new car park is being built as they are expecting a boom time as folk come to watch the pumping process. Downside is the concrete apron if you know it will disappear under the sand.

[Turnoar]

I wonder if this will cause problems further down the coast, say Ostend or Haisbro. Sinsealy hope knot. Looking at Hemsby, Hopton, Covehithe to Easton Bavents etc something in common seems to be sea defence improvements North. For shore Barton should reap the economic benefits of a nice shiny new beach! Fingers crossed.

[Buttons]

As newish residents of Bacton I feel a comment is brewing. We live a few yards from Rudrams Gap and certainly hope the sandscaping will only be of benefit to the village. Its purpose is to protect the gas terminal and all of us from the ravages of the sea making Bacton a safer place to live. We want to be able to live here safely for many years to come.  The beach will be more easily accessible without the 20 foot drop from the apron to the beach in places, evolving from the Beast from the East earlier in the year. Yes the beach will be shiney and new but this is a bi-product of the protection given by the sandscaping. We will be able to walk along the beach on the sand without climbing over the exposed 8 foot breakers which at the moment means the only time we can walk along the beach is at a very low tide. We look forward to being able to launch our kayaks without hauling them off a very high wall onto the sand. Of course the main reason is to protect us all but there are other benefits to be gained in the process. 

[ChrisB]

It will undoubtably be a great improvement not only as a much needed sea defence but restoring the beach that has not rebuilt in the normal way of things after the N/NE storms of early 2018. 

Apparently some of the offshore shoals that not only feed the beaches, but protect them along that section as far as Horsey were seriously depleted in the storms so they have not repaired themselves, walking at Happisburgh last week there is much clay substrate still exposed.

I will miss the apron for fast walking exercise however.

[Buttons]

Yes I agree the apron will be missed. My husband walks every morning from Rudrams Gap either towards Walcott or Mundesley. He often uses the Coastal path when the apron is covered by the sea or impassable due to beautiful rough waves. Think of the added resistance exercise the sand will give. Over years the apron will no doubt appear again. The beach changes daily with the tides. We've seen many changes already and we've not been here a year yet. We used to live on the beach front at Heacham and have a seen similar situation twice in the 30 years we were there. The manual replenishment certainly seemed to work there. I wonder what the seals that come in so close to the shore will make of all the disruption of the works and also the finished result. Bacton is really a beautiful place to live and enjoy.

[ChrisB]

After a lot of prep the big gun has arrived and they are going to start pumping this evening. I just took this picture from Cable Gap a short while ago, if you look at the boat by the bow you can see she is one huge dredger.

[Ray]

As long Shore drift is north to south we're hoping that in the long term a lot of this sand will bolster the Ness at Winterton 

[ChrisB]

11 minutes ago, Ray said:

As long Shore drift is north to south we're hoping that in the long term a lot of this sand will bolster the Ness at Winterton 

I think it will.

[ChrisB]

UPDATE

What a total transformation.. a wide sandy beach to walk on, mean high tide mark way down from normal. If it works as they say,

it will be a wonderful asset for Bacton and Walcott.

 

[charlesa]

Thanks for that Chris. I spent many happy summers in Bacton in the 60s/70s with my grandmother who lived in " Danecote" next to Gooch's garage. It used to be a sleepy little village but the Gas Terminal changed all that.

There used to be the most glorious crab shack where Colin Gooch sold the most fantastic crabs, kippers and other seafood. All gone now sadly. I must visit again.

[ChrisB]

UPDATE.

The Easterlies have had their first nibble at the beach at High Water this morning.

[Ray]

Quite a nibble! Hopefully the sand will be making it's way ever southward on the long shore drift.

[Turnoar]

Mr. Sandman, bring me a drean.... nightmare? Fingers crossed for a winter of gentle souwesterly’s. If we get harsh nor’easterley’s the new beach is doomed! 

[Turnoar]

Be interesting to see if Archant pick up on this and what nndc’s viz mine and other tax payers financial exposure is or was. Eggs on beaches?

[ChrisB]

I think the funding breakdown was something like:

Bacton Gas Terminal    £12m

NNDC                               £5m

Environment Agency     £3m        Total: £18m

But I have seen figures as high as £18m, I guess with the same breakdown ratio.

[ChrisB]

I should have said that I have seen figures as high as £22m.

Walking at low tide now that some sand has shifted one worrying aspect is the vast amount of damage to the groins that I assume has been caused by the plant operations.

If these huge greenheart vertical piles are like this, what has happened to the bolted horizontals that are attached to them?

Should the sand vanish then the state of defences could be worst than before.

[Ray]

Nothing ever seems to be done properly anymore... just cheaply :(

Cheap that is by comparison to real sea defenses!

[ChrisB]

UPDATE

There appears to have been more overall sand loss in the few weeks I have not been down to Bacton Beach.

I estimate that the "Sand Face" is in places 8ft high! 

I sincerely hope that no youngsters or anyone else has the stupid idea to tunnel into it as a sand collapse takes no prisoners

 

[Wussername]

2 hours ago, ChrisB said:

UPDATE

I sincerely hope that no youngsters or anyone else has the stupid idea to tunnel into it as a sand collapse takes no prisoners

 

And neither does the sea.

[Islander]

So where is the high tide level now relative to this man made sand cliff. Is there any danger of being cutoff now as that sand doesn't look climb able.

Colin 

[ChrisB]

2 hours ago, Islander said:

So where is the high tide level now relative to this man made sand cliff. Is there any danger of being cutoff now as that sand doesn't look climb able.

Colin 

The sandface cliff has been created by wave action. That is the high tide line. It was a smooth slopping beach until the Easterlies started. A lot of sand has gone! Hopefully to return with a spell of offshore Westerlies.

[Islander]

What I don't understand is why didn't they do the same as further down the coast where this seems to be working.

Anyone know how much this cost. It looks like it's going to last.

Colin 

[TheQ]

The sand scaping at Bacton has actually helped the area in the photo, much of the sand has been trapped there..

Why not put that type groynes at Bacton.?  There are dozens of pipe lines going into Bacton from the gas Rigs and from the continent. Dropping that load of stone on them would like cause an interesting explosion...

[Islander]

I understand that there are many pipelines going to Bacton but surely they must know where they are. I just don't see sand staying put unless it becomes a proper dune but even that may not be a permanent solution. 

Colin 

[CambridgeCabby]

Just build banks of offshore tidal generators , protects the coast and provides electricity plus we can guarantee the tide happening unlike wind farms which often lie idle