Tidal surge hits east coast ...........................................Phil Brown

News

Phil Brown

Tidal surge hits east coast

At the end of the first week in December, everyone in the East of England was aware that the impending tidal surge scheduled to arrive overnight Thursday 5th/Friday morning had the potential to inflict enormous damage to the Suffolk coastline. In the event, even though the conditions were perfect for flooding (low pressure over the North Sea making it bulge, combined with the funnel effect rendering tides higher, then driven ashore by strong winds), the water levels were reportedly above those of 1953, but just within the Environment Agency’s computer predictions and, as the sea defences mostly held, the damage was not as great as expected.

Dingle Marsh 13:00 Friday 6 December The North Sea assailing the shingle bank That said, turning to the coastal reserves, the dunes fronting Minsmere took quite a battering and access to the East and Public hides was initially impossible. But the punishment meted out was not as bad as the 2007 surge and the North Wall was not breached. - perfect flood conditions, but sea defences held However Havergate Island fared less well. Whilst the sea walls generally held up here too, though suffering some holing, they are thought repairable, the good news was the lagoon habitats were safe so long as there is not another unusually high tide in the near future. But, the hides, boardwalks and bridges have all been moved and some appeared badly damaged, while the new ‘arboreal plumbing system’ was reportedly spectacular.

Once more unto the beach... Quite by chance members of SOG Council, accompanied by ace junior birder Finlay Marsh, had scheduled a visit to Dingle Marsh on the Saturday after the event and were able to view the damage at Dunwich first hand. The first breach - view inland