Bomb alert on Pagham Beach today.

Whilst birding on the beach this morning I was stopped by police who requested I kept away, as an ordnance had been found and was going to be made safe. Within an hour 'bomb disposal' turned up and duly blew it up.
Missed the explosion but a few pics beforehand....

Rather them than me!

Closer inspection

Preparations

Big bang at mid-day and it was all over....problem solved.

Pagham Beach December 2019

High spring tides November 26....

High water washing over the shingle spit....

 


    
...so that the 'new lagoon' was totally swamped!

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A lot has happened since the previous blog earlier in the year and shown below are a few photos taken today when walking from the harbour mouth eastwards towards the yacht club.

 During the recent high tides and gale force winds the shingle alongside the Little Lagoon has suffered considerable loss. Eight posts have been lost together with vegetation and about another 4 metres of beach since March 

This metal work which was exposed some time ago and then covered again is now revealed again...presumably old wartime defences.

The 'new' lagoon is gradually getting narrower as the sea pushes the shingle towards the bungalows and hopefully will provide some protection to these properties.

The shingle in front of the West Front Road properties has grown enormously but regrettably the same can't be said about the frontage to the East Front Road properties. Work is currently taking place to replace the substantial loss of the past few weeks.

Partial Eclipse of the Moon July 16 2019...from the beach.

9.13 pm

9.27 pm

10.21pm

Beach latest....

It is sometime since my previous blog and I show below a series of photos taken during the week ending 9th March 2019 starting at the west end of the beach and walking eastwards towards the Yacht Club.
The retaining wall of the harbour entrance is breaking up with rust creating what appears likely to create problems in the near future!

Obvious movement which could lead to a major problem(in my opinion)

Major perforations!

Paper thin in places!

The marker post opposite on the Church Norton side is about to collapse

A closer view...I dont think it will be there much longer.

The old wooden breakwater is becoming more exposed on a daily basis

I've not seen the base of the breakwater in forty years until last week!

Erosion continues to take its toll ....







...and in places the beach crest is only  4 metres from the Little Lagoon


Looking seaward the Church Norton spit is growing again having retracted during the past year or so

..and old (war time) scaffold pipes are being exposed

This concrete marker post which was surrounded by the sea at high tides is now well clear of the tides (as it was originally!)

 The trackway from the old carpark has been reduced in length  but again is well clear of the high tide mark.

Moving towards the 'new' lagoon a 'proper' beach has been created to the south and the properties behind the new lagoon look as safe now as they have been for several years.

The new lagoon has become considerably narrower as the shingle has been pushed in during the recent spring tides

This is groyne 4 which was the subject of major concern  and where the majority of the rock  revetment work took place.    

 These rocks  were vital in protecting properties a few years ago but now?

Looking up at Four Winds 

From the far end of the new lagoon looking westwards

 Looking eastwards from the now almost buried Groyne 1....a real cause for concern now greatly diminished.

The yacht club appears still vulnerable but protected by shingle. 

 East Front Road properties have now greater problems but Arun d.c have had recent work taking place moving shingle to create a barrier towards the 'pipe' end/Aldwick 

A note pinned  to the wall near the Yacht Club beach entrance....

 I agree, as some early mornings are so peaceful that voices can be heard a quarter of a mile away!