What a difference a day makes!

The outgoing tide this afternoon through the cut.

The eastern side has developed a sharp 'cliff'

Work will continue enlarging the entrance and an excavator started work late afternoon when the water level permitted. 

Very interesting...watch this space

Almost there!

     Viewed from the Church Norton spit the project gave a very different idea of what's going on and it can be seen from the photos just below how soon the break through will be made. Having spoken to one of the operatives I was told that the plan was to make the final cut at noon.

View of the West Front Road bungalows from the Church Norton spit.

Not long now, surely.

I was anxious to see the moment of breakthrough from the Pagham side so beat a hasty retreat and arrived  on Pagham spit at about a quarter to twelve expecting to see the action. 

A bitter cold north wind.  I waited but after an hour I decided enough was enough.  

I looked back from the old car park and decided it must have been deferred for a while.

 I was wrong and missed the historic moment!

Shame!!

The work continues at pace.

 Most of the activity is still very much on the seaward side of the spit.

The width of the cut can be seen to have widened considerably today.

The project is attracting considerable interest.

Two grabbers and two trucks plus a bulldozer are working together to

giving maximum attention to  creating the 'cut'... new harbour entrance.

The work is being monitored  and here a drone is being deployed to view progress.

....look carefully...top right!

The most obvious change is that the new island appears to be almost completed. It will be interesting to see this at high tide in a good light. 

The main difference from the photos taken yesterday shows the considerable enlargement of the new island within the harbour.

This photo shows more clearly the location of the new island from the harbour entrance sign.

Tern island can be seen to the left in the distance with the Church Norton chapel in the centre. New Island (now known by birders as Peregrine Island) is just out of picture to right.

Work continues with two trucks making continuous trips from the 'cut' to deposit the shingle.

The main work on the 'cut' continues but  most of the action is taking place on the seaward side and there is no apparent great change noted from the harbour side.(see below)

No doubt that will all change in time!

More photos to come as the project continues this week.

Sunday work.

 As the opportunity of working on the spit 'cut'  is limited by the tidal conditions every opportunity has to be taken to continue whenever.  A force 8 gale with very heavy rain would have made conditions very difficult in the morning but by the time of low tide the  rain had stopped. 

A view of the workings from the eastern edge of the 'old' Little Lagoon which is now tidal. Here is a shot of it a low tide....

Looking eastward along the beach....

The 'cut' is becoming more apparent...


The following photographs show some of the machinery at work

The bird island is growing slowly but surely. This photo shows the part nearest Peregrine Island.

An engineer taking readings.  

More shingle off loading.

...and finally a splendid rainbow over the beach.

The works begin in earnest.

The heavy brigade arrives traversing the beach.....

Bulldozer and trucks heading for the crossing point.

 

All was well until they hit the old concrete lagoon  entrance

The bulldozer made light work of overcoming the problem.

Very soon the heavy machinery was able to cross to the Church Norton spit and work commenced.

The tipper truck concentrated on taking shingle from the new cut into the harbour to start creating the new island for breeding birds and a high tide roost.

Within an hour or so the clearly defined new cut  began to become evident.

Good work has started!

More activity

 At 9.00 a.m. this morning a huge low loader delivered a port-a-cabin to the 'old' carpark.

Viewed from beach.

This wasn't just any port-a-cabin, this was a BUNKABIN!!!

...with triple beds and powerful low energy showers....sheer luxury.

Then, at low tide at about 11.30 the first digger arrived on the beach and headed for the designated crossing point to Church Norton Spit. Several attempts were made but the water was too deep to make a road bridge.

It was forced to turn back and made its away along the beach to an alternative crossing point nearer the western end of the Pagham Spit.

The water was shallower and a road bridge wasn't even required.

Success!

Panoramic shot to give an idea of the eventual crossing point.

Brent Geese overhead.

Brent Goose looking a little lost!

More equipment arriving in the car park.

.....and just when I went out for a spot of birding at 4'clock I stumbled on this scene!!!

Car stuck in shingle with 6 chaps pushing it along the beach!

My guess is that the boat went to rescue the stranded driver of  the digger on the Church Norton Spit and then had to be hauled up to the car park.

Having saved the car disappearing into the shingle the boat then had to be manhandled to the tow bar of the car and eventually all was well.

You never know what you will come across on Pagham Beach.

Its another day tomorrow.