|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Geography Department |
||||||
|
Dunwich beach and Dingle Marsh breach 29 November 2006 |
||
|
The beach bar at Dunwich is an impressive 4-5 metres in height, and is worthy of measurement - a task to be undertaken at low water.
At high tide a new set of photos is required.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With Dunwich village in the background, this shot over the marshes shows saltwater damage to the vegetation. |
Even before the breach, Dingle Marshes were liable to inundation. |
Open water has always been present on this section of the marshes. |
|
1024-P1060271.JPG 310KB
|
768-P1060273.JPG 135KB
|
1024-P1060277.JPG 194KB |
|
|
On the left is a playa of shingle on the reverse side of the beach bar, doubtless caused by the pressure of water at high tide.
Looking back towards Dunwich cliffs (right) into the morning Sun - with Sizewell nuclear power station on the horizon. |
|
|
1024-P1060278.JPG 293KB |
|
1024-P1060280.JPG 106KB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three views across the marshes.
|
||
|
1024-P1060279.JPG 169KB
|
1024-P1060284.JPG 135KB |
1024-P1060313.JPG 235KB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Approaching the point where the beach was breached you can see the new lagoon inland of the beach ridge, left, and the extensive area of open water (centre) and the view northwards towards Southwold. |
||
|
1024-P1060285.JPG 189KB |
1024-P1060312.JPG 120KB
|
1024-P1060282.JPG 259
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ridges of the beach indicate the last sequence of high tides .. at about 2-2.5 metres, left, and then the point at which the beach has been lowered (centre). The right-hand shot is of the same piece of driftwood as seen in the centre shot, and is sitting on a beach 2 metres lower than the crest to the south. At low water the beach here is still unbreached; it would take 4-4.5 metre tides to overtop the shingle bank ... which is presumably exactly what did the damage! The length of the breach is said to be 1.5 km. |
||
|
1024-P1060314.JPG 301KB |
1024-P1060291.JPG 289KB
|
1024-P1060306.JPG 254KB |
|
|
|
|
|
On the landward side of the shingle bank you can see how the beach material was swept inland, building dune-like formations into the marsh and plastered in places by the dead vegetation that must float on the lagoon at high water. |
||
|
1024-P1060290.JPG 249KB |
1024-P1060310.JPG 325KB |
1024-P1060311.JPG 236KB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking more like a Scottish river than a draining Suffolk creek, the true breach is discovered a hundred yards north of the beach lowering. At the time of visiting the tide was almost at low water and the marsh was draining back through the gap. |
||
|
1024-P1060319.JPG 279KB |
1024-P1060326.JPG 235KB |
1024-P1060320.JPG 241KB
|
|
|
|
|
|
The two photos on the left show the emptying creek from the landward side; the right hand shot is another looking up the breach towards the marshes. Previous to the breach the sluggish Dunwich River flowed northwards to enter the sea at Walberswick - but now I presume it will take the new easy route into the sea at the breach. |
||
|
1024-P1060341.JPG 174KB |
1024-P1060343.JPG 360KB |
1024-P1060334.JPG 264KB
|
|
|
|
|
|
The comings and goings at the breach has produced a fine set of coastal depositional landforms, quickly and in miniature! |
||
|
1024-P1060324.JPG 205KB |
1024-P1060321.JPG 246KB
|
1024-P1060346.JPG 208KB |
|
|
|
|
|
Three views of the mouth of the new river. The waves indicate the channel is very shallow as it crosses the old beach, and of course they will rework the material as the tide rises - a complicated spot! |
||
|
1024-P1060335.JPG 278KB |
1024-P1060322.JPG 871KB
|
1024-P1060317.JPG 247KB |
|
Quite a lively coastal view, with a emerging spit system, breakers crashing over the new shallows, and Southwold in the background. |
|
1024-P1060323.JPG 216KB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
