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The Geography Department |
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West Bay, Bridport, Dorset pictures taken 5 August 2005
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Some views of the inner harbour at West Bay; the waiting time for berths to become available for hire is now reputedly at 180 years! |
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800-P1020481.JPG 135KB
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800-P1020483.JPG 202KB |
800-P1020459.JPG 179KB |
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Traditional fishing for mackerel and scallop exist alongside tourist trips for fishing, and now a growing market for power boat adventure trips. There is a large tidal range - at high spring tides the sea reaches the top of the wall! |
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800-P1020461.JPG 151KB
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600-P1020458.JPG 176KB
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800-P1020463.JPG 170KB |
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800-P1020460.JPG 137KB |
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To views to the west, towards Thorncombe Beacon. The end of Chesil Beach marks the left shot, whilst on the right the graded slopes of West Cliff soon lead to the coast path and residential properties. |
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800-P1020484.JPG 128KB
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800-P1020485.JPG 140KB |
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800-P1020466.JPG 114KB
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600-P1020462.JPG 145KB
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800-P1020477.JPG 139KB |
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The new harbour facilities are now open, and the concrete is looking very bright in the summer sunshine. A launching and recovery ramp is the main addition to the harbour, as well as a much safer entrance. In the centre the floating pier can be seen, and is occupied by crabbers and sunbathers ... and small boys. |
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800-P1020478.JPG 136KB
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800-P1020469.JPG 140KB
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800-P1020465.JPG 83KB |
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The new pier is protected from the south-west by copious amounts of rip-rap. It was in this very area that the old Harbourmaster's Office came close to destruction in a south-westerly gale! |
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800-P1020467.JPG 136KB |
600-P1020468.JPG 168KB
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800-P1020480.JPG 149KB |
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The rock groyne on the west promenade protects West Cliff, but also starves the headlands to the west of any beach protection .. with predictable results in terms of erosion rates! |
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800-P1020479.JPG 108KB |
800-P1020471.JPG 70KB
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800-P1020470.JPG 112KB |
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The Bridport Sandstones are well cemented and very coherent. The better cemented horizontal bands stick out because they are more resistant to subaerial attack, and their strength helps maintain the vertical angle. The April 2005 fall is just visible far right |
The foot of the cliff is well protected by the deep shingle beach, but wisely the groups are avoiding the overhang. As the rock is permeable there is little sign of water erosion at the top |
Chesil Beach stretches from West Bay eastwards to the Isle of Portland. The cliffs end at Burton Bradstock, two miles down the coast. |
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800-P1020473.JPG 76KB |
800-P1020464.JPG 142KB
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800-P1020474.JPG 102KB |
