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| Image from Met Eireann |
At Pembrey the storm has left an interesting trail of damage, with the RAF Pembrey Sands weather station recording sustained wind speeds of 45mph and gusts of around 62mph. Combined with the tide at the peak of the monthly cycle with high tides of 9.0m there were bound to be consequences.
The line of dunes from Tywyn Point at the Western edge of Cefn Sidan to The Nose at the Eastern edge has borne the brunt of both wind and tide with tonnes of sand being eroded from the dunes leaving high flat dune faces, which has resulted in advice not to access the beach from either CE54 or CE 55. With plenty of winter weather still to go it is likely that there will be further erosion of the dunes.
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| The benches at the main beach entrance! (photo L Walters) |
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| Dramatic dunes and seascape (L Walters) |
Remembering that all of this is the natural cycle of the coast is sometimes hard to appreciate, nonetheless it is natural, albeit now happening on a more regular basis. The sand will not have gone far and we will in all probability see accretion (that's the technical term for the sand being deposited) further along the coast and/or just offshore forming higher sandbanks.
The effect of the wind on objects on the beach can be seen in these "shell sculptures"
As devastating as this erosion appears nature has a remarkable way of repairing or compensating for such events, it may take years to see the outcomes of these events. Driftwood in all it's guises helps in the protection of the dunes, not least by providing a structure against which sand can build up, a good reason not to remove or burn driftwood on the beach.
Considerable quantities of marine litter have been washed ashore as well as much marine life in the form of seaweeds such as Kelps, Thongweed, an assortment of Wracks, along with a great array of the remains of crabs, and a myriad of empty shells and cases such as this near perfect Sea Potato, a Sea Urchin which lives buried in the sand
Anyone with any interest in beachcombing could do a lot worse than investing in a personal favourite of mine "The Essential guide to Beachcombing and the Strandline" by Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher.
The woodland areas of the park did not escape unscathed with trees toppled in a number of places, a salutory reminder that when the "keep out of the woodlands" signs go up they go up to protect visitors!
With another named storm "Dennis" due this weekend winter is not yet done.....
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