Report by Chris Cole

BRACKLESHAM, 4 April 2008 (LOW TIDE 0.7m at 1655)

Weather conditions good. Partial cloud, light quite good and a moderate southerly wind. The atmospheric pressure was 1018 and falling.

A lot of the light debris witnessed in my last report (21 March 2008) has been washed away. I worked the beach from the car park eastwards as far as the outflow pipe. The tide receded about 30m past the end of the long groynes. The single erratic rock at the east end of the search area (E4) was exposed by about 10m at the low tide.

Most of the light shell debris was between the groynes as usual. The centre section of the sand from the shingle down to the low water mark was rippled. There were a few turritellas and carditas scattered around the E3 area and I found about 10 sharks teeth, some myliobatis fragments (one quite big) and a small pristis rostral peg. Most of the teeth were found at the car park end. There was a reasonable patch of debris in front of the flats at the low water mark. The small number of finds for a 2 hour search was disappointing but indicative of the large amount of rippled sand in the middle section of the beach. There was a small number of the E3 reef nodules exposed. I could not see any further exposures eastwards.

Car park charging is back in operation at the weekends.


1. Bracklesham finds 4 April 2008.

 

WEST BEACH, SELSEY, 5th April 2008 (LOW TIDE 0.4m at 1733)

Weather conditions cold, windy and showery. Saturday was partially cloudy with hail / snow showers. A moderate North easterly wind and atmospheric pressure 1018 and falling.

This was my first visit to this site after the storm on 11th March 2008. (See my Bracklesham Report dated 21st March 2008 for video clip). The Environment Agency has increased the height of the shingle sea defence and also the width to the required 15m. This stretches from the Club House and westwards for about 800m. The West Beach caravan site was re-opened on 4th April 2008.

Despite the storm, there appears to have been little change to the condition of the beach as described in my 8th March 2008 report. There were a few more gulleys visible to the east of the Holocene muds where I found a partial Myliobatis palate and good piece of what I think is Puppigerus (Turtle).

There was a small area of S6 / S7i exposed at the extremity of the tide. I would estimate this to be 130m from the end of the sluice and slightly to the east. There were just a few square metres showing with more visible under a few centimetres of sea. This area is impacted with a variety of molluscs and I did find the root of a significant shark tooth which actually measures 45mm in width. It may be a tooth from Jaekelotodus Trigonalis. If it is, it is 10mm wider that the largest Jaekelotodus Trigonalis that I have in my collection. I would be happy to hear any other suggestions?


Top - Puppigerus, Centre – Jaekelotodus Trigonalis (?), Bottom – Myliobatis (3 bars)

 

WEST BEACH, SELSEY, 6th April 2008 (LOW TIDE 0.3m at 1811)

Weather conditions cold, light north easterly wind with reasonably clear skies. Atmospheric pressure 1009 and falling.

The offshore wind helped to push the tide out quicker than expected. Most time was spent on S6, S7i. Not much of note found today. Chris Newman et al did collect quite a few mollusc specimens from this area. Very little evidence of any vertebrate material here. I did find some minor Myliobatis fragments, a small turtle fragment, a small Cylindricanthus Rectus fragment and one rolled sharks tooth.

The spring tide tomorrow is predicted at 0.2m. If the wind prevails from the north, I would expect the nodule line to be workable in addition the S6, S7i area.

Take a look at the attached photos for a better appreciation of the state of the beach.

If you decide to visit this site, then park at the Club House end. The road beyond this point is currently closed.


West Beach – Damage to the newly installed sea defence near the Club House.


West Beach, erratics looking westward – 6 April 2008.


West Beach – General view looking west from the Old Flag post base, 6 April 2008.


West Beach – nodule line just visible at low tide, 6 April 2008.


5. West Beach – S6, S7i looking East. 6 April 2008


West Beach – S6, S7i being worked 30 minutes before low tide, 6 April 2008.


7. West Beach – Sluice gate viewed from S6, S7i. 6 April 2008.


West Beach - Typical view of S6, S7i, 6 April 2008.


9. WEST BEACH VIEW LOOKING WEST WITH OLD FLAG POST BASE JUST VISIBLE IN CENTRE OF PICTURE, 6 APRIL 2008


10. WEST BEACH WEATHERED EOCENE BEDS S7i, EAST OF THE OLD FLAG BASE, 6 APRIL 2008.

 


11. WEST BEACH WORKER BEES ON S6, S7i, 6, APRIL 2008.


12. WEST BEACH WORKER BEES ON S6, S7i ON 6 APRIL 2008