Oh no...not another Coastguard Warning!

One last public safety message for the year ;-)   ...but more light hearted!

...if you're out in Swanage tonight celebrating New Year's Eve please watch out for 'Nick-y'.

Phwooaar, what a stunner.

Enjoy your night, and have a great New Year!

Coastguard Nick letting his hair down!

BBC

The Station Officer is questioned by BBC South Today regarding members of the public putting themselves in danger by going though the closure notices.

Meanwhile, Nick points the dangers out in the Echo.

Swanage Landslip Why we want people to keep clear.

The risk of getting stuck in the this clay is high, the sand in front is very soft and more like a quick sand in places.

 

Sadly people are losing parts of their gardens and patios - the risk of items coming down on the beach is high. 

Swanage Landslip - Studland pictures

This mornings patrol headed to Studland to have a look at the slides the other side of Ballard.

The South Coast footpath is closed at South Beach, with the National Trust taping off the path.  Yet again we found safety tape ripped down which is becoming quite a problem.

WE ASK AGAIN PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THESE FALLS, keep away from the edge of cliffs and keep dogs on leads.

Breaking hazard tape is an offence and puts you, others and the emergency services at risk.

Further warnings

With the wet weather today Portland Coastguard sent teams out to check the cliffs. Landslips were reported at Studland, Swanage, Lulworth, Portland, Osmington and Lyme Regis.

Portland Coastguard issued this press release.

MCA press office issued this blog

Friday's Photos



A handful of photos from Friday 28th.  We'll be out again this morning after the overnight rain and will post Saturday's update later.

Remember the chap digging the mud away from his beach hut? Well this is where it ended up - on the beach below. In several places mud like this has mixed with sand and liquefied to form a quicksand.  Take Care!



We are monitoring this area near the Pines Hotel.  There was evidence of futher slippage on Friday





Finally, a couple of shots looking up to the Ballard Estate.  This decking was level when we checked it on Wednesday.



Spot the Difference

 A fun competition to fill that awkward bit between Christmas and New Year......

In Puzzle 1 above we see a shot of our regular Slipwatch area immediately prior to last weeks major fall.  Below it is the same view taken on 28 December 2012.

Puzzle 2: slightly more tricky.  The upper photo was taken at 10am on Boxing Day, 26 December 2012.  The lower photo was taken 48 hours later at 10am on 28 December 2012, although we believe this fall actually occured late on Boxing Day afternoon.

Answers:  In both cases there has been a significant land slip which would have severely injured or killed anyone caught in its way.  The cliff is still moving.  Just because this site and the BBC showed some impressive video footage last weekend, it doesnt mean the cliff fall is over and the area is now safe.  Quite the opposite.

More photos a bit later.



Swanage Landslip calls

Portland MRCC and I took calls from concerned members of the public who reported people still walking within the beach closure.

The closure put on by several agencies was to minimise the risk to users of the beach yet it continues to be ignored.

The risk of further slippage and rock falls remains high especially with further rain tomorrow.

To the individual or individuals that continues to rip down the barrier tape, you could be committing an offence as you are hindering the Emergency services in their duties.

The signs and tape are their for a reason......the beach is closed, a rare and unusual situation however one put in place for safety reasons.

Finally a short message to the two individuals who sparked the most calls today.

Standing on top of your beach hut digging at the Landslip to remove clay from your doors is not (in our opinion and others) the safest or best idea at present.

1) The clay is still moving and what you remove will probably be back shortly.
2) You are putting the emergency services at risk
3) You are putting yourselves and other members of the public at risk
4) The clay you have thrown on the beach will now mix with the sand in the heavy rain and make a mixture similar to quick sand (as we have found further up)
5) A reminder that the slip directly above you moved with no warning, silently and with some force although you shouldn't actually be there note the concrete smashed up on the beach?




The several tons of rock and earth above the beach hut are sitting in a thin film of water which acts as a lubricant.  As the cliff above becomes more saturated and therefore heavier, it puts increased pressure on the earth below and it will only be a matter of time before a huge dump lands exactly where this individual is standing.  We have observed falls like this several times over the last few days and it all happens very quickly, silently and with no warning.

Photo:  Ben Sturch, copied from a Swanage community page on Facebook.  Our thanks to the photographer.



Swanage Landslip - High Risk area

This area especially the wall going up the cliff remains the area at most risk with the possibility of collapse. We understand this wall was built in 1932 and for 80 years has done its job.

Swanage Landslip - a changing view

4 pm on Boxing Day......beware of being cut off on high tides.