For the past two weeks or so there have been signs of the resumption of activity on the Boscombe surf reef, Dorset. Work was suspended last November; colder sea temperatures encountered by divers, and dwindling hours of daylight were the reasons given at the time.
Initially the beach was fenced off from public use, but this week the heavy plant has again taken up residence adjacent to Boscombe pier.
Today I photographed excavators filling dump trucks with sand at Portman ravine, which is then transported nearly three quarters of a mile along the beach to where it is being stockpiled. This material has to be graded before it is fit to be pumped into the geo-textile bags which give the reef its shape, anchored to the sea bed. The remnants of the original pile were bulldozed flat shortly after work ceased during the autumn, and winter seas washed it away.
Costs of the artificial reef have more than doubled since construction began, largely due to the late start and bad weather last year, and there is still no guarantee the final outcome will be as expected.
85mm f/1.4 Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/8. ISO 200.
© 2009
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