Colin says: The whale-tale groin at Earnse Point. Notice the build up of sand on the northern (right hand) side, compared to the build up of shingle on the southern (left hand) side. This is evidence of "longshore drift" - the mechanism which is responsible for determining the physical characteristics of the island we see today.
DL says: And unfortunately, the effectiveness of this breakwater has driven the scouring tidal effect north, and has contributed to the rapid erosion of the raised beach at Earnse Bay. Where it was once impossible to see the bottom of the shingle from the top, now there are huge hollows. There is going to be a need for some serious money to be spent protecting Earnse Bay in the next couple of years, or else the road along the shore will be gone within 10 years - or even less!
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