WEST QUAY - 1996

It will be interesting to see what happens the next time there is a Gale-force onshore wind, coupled with an abnormal amount of water coming down river from heavy continuous rain and a high spring tide. Will all the lower part of the buildings around the Cape disappear under water I wonder? I seem to recall that not so many years ago they had to make an opening in the river bank just below Southease Bridge in order to lower the river level in just such a situation. In the process the riverside fields between Southease Bridge and the North Quay were flooded to quite a depth with the consequential salination of the ground, the killing of the crops in the fields and the inability to plant for several years. I believe this also cost the Water Company a considerable amount of money to compensate the field owners.

This used to happen about twice a year when the spring tide combined with an onshore gale and heavy rain run-off caused the river to 'back up'. All the stuff left on the floor in the old lifeboathouse would float and jam under the grate for the doors on the slipway, maroon storage box, maroon mortar box, cans of paint, buckets of grease. Guess whose job it generally was to clear it up and hose down the floor afterwards with fresh water to get rid of the salt and seaweed. 'Happy Days.???'  Maybe.