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Douglas stinky beach


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10 hours ago, The Phantom said:

Nope.  There was about 2ft of seaweed across the prom walkway between Broadway and the War Memorial.  This sounds like a suboptimal plan for anyone that actually wants to walk along the prom. 

I'm also going to throw the idea out there that the needlessly complex horse tram junction there probably isn't going to appreciate being covered in pebbles and weed and will require expensive works in the near future.

Any solutions requiring any beach remodelling or other hydrological meddling will be an expensive failure (and not just because it's us).  Unfortunately the only answer would be a wall.  Nimbys like walls even less than they like stinky seaweed and minor flooding.   

I think Omobono was kidding. 

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6 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

No it doesn't. . Think about it

The recurve is there because it was though to be useful by the designers of the prom.

This video is not directly relevant to this situation, but nevertheless I think it is interesting - because it shows things in an easily understandable way (well, I think I understood it):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yNoy4H2Z-o

 

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On 10/28/2023 at 11:42 AM, Zarley said:

Does anyone know when the original beach was built on? I assume it was before the age of photography, but are there any existing drawings or paintings of the area before construction took place? I can't recall seeing anything like this.

It was t actually a sea wall. They were bull noses on the back walls of the houses on the seaward side of Sand Street.

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2 hours ago, John Wright said:

It was t actually a sea wall. They were bull noses on the back walls of the houses on the seaward side of Sand Street.

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Ah... so it wasn't a stand-alone wall? I've been down there for a look (inspired by chat here ages ago) but thought it was remnants of a stand-alone. Thanks John, learn something new every day. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is the only answer , dropping the height of the beach would just be a temporary solution the sand and stones would just build up again due to the breakwater construction affecting the tidal flow.    It is not that big a distance there is still plenty of promenade left where you can enjoy the view whilst sitting on the seats.  The walkway needs looking at it is in a bad state, I think a lot of people, including myself, thought the walkway was part of the promenade scheme, sadly not and the increased parking during the work did not help.   I also thought they had been given enough money to run the tram lines to the Victoria Clock but wrong again 🙄.   Contractors must love it when they get a job from the Government and know they can do as they please and just pick up the dosh.   I am aware the DOI had a hand in the job which no doubt didn’t help.

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3 minutes ago, Fred the shred said:

It is the only answer , dropping the height of the beach would just be a temporary solution the sand and stones would just build up again due to the breakwater construction affecting the tidal flow.    It is not that big a distance there is still plenty of promenade left where you can enjoy the view whilst sitting on the seats.  The walkway needs looking at it is in a bad state, I think a lot of people, including myself, thought the walkway was part of the promenade scheme, sadly not and the increased parking during the work did not help.   I also thought they had been given enough money to run the tram lines to the Victoria Clock but wrong again 🙄.   Contractors must love it when they get a job from the Government and know they can do as they please and just pick up the dosh.   I am aware the DOI had a hand in the job which no doubt didn’t help.

They are doing the whole prom with a wall in time.  It’s a stupid idea.  It’s not that big a deal to clean up every now and then after a storm (it would be less if they hadn’t put the tram lines and that stupid stone catching paving by the roundel)

Building a wall that blocks the view is stupid, and without building some sort of decent wave breaking structure beneath it won’t even make much difference.

If they are going to ruin the view, cause years of further disruption and spend a fortune they might as well do it properly.

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On 10/31/2023 at 7:54 PM, Mercenary said:

Are you sure? On old maps looks like a separate wall originally.

There was a wall around the site of the old Fort; when the Duke of Atholl in 1816 allowed his placeman Wm Scott to enclose part of the sea bed and the rocks on which Douglas Fort stood - the stone from the fort was used to build the wall, behind which on the landward site rubbish was used toi fill it in then built on (approx in area of the now disused police station and Parade St.  But there have been several land reclamations in the area since

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On 10/31/2023 at 7:54 PM, Mercenary said:

Are you sure? On old maps looks like a separate wall originally.

Yes. I’m sure. There were areas, round the “fort”, but you’ve got to look at how the area developed. 

The sea cliff, up to which the beach ran, is the escarpment or broogh below Finch Road and Market Street. Then the landward side of Strand/Sand St was built. Than the seaward side. There were no local government or Tynwald promenade or sea wall schemes then. Houses backing on to the shore built bull noses in their back walls for protection, but the depth of houses/gardens back from Strand Street was variable.

so there was no promenade, and no continuous sea wall. Indeed there were many slips from Strand Street onto the beach. 

first prom and sea wall was 1870’s on.

This photo shows what it was like. I’ve marked up the bullnose for you.

IMG_5011.jpeg

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