April fool/how not to dredge

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 22:42

What a saga this is turning out to be.

My local harbour is now almost totally landlocked - access USED to be about 2 1/2 hrs either side of HW - now it's about 1hr or less. The channel has gone so at long last they have decided to dredge.

Here are the first attempts last week. Took about 4 days apparently. The old channel now runs along the rocks and the remains of old shipwrecks.

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 22:48

This attempt is much better - they had a large tracked excavator - which I sadly missed - 1 man dug a fair old trench in 2 days.

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 22:53

Sadly the following day they decided to use the dredger again. Funniliy enough the channel has gone !!!

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 22:58

And then at high tide they get the dredger stuck - which makes getting into the harbour a bit difficult - especially if your RIB has broken down.

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 23:03

What is so annoying is that 300 yds up the road is a proper sand dredging company that shifts 150,000 tons of sand a month. They offered to dredge with a proper suction dredger and were turned down.

The local council called in "experts" and "consultants" on how to get rid of the sand without harming the environment......

They bought this wreck of a dredger but seem to have missed out one vital bit of equipment. Can anyone guess what it is - this photo may give you a clue!!!

Milo72 · 01 April 2007, 23:12

not quite as bad as yours but a similar thing happening here...
this harbour is listed as 1.5m minimum above CD!
Lets hope no one follows the ENTER HERE instruction!

Milo72 · 01 April 2007, 23:14

same...

codprawn · 01 April 2007, 23:17

Apparently it is down to stupid environmental laws they can't dredge harbours properly any more.

Our harbour now has fancy pontoons - and they have just installed electric power points!!! I think it would be better to be able to USE our boats!!!

pathalla · 02 April 2007, 02:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

What is so annoying is that 300 yds up the road is a proper sand dredging company that shifts 150,000 tons of sand a month. They offered to dredge with a proper suction dredger and were turned down.

The local council called in "experts" and "consultants" on how to get rid of the sand without harming the environment......

They bought this wreck of a dredger but seem to have missed out one vital bit of equipment. Can anyone guess what it is - this photo may give you a clue!!!

Well I know you Brits do things a little differently than us colonialists but I'm guessing it would be a barge for the dredging spoils...

codprawn · 02 April 2007, 03:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by pathalla

Well I know you Brits do things a little differently than us colonialists but I'm guessing it would be a barge for the dredging spoils...

Hooray!!! It doesn't exactly take a genius to work it out. I just can't believe the stupidity of this fiasco. I am NOT blaming the harbour master or the poor bloke using the dredger = they are great people - only the idiots in the council who designed this "operation"!!!

Here is a link to the people that USED to use the dredger - as you can see barges are used.

http://www.severnbore.ndirect.co.uk/dredging2.htm

Notice it was used on a canal.

pathalla · 02 April 2007, 03:26

Its got to be maddening given the weather is now breaking and boating is ever more tempting! Problem with these kind of situations is somehow the people making decisions don't have a clue... usually someone on a board or council who has never spent any time on the water nor have any knowledge pertaining to the activity they are directing... A barge? What do we need one of those for??

codprawn · 02 April 2007, 20:24

Tell me about it.

Here's the proof - who's nicked the barge???

Maybe they should use the little rowing boat - I would even tow it for them - may take a while but got to be more effective than what these idiots are doing!!!

mdt · 02 April 2007, 21:25

I hope you have photoshoped the photos for a giggle. they can't be that daft can they... that is just silly.

codprawn · 02 April 2007, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdt

I hope you have photoshoped the photos for a giggle. they can't be that daft can they... that is just silly.

I wish - yes they CAN and ARE that silly!!!

pathalla · 03 April 2007, 02:14

What the hell good is dredging going to do if they are dumping it back in approximately where they took it out? It's a great thing for the dredging firm, they'll be back again and again, they will have lots of repeat business! That photo is totally ridiculous...

codprawn · 03 April 2007, 04:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by pathalla

What the hell good is dredging going to do if they are dumping it back in approximately where they took it out? It's a great thing for the dredging firm, they'll be back again and again, they will have lots of repeat business! That photo is totally ridiculous...

They have a contract for 1 year!!!

I DID think this was funny but now I am starting to get seriously annoyed - just at the shear stupidity of it. I think I will give the council a ring tomorrow....

It seems the council have stuck to this advice from Ove Arup - to the letter!!! Notice it doesn't mention a barge to remove the debris - either they thought it was so obvious they didn't mention it or they just missed it - wonder how much the report cost? Ove Arup are a huge consultancy firm.

http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/ag...0/REP11_01.HTM

6.4.3 Purchase of a second hand bucket dredger plus a suitable vessel capable of maneuvering the dredger into place. Cost of initial purchase of both vessels - £36k plus £5k transport costs, together with ongoing operational running costs. The limited financial input is enhanced by the fact that the resale value of the item would still be substantial in the event that long term retention of the dredger was unnecessary. In the initial stages there would be a substantial use of the dredger to create a navigable channel. A subsequent phase of maintenance dredging would then be needed, though the scale of such activity is difficult to quantify beforehand. An added advantage of the dredger being on site is that It could also be used to carry out maintenance dredging within the harbour and provide considerable flexibility to resolve local problems which arose. The second vessel can also be utilized as a harbour workboat in addition to its role in supporting the dredger.

mdt · 03 April 2007, 06:45

Look on the bright side

At least they are trying to help, and as the old saying goes “it is the thought that counts”

codprawn · 03 April 2007, 15:37

I seem to have got to the bottom of it - it is all Tony Blair's fault!!! Well his government anyway.

Apparently the council can't get a licence to take the sand away from the site as it is a nature conservancy area. It is obviously much better for the environment to run a dredger 365 days a year to fill back in the hole it has dug!!!

mdt · 03 April 2007, 17:06

but the important question is............. how long till you can get in and out on your RIB, other than at spring high?

are they going to mark this new supper fantastic channel or just hope you all find it?

Bigmuz7 · 03 April 2007, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

I seem to have got to the bottom of it - it is all Tony Blair's fault!!! Well his government anyway.

Apparently the council can't get a licence to take the sand away from the site as it is a nature conservancy area. It is obviously much better for the environment to run a dredger 365 days a year to fill back in the hole it has dug!!!

What a typical waste of tax payers money

What bleeding use is that ?