erosion...

Erosion A study commisioned by the Council in 1994 concluded that the ferries cause most of the erosion that is occurring in the Creek. Wightlink have said that their own studies conclude that the ferries cause little erosion. It is a fact that since the introduction of the existing Saint class car ferries, the Creek's approach channel has eroded from a depth of 3 metres to over 5 metres throughout much of it's length, particularly in the immediate vicinity of the terminal. A principal source seems to be the 4.5 foot long vertical blades of the propellers with which the ferries are equipped. They throw an enormous amount of sediment into suspension. This is then carried away with the tide. the new ferry, the St Clare, has four of these propellers compared with the three on the present craft! Speed is also an issue. Because technically Wootton is Creek is part of Portsmouth Harbour the speed limit is 10 knots. Compare this with other ports on the Solent. Cowes 6 knots, Yarmouth 5 knots and Lymington 6 knots ( 4 recommended in places). it should be noted that each of these has hard sea defences. Wootton Creek is relatively undefended, being mostly natural shingle and mud shoreline. Young's slipway and boatsheds in 1981 Note the height of the shore

In March 2001, Wightlink suddenly decided to impose a 6 knot limit on all ferries coming into Fishbourne. Alas, our own research has shown this to be an empty gesture with an average speed of almost 8 knots being recorded over 2000 timings. Extracts from Time and Tide-An Archaeological Survey of the Wootton-Quarr Coast published by the IOW Council and English Heritage 1997 ...monitoring has begun over 3.1 hectares of the intertidal zone east of Young's slipway at Fishbourne... Monitoring commenced in 1990 and was repeated in 1992, 1994 and 1996... During the first 4 years of monitoring, 2,388 cubic metres of sediment were lost. Of this 834 cubic metres could be seen to have moved elsewhere...This showed a net loss of 1,554 cubic metres of beach material. 57% of this loss occurred in the first two years. These measurements confirm that significant erosion and redistribution is taking place at the mouth of the creek...The exposure and loss of fragile archaeological material which has survived without significant damage for very long periods of time suggests that the present processes at Wootton Creek are a very recent phenomenom... At Wootton Creek the degree of loss is highest. Here there are issues of ship wash, wave action and draw down of sediment into the dredged channel. Young's slipway and boatsheds in 2001 The shore has dropped by 4ft, the owner has had to underpin the front of the building (at his own expense) and his slipway has collapsed due to erosion.