Photo 2 (Return)

Chichester Harbour Entrance, false colour infrared image 2001. Shoreline drift converges upon the inlet from the west (1) and east (2) leading to growth of Black Point (3) and East Head (4) spits. However, strong currents generated by tidal exchange at the confined estuary inlet (5) flush the majority of arriving sediments seawards resulting in accumulation of a major ebb tidal delta to the south (out of shot). Wave action drives sediments back shoreward around the flanks of the tidal delta forming the West Pole (6) and East Pole (7) sands that deliver sediments back to the shore where they can be cycled back to the inlet. A drift parting and zone of persistent erosion operates at Eastoke (1) where large-scale gravel replenishment was completed in 1985. The harbour entrance is considerably wider than it once was following recession and clockwise rotation of East Head Spit (4) since 1880 around its point of attachment to the mainland. The bed over which the spit retreated has remained as the Winner Bank (8), although it has suffered erosion and lowering in recent decades.
(Photo: Cambridge University CAP).