Pumping Sand

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 29 Jul 2005, 22:41

Go on then, tell me about it?

It's been mentioned before on here, and I've heard rumours that Portobello beach hails from some far-away desert. That bit seems a bit far-fetched, but I do believe in pumping sands.

So tell me about it , or I may get someone to use persuasive methods on you...

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jul 2005, 10:40

mr magnolia wrote:Go on then, tell me about it?

It's been mentioned before on here, and I've heard rumours that Portobello beach hails from some far-away desert. That bit seems a bit far-fetched, but I do believe in pumping sands.

So tell me about it , or I may get someone to use persuasive methods on you...

Ok, here goes but this is recall with no research, PoP will know more as he lived at the foot of Bath Street at the time:

About 1970
Cost about Â£300,000
Involved building new Breakers and relocation of some
Prom was modified and Tarmaced at the same time
There were Barge style Boats (offshore of course). They contained the pumping mechanism or the sand, I don't know which. Don't know where the sand came from; the seabed or elsewhere.
At low tide, One used to be able to walk much further out than One can now
The "Jump" from Prom to beach was much bigger. In several placed there were steps down to the beach.
Works went on for months

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 30 Jul 2005, 11:09

Sand from Dunbar area was it not?

Post by **wangi** » 30 Jul 2005, 11:13

I thought it was from Fisherrow Sands... And its sounds like ("At low tide, One used to be able to walk much further out than One can now") it might have been from further out along Portobello Beach.

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 30 Jul 2005, 15:57

When we were little, my brothers and I used to walk out on the sand for ages before we reached the sea and it never seemed to get deep even though we were walking further and further out!!!! That was at Joppa end!!! Posh sea at that bit!!! And the sea wall was quite high, we used to dodge the waves on the steps when the sea came in!!! Aaaahhh, memories!!!!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 30 Jul 2005, 19:36

Poppy wrote:Sand from Dunbar area was it not?

You are Yoda and I claim my five Pounds.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 30 Jul 2005, 20:55

I remember when it was originally done in the 1970s. It must have been during the Summer because I remember going down to the beach (Joppa end) every day to watch the water and sand gushing out of the pipes. We found amazing shells and fish which were being pumped up at the same time. As Porty says, before that you practically broke your neck jumping off the wall as the sand was so far down. Am I right in thinking they put the groynes in at the same time to stop the sand from being washed away again? They also did it again round about 1987 presumably to top it up. I think I might have photos somewhere of COC standing on the wall, again at Joppa end when the sand was being pumped out. When we told the kids at school about this they didn't believe us

Robin! · Post by **Robin!** » 01 Aug 2005, 16:13

I'm even old enough to remember when they pumped sand from Musselburgh!

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 02 Aug 2005, 17:04

Thanks for the info, folks.

I think this pumping business may make a good option for the 2006 BTOTB artattack...

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 02 Aug 2005, 18:47

But then they'd have to take all the sand away again after a couple of weeks since these things are only temporary

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Pumping Sand

Pumping Sand

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