HEAVY SEAS AT SUMNER.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19666, 9 July 1929, Page 17

HEAVY SEAS AT SUMNER.

FURTHER DAMAGE DONE. Any hopes which Sumner residents may have had that the worst of *n e abnormally high tides was over on Sundav Were quickly dispelled yesterday. The heavy seas, which were at their highest point at about 4.30 a.m., were again plaving navoc with the sandhills and the Scarborough boat, harbour wall. Again at 5 o'clock in the evening the waves pounded the sandhills and the wall, and ."wdeiU* were able to see the alarming force behind the giant combers, which broke a few yards from the shore and crasnea against the sand-bank. The disturbing feature of this onslaught by the sea "» that the shelving beach which as a rule serves to "trip" the waves and causes them to break some distance from tne shore has been completely washed awav, so that at the present time tue sand cliffs are bearing the brunt of tne The portion of the beach most affect ed is again in the vicinity of the lifesaving pavilion, on either side of wnicri the sandhills have been cut back almost to their highest point. From the edge of the cliff to the outer wall of the women's dressing shed is now approximately twelve vards. Last nignt "> was apparent that the stone wall fronting the Surf Club pavilion had been undermined. The big concrete slab immediately in front of the opening on to the beach was cracked across the centre, while the stone parapet was badly cracked on the right hand side and "was sagging from th© effects f>t erosion. Although the Scarborough boat harbour wall has for some time been suffering from previous heavy seas, those of yesterday morning t>ut the finishing touches to it completely At the extreme end a pile of rocks are still standing precariously, but a gap some 30 feet in length, through which the seas pour unchecked, now exists where previously a solid "wall had withstood tremendous buffetings for many years. Last evening's high tide was running track high with the tramway viaduct near Sna<r Rock. Occasionally an extra large roller would break over the top of the wall, bringing with it many small stones. Although tho tide- was on the ebb, heavy seas were still running last evening.