It is often very windy on the Cumbrian coast. The day before Storm Ciara arrived the wind was already blowing strongly. With the onshore wind a storm surge of 2 metres (over 6 feet) was predicted. The sea defences above the lower promenade are about 4 feet high. There are gaps where the paths and the lifeboat ramp cross from higher up the foreshore. The debris left after the storm shows the highest point reached by the tide. The size of some of the pebbles thrown up by the sea is frightening – a less obvious reason to stand well back than the chance of being swept away.
In recent months the beck has carved out a path along the bottom of the cliffs. Storm Ciara filled it in, leaving the beck to find a new route to the sea, percolating through the shingle.
The winds have continued for days. By the time this post is published we will be being battered by Storm Dennis, following a few days behind Storm Ciara.
My sympathies are with those living inland, who have been affected by flooding and/or disruption to water supplies or electricity outages. Surprisingly our power went off and was restored in the early hours of Saturday before the worst of the weather. We should not take the work of the engineers for granted. They work outside in some appalling weather conditions.
