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Visit to New Island Off the Coast of the UK

Dave, I'm most impressed by your bravery in walking out to the 'island'. I would've been concerned about sand-holes and any quicksands.

I also enjoyed these drone videos, they seemed to be linked on your Youtube channel. Many thanks for having posted this!!
 
Fascinating stuff! Where has the material come from to form this island, and why did it form there? How long has it been there? Is it a true island, ie above the sea at high tide? Are there any academic investigations being carried out by geographers or oceanographers, etc?

It certainly seems like a Fortean Out of Place shingle bank. If it appeared suddenly, I'd wonder if some dredger collecting aggregate experienced some problem and had to dump its load.

I need answers!
 
This article has some additional information.

Someone below has posted a link to an old map, suggesting the feature is not really new but it seems to be growing. The article itself suggests a natural process has been accelerated as the area is no longer dredged for navigation.

There is also the suggestion that the material may come from an ancient Roman port. Well, Ribchester was certainly a major Roman settlement! All quite fascinating. Thanks for posting. :)
 
Fascinating stuff! Where has the material come from to form this island, and why did it form there? How long has it been there? Is it a true island, ie above the sea at high tide? Are there any academic investigations being carried out by geographers or oceanographers, etc?

It certainly seems like a Fortean Out of Place shingle bank. If it appeared suddenly, I'd wonder if some dredger collecting aggregate experienced some problem and had to dump its load.

I need answers!
Yep, It's still there at high tide. Apparently it's due to something called long shore drift, Caused by the prevailing currents, There's a proper explanation somewhere on the web
 
I can recall Longshore Drift from geography lessons of long ago. I think the classic case is Spurn Head in Yorkshire.

I'm sorry to say we had our own schoolboy name for it. Still, looking at the shape, I just wonder if it carries an x or a y chromosome! :)
 
I espied the 'new island' a few weeks ago with binos whilst visiting Fleetwood. People were fishing off it we think although it could have been you guys with the drones!

According to local family there, since the massive container ships or large ferries ceased docking at Fleetwood (it used to be a major port for Ireland and Isle of Man) the shipping channels have been allowed to go their own way and allowed to silt up.

my OH & I also spotted a lone 4x4 wayyyy off on the mudflats by the reflection of evening sun off the rear windscreen. We were discussing [ie arguing] what it could be all that way out 'at sea' and it surely couldn't be a vehicle? It was! - probably coastguard patrols according to my relative as small boats still use the routes around the Fylde coast between Fleetwood & Knott End.
 
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