Town seafront businesses preparing for high tides

SEAFRONT bars and restaurants have remained on flood alert with 10-metre tides and strong winds.

There was no over-topping at high tide in St Peter Port yesterday morning but business owners on the Quay were there to make sure they were not affected. Steve Le Poidevin of Balthazar was ready to supply wellington boots for customers and put up boards to stop the worst of the flooding. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 33610428)

Guernsey Met Office issued another amber tide warning for last night and this morning, with the high tide coinciding with north east winds gusting at up to 30mph.

Balthazar owner Steve Le Poidevin was one of a number of Town business owners on guard duty yesterday morning, ready to put up barriers, even though the tide was due to be just 9.91m.

‘We got caught out by a 9.6m tide last year,’ he said.

‘Now anything near a 9.7m and people with businesses on the front get a bit twitchy.’

He said the worst case scenario was for high tides to coincide with heavy rain, strong easterly winds and low atmospheric pressure.

‘That means we have water coming out of the drains and we get water from all directions,’ he said.

‘Lots of people don’t realise the part atmospheric pressure plays, but it can make 30cm difference to the tide height, enough to be the deciding factor on whether it comes over the wall.’

Tide tables presume a standard pressure of 1013 millibars.

A rough guide is that a one millibar change can cause a difference in tide height of one centimetre – with low pressure allowing the sea level to rise and a high pressure reading depressing it.

The tidal peaks last night and tonight coincide with the busiest part of the night, with tonight’s 10.2m peak just after 9pm.

Despite the threat of incoming seawater Mr Le Poidevin said he still expected business to be brisk.

‘To be honest the customers quite like it,’ he said.

‘We have bought a load of wellies for diners just in case they need them, they are all in the largest size so should fit anyone’s feet.

‘We get water lapping up to the front of the restaurant about three times a year.

‘The barriers keep the water from actually coming in and then it is a case of hosing everything down the next morning to get rid of the silt.’

He added that it was important for islanders to understand why North Esplanade needed to be closed to traffic when the flood waters began to breach the harbour wall.

‘When they don’t stop the traffic it becomes worse, as the cars create waves, which can increase the water height,’ he said.

‘And to be honest I don’t think the sea water will be doing anyone’s car any good either.’