An early morning walk on a beautiful summer day and a flock of birds sighted perched on rocks visible at low tide on the Fleet lagoon near Portland, Dorset.
The Fleet lagoon was formed when Chesil Beach moved onshore as the sea levels rose. In the past it was much larger than it is today. The Fleet is 13.1 km 8.2 miles long and covers an area of 480 hectares. The width varies from 900 metres at Littlesea down to just 65 metres at The Narrows. The deepest part is in the lower Fleet where it is 4-5 metres deep. Most of the upper Fleet above The Narrows is no more than 2 metres deep.
The Fleet connects to the sea via a narrow channel at Ferrybridge into Portland Harbour. Sea water can also enter the Fleet by percolation through Chesil Beach under some tidal conditions. Fresh water can enter the Fleet from a number of small streams and by run-off from the surrounding fields.
The bouncing bomb, designed by Barnes Wallis and immortalised in the film The Dam Busters, was tested on the waters of the Fleet.
In September 1942 the first full-scale test drops of the bomb were carried out using a modified Vickers Wellington bomber.
|
