A mystery flat sea

[DavidofMersea]

I live on the beach at West Mersea. There are ribbles on the water and in front of my house is a flat area of about 100feet by 25feet. It looks like an oil spill, but it has been there for 3 days now ...... Has anybody what it is?

 

[Cheesey69]

I'm probably wrong but when I was clearing drainage ditches near a large lake I noticed a large area of smooth water while all around was choppy.
I mentioned this to the ranger who informed me this was an area where springs "spring" and the colder water was swelling up

 

[LittleSister]

Could it simply be an area that is sheltered from the wind, which hasn't changed much lately?

 

[sarabande]

Is there a sewage or rainwater drain into the locality ? If the latter, then someone might have poured some oil or detergent into the drain.

Worth a word with the Environment Agency ?

 

[DavidofMersea]

I'm probably wrong but when I was clearing drainage ditches near a large lake I noticed a large area of smooth water while all around was choppy.
I mentioned this to the ranger who informed me this was an area where springs "spring" and the colder water was swelling up

This could be the answer, there are few springs on the beach nearby

 

[DavidofMersea]

Could it simply be an area that is sheltered from the wind, which hasn't changed much lately?

No, too far out from the beach

 

[DavidofMersea]

Is there a sewage or rainwater drain into the locality ? If the latter, then someone might have poured some oil or detergent into the drain.

Worth a word with the Environment Agency ?

This flat patch has been there for 3 days, so unless the discharge is still discharging, I think it unlikely, but a good thought

 

[Leighb]

Sewage is a possibility. Many years ago we were sailing up the Orwell on a bright summer’s day with a light breeze poppling the water. Ahead we could see a large calm area which at first we thought might be the wind shadow of the bridge. However our noses soon told us the truth ?
There had been a big leak at the sewage works above the bridge and the ensuing slick moved up and down with the tide for the next few days which happened to be the Club’s Junior Race Week!!

 

[guernseyman]

While it doesn't explain DoM's flat patch, in general flat patches are caused by water welling (rising up) as a result of a current impinging on an uneven bottom. When such water reaches the surface it has not been exposed to the wind and thus has no ripples.
A good place to observe this is the Big Russel, a 3 mile wide channel between Herm and Sark. You can usually see the water swirling, leaving no doubt that a localised flow is involved.
A somewhat different example occurs with generally more gentle flows where long narrow streaks of flat water occur. These can often be seen off the rocky west coast of Guernsey.

 

[DavidofMersea]

Sewage is a possibility. Many years ago we were sailing up the Orwell on a bright summer’s day with a light breeze poppling the water. Ahead we could see a large calm area which at first we thought might be the wind shadow of the bridge. However our noses soon told us the truth ?
There had been a big leak at the sewage works above the bridge and the ensuing slick moved up and down with the tide for the next few days which happened to be the Club’s Junior Race Week!!

I used to belong to the Clacton Sailing Club based at Holland on sea. Not far from the clubhouse was a raw sewer outlet
which was marked with a buoy, and a long brown streak could often be seen coming from this outlet, from the club house which is situated on the cliff top above The CSC used this buoy as a turning mark.

 

[alant]

I used to belong to the Clacton Sailing Club based at Holland on sea. Not far from the clubhouse was a raw sewer outlet
which was marked with a buoy, and a long brown streak could often be seen coming from this outlet, from the club house which is situated on the cliff top above The CSC used this buoy as a turding mark.

There, fixed that for you.

 

[DavidofMersea]

I'm probably wrong but when I was clearing drainage ditches near a large lake I noticed a large area of smooth water while all around was choppy.
I mentioned this to the ranger who informed me this was an area where springs "spring" and the colder water was swelling up

This could be the answer, there are few springs on the beach nearby

.... and this raises another question. As I said there are springs on the beach nearby, but where does this water come from? Mersea Island is fairly flat and we have not had any significant rain for well over a week or so. Could this water be coming from deep deep down below, and coming from several miles away?

 

[DavidofMersea]

I live on the beach at West Mersea. There are ribbles on the water and in front of my house is a flat area of about 100feet by 25feet. It looks like an oil spill, but it has been there for 3 days now ...... Has anybody what it is?

My next door neighbour, who has sailed through this area, says there is a lot of seaweed with long flat strands growing there

 

[Hadenough]

I think you need to get out more.

 

[Cobra]

I used to belong to the Clacton Sailing Club based at Holland on sea. Not far from the clubhouse was a raw sewer outlet
which was marked with a buoy, and a long brown streak could often be seen coming from this outlet, from the club house which is situated on the cliff top above The CSC used this buoy as a turning mark.

I too sailed from Clacton SC in a Laser for a couple of seasons...gybing round that mark in any sort of breeze was always 'entertaining' but it certainly sharpened up your "mast up, dagger board down" skills!

 

[ex-Gladys]

When I were a lad, learning to sail in Penzance, the then new Sailing Clubhouse was on Albert Pier, and at the bottom of the pier wall just below the balcony was the discharge from the sewage system for the town, and it wasn't just a "brown stain" that was solid matter floating around all the time! Didn't suffer from many infectious diseases, our immune systems must have been Olympic standard...