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Beach - a hypothesis

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Jimbo:
There hasn't been much building at the southern end of the beach for years. What is there is way back from the beach, and not very heavy construction apart from Nafsika, which has been there a very long time.

Construction higher up - like Vicky - is almost certainly on a reasonable chunk of sandstone. The central zone is lower and marshy. Athina is set well back, so not likely to influence the beach.

Beaches at the nudist end onward and at Waves end have ebbed and flowed in quite a natural way. The situation in the centre is of steady erosion. It's like a target. It shows no signs of natural repair.

A swimming pool full of water can weigh over 1,000 tons. That's a lot of pressure on an unstable substrate!

Dupnica:
 I have been puzzling over this for some time.When you look at the aerial photos from a few years ago you'll see a couple of rows of sunbeds at the water's edge and behind them a very wide expanse of sand.How could things have changed so dramatically in just a year?
 I don't believe it has occurred naturally by tides or storms or even the dreaded Longshore Drift.

I've had a look at the Beachapedia website and have discovered this--

 "Beaches are dynamic and natural.Buildings bridges and roads are static.The problem occurs when there is a static structure built on a dynamic,moving beach.
 If buildings and roads were not built close to the shore,we would not have to worry about shoreline structure or sand erosion"

 Makes you wonder how Delfino Blu and the others ever got planning permission in the first place.Guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens next.They may all crumble into the sea in a few years time.

 
 

Jimbo:
Thanks very much for locating that. Havana Bar is quite a light structure. Delfino Blu is not, and the Mango Bar extension is even more concrete bridging the gap between the two.

We need a kindly structural engineer to advise further.

The bad news is that, if this hypothesis is true, the steady erosion of that section of the beach over the last few years is not going to go away.

Jimbo:
I have just sent this email to the Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment at the University of Athens:

"Kalimerasas,
 
I would be grateful for this to passed on to somebody who might be interested! Apologies for writing in English.
 
Agios Stefanos (Avliotes) in NW Kerkyra has for a very long time had a long and wide beach. But over very recent years a specific “hot spot” on the beach line has seen dramatic erosion.
 
This spot corresponds to the position of the two main beach bar/tavernas in the centre of the beach, one of which has made a substantial expansion.
 
There has been much discussion in forums of the possible causes: longshore drift, the new harbour to the south, chaotic factors arising from storms, beach sinking caused by construction etc.
 
What was a 30/40 metre beach expanse is now effectively zero (but only in this region) at high tide. This has significant impact for tourism in the village.
 
I believe that this would be a useful and interesting study for a graduate student, and might suggest what, if any, action might give a reasonable scenario of repair for what was a wide and beautiful beach.
 
Several thousand people will be pleased to hear what you may have to say!
 
Best wishes
 
Jim Hawkins"

rilo57:
Should be interesting to see what reaction it receives...

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