High tides make a splash

THE woman in the main picture was nearly knocked over by a supertide. She was on the groyne near the Palace Pier when the wave struck.

A spokesman from the Met Office said: “Tides are governed by the gravitational pull of the moon and, to a lesser extent, the sun. Because the sun and moon go through different alignment, this affects the size of the tides.

“When the gravitational pull of the sun and moon combine, we see larger-than-average tides – known as spring tides. When the gravitational pulls offset each other, we get smaller tides known as neap tides.”

The region is known for its often unpredictable weather and its strong winds, even in the summer. The weather is good for blowing away cobwebs with a great, refreshing gust of sea air, but sometimes the elements can be dangerous.

Throughout the years, The Argus has documented the weather’s highs and lows and while some scenes make spectacular pictures, the aftermath was often devastation and flooding.

In September 1998, lifeguard co-ordinator Sarah Heath warned the public not to get close to the sea during the day because of the extreme tides.

In 1999, the Environment Agency had a race against time before high tides hit Selsey. Staff in diggers rushed to build up shingle banks to protect against more water damage as the coastline looked set to be battered by storms.

In 2003, photographer Simon Dack captured the River Ouse running at high tide through Lewes prompting fears the banks would burst like in 2001.

In September that year, another picture captured the highest tide of the year from Cliffe High Street bridge. But earlier, in February, the Environment Agency stacked up the banks of the river with sandbanks to prevent flooding.

Some of the most memorable floods in Newhaven Harbour were captured by photographer Liz Finlayson in October 2012 as water swept into roads and marine businesses at high tide.