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St Francis Bay Beach Project: Progress
Report #1
Following the visit to St Francis by Dr
Shaw Mead from ASR Limited
Marine Consulting and Research, there is
much to report on the SFB Beach Project.
 Phase
1 – Data Collection
Installation of Wave and Current
Measuring Equipment: On Thursday 8
February an Aquadopp Profiler was
installed on the seabed some 200 m
offshore from George Road. The
instrument measures the inshore wave and
current data and will be collecting this
information for a period of 12 weeks.
The data will be downloaded every 4
weeks by Dylan Anderson a local MSc
student who conducted the bathymetric
survey in December, 2005. This data will
be sent on to ASR in New Zealand to be
included in the data required for
modelling of the wave and current
climate in St Francis Bay.
Sampling of the Sea Floor
During the period while the wave and
current data is being collected, Dylan
Anderson will also be conducting an
extensive sampling exercise of the sea
bed in the bay. This linked to the
bathymetric data collected in December,
2005 will provide essential information
on the state of the sea bed and the
material composition of the sea floor.
Formal Report
Following the data collection phase a
formal report will be prepared by ASR
Limited identifying the proposed way
forward. The report will be available
during June, 2006 and following
acceptance by the SFB Beach Trust there
will be a public meeting in the Village
Hall at which Dr Mead will communicate
the findings to the wider community.
 Phase
2 – Design
The second half of 2006, from July to
December will be focused on the design
phase. In order to assist with the
design it has been agreed by ASR Limited
and the SFB Beach Trust that ASR will
sponsor Dylan Anderson in New Zealand
over this period in order to assist with
the modelling process. It has also been
agreed with ASR that Dr Shaw Mead will
also supervise the MSc thesis currently
being undertaken by Dylan Anderson.
General Overview
Shaw Mead is optimistic that St Francis
has all the required characteristics
necessary for a submerged reef. In
addition, as the data collection in
Phase 1 progresses more detail will be
available regarding the precise outline
of the ASR recommendations.
Following the visit by Shaw Mead the
SFB Beach Trust believe that by the
end of this year there will be
sufficient data available in order to
provide a clear estimate of costs for
the exercise to proceed. It should be
possible to start the construction phase
commencing as early as 2007. We also
believe that the prognosis for the SFB
Beach is a good one and that we will be
able to achieve the overall objective of
the SFB Beach Trust of “Saving Our
Beach.”
Alan Tonkin
St Francis Beach Trust
15 February, 2006
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