out and about - 2015
04 June 2015 .............. Port Talbot
I don`t suppose that Port Talbot is very high on most people`s list of ideal holiday destinations - that huge steel works somewhat dominates the skyline.
However I was surprised to discover that Port Talbot actually has the most amazing beach - over 4km`s of it - and it is known as Aberavon Sands.
It has a lifeguard station and an RNLI station, and at the north end there is an area of dunes, and it is well used for surfing.
At low tides the sand on the beach is surprisingly firm all the way from the River Afan right up to the River Neath, except out at Witford Point, where the sand was quite soft, and heavily sculpted - there must be some quite strong confused tidal currents around Witford Point at high tides to cause such sculpting in the sand.
Not far from the River Afan there is a sort of low pier stretching out from the beach - I think it is probably to protect the mouth of the River Afan - it is a concrete pier, and it has these amazing concrete shapes along it to break the impact of the sea - thanks to Google, I now know they are called Tetrapods - they are a bit like four legged triffids about 8 feet across - and I gather they are very effective at breaking up wave action to protect coastlines.
It is absolutely nothing to do with Port Talbot, but according to Wikipedia nearly 50% of the Japanese coastline is lined with Tetrapods. Don`t you love the internet !
The promenade is of course the place to be, and has good views out across Swansea Bay - this is looking out to Mumbles Head.
The promenade is also nicely poised to watch the sunset - this one started out quite dramatically, with some strong colour -
but then some cloud came across and all but killed it - a last glimpse of the sun before it vanished behind the cloud.
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