Following the stormy weather over the winter and early spring of 2014, the seawall at Bulwer Avenue was left vulnerable and the base of the wall had become exposed in places. To prevent further damage a rock armour revetment was designed to protect the wall over a length of 130m.
Overcoming stiff competition, Geomarine was awarded the contract to carry out the works. The quality side of the tender bid was especially well received by the client, States Environment.
2000tonnes of rock armour were procured locally to a strict specification on weight, size, shape and quality. Geomarine’s choice of a local partner, Ronez, enhanced the project’s sustainability whilst reducing the visual impact as the Guernsey Granite obviously blended in well!
Geomarine’s experience in both the construction medium and the marine environment was put to the test in the planning phase as site logistics had to take into account stonemasons completing their work on the previous contract, sequencing deliveries onto a tight landside strip bordered by Guernsey’s busiest road and last but not least a tidal range approaching 9.5m.
A production line of construction bays was formed to ensure that no single length of seawall would be exposed to the high tide during the excavation phase. Reinstatement of the beach and forming drainage holes through the existing sea wall linked to adjacent 4m deep soak-a-ways completed the work scope.
Geomarine’s latest recruit and project engineer, Jenny Giles, said, “The client was extremely pleased with the revetment finish and complemented Geomarine on how natural and undisturbed the completed beach looked.”
Site foreman, Clive Pearce, and senior machine operator Martin Buddle – who placed most of the rock armour – were also singled out for praise.
It is a testament to the dynamic Geomarine site team that a challenging marine project carried out over a stormy autumn period was delivered smoothly to an appreciative client.