Yes, sorry, meant to say accessible at low tide. But the situation is not new
A glance at the First Edition Six-inch Ordnance Survey Map of 1852 shows the peninsula as a string of islands with the Point totally cut off from the mainland and named as ‘Spurn Island’.
Working with nature probably means leave things alone. In the case of Spurn the currents can 'augment' as well as erode
A chart of 1828 shows much of the neck below water at high spring tides, and another, published in 1830, already uses the term ‘island’ for the tip of the peninsula, where the lighthouse was then located. Before the breach, however, sand and eroded material from higher up the coast could still be carried southwards to prevent erosion at the tip itself. A traveller to Spurn in 1835, George Head, gave a description of the peninsula as it then was: “Spurn Lighthouse is four miles beyond Kilnsea, the intervening land being a narrow barren ridge, a few hundred yards in breadth … The whole of this sand-bank, that is to say, every part exposed to the sea, appears to be receiving augmentation, rather than sustaining diminution, for it is situated upon a point of confluence of currents, where the contributions of the soil are greater, on the average, than the quantity carried away … ”.
By 1850 the Admiralty had imposed a ban on removing shingle for ballast. But without groynes and embankments it was feared the Point, where the lighthouse stood, would eventually be washed away so work began the following year to close the breaches
The money was granted by Parliament in July, and Walker set about his task. He first tackled the smaller breach, and by installing groynes to build up the beaches and erecting a fence of stakes and wattles, backed up by a rampart of chalk to trap floating debris and other material brought by the sea, he succeeded in effectively closing the gap, and was able to report that this smaller breach had been sealed by May the following year. Unfortunately the main gap proved more recalcitrant and was still unsealed in 1854, when the grant of £10,000 had been exhausted. Although partly closed by the same methods at the northern end, the strong current was still carrying beach material through the remaining gap at its southern end, and the Point was still continuing to erode at a rapid rate. A further grant of £6,000 was obtained and by 1855, after a great deal of difficulty and effort, including the dumping of bargeloads of chalk from the quarry at Barton, the breach was finally closed. No sooner had this breach been sealed, however, when a third breach was made the following year. Fortunately this breach was much smaller than the two previous ones, being only 80 yards in width and 13 feet deep at high water, and after further expense and effort, it was sealed the following year, in 1857.
http://www.wilgilsland.co.uk/page32.htmlChalk seems an odd material to choose. Wouldn't shingle be a more effective defence?
