GS1-2-3-4 Goodwin Sands - United Kingdom Hydrographic Office

GOODWIN SANDS, 2009
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Area and Recent Changes
1.1 The 2009 survey was a complete re-survey of the Goodwin Sands. The area is covered
by four routine resurvey areas with re-survey frequencies of 3, 6 and 12 years.
1.2 Shipping generally avoids the shoal and changing banks of the Goodwin Sands,
keeping offshore to the south and east or using the inshore route of Gull Stream to the
west. Ferry traffic en-route to or from Ramsgate crosses the northern end of the
Goodwin Sands.
1.3 GS1 (South Sand Head): The southern end of the bank system has seen a new limb
develop, resulting in a realignment of the contours.
1.4 GS2 (Gull Stream): The inshore buoyed route is relatively stable and devoid of
significant sediments within the central part and along the western side, but with
sandwaves at the north and south entrances, which have produced shallower depths in
the 2009 survey. The survey as a whole is notably shallower than the previous survey,
which is likely to be the result of different tidal reduction methods. Along the eastern
side of Gull Stream, sinuous broken shoal areas have been reworked, with a bulge
extending into the channel between North West Goodwin and North Goodwin buoys.
1.5 GS3 (North Head of South Calliper): The bank has migrated eastwards by
approximately 70 metres and extended north-eastwards by 200 metres since the 2003
survey.
1.6 GS4 (Goodwin Sands Inner Area): The most dramatic changes to the bank complex
have occurred in this area, in particular to South Calliper. Depths have increased by
over 20 metres on the eastern side, exposing several large wrecks, while on the
western side over 20 metres of sediment has built up, with the bank encroaching into
Trinity Bay by up to 1,000 metres. Within the bank system itself, the banks and
channels have generally moved in a southeast direction since last surveyed.
1.7 Due to the large scale changes that have occurred, an urgent New Edition of chart
1828 is being produced in lieu of Notice to Mariner action. In advance of the New
Edition, Trinity House marked the limit of the bank in Trinity bay with a temporary west
cardinal buoy.
Reasons for Continuing to Resurvey the Area
1.8 The Goodwin Sands are generally avoided by shipping, but there is an ongoing
requirement for re-surveying:
• Gull Stream, although a relatively stable channel, borders the northwest side of
the bank system and the limits of the bank require re-surveying to capture
changes;
• The south and west extents of the bank are buoyed and resurveying of these
outer limits is required;
• The northern end of the bank is crossed by Ramsgate ferry traffic and changes
in depth require monitoring;
Assessment Goodwin Sands/2009 – Original Page 5 of 51