Eastbourne’s Council Tax Bands Announced (2010/11)

Eastbourne Borough Council have set their Council Tax charge for properties in Band D at £1602.77 for the year 2010-11, up from £1561.15 last year.

The Council Tax charge comprises elements for East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Fire Authority, Sussex Police Authority as well as Eastbourne Borough Council.

Read on to discover the total charge for bands A to H …
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Eastbourne Marina: High Tide Warning

I don’t want to panic anyone, but as the following video snippet shows, the tide in the outer harbour here at Eastbourne’s Sovereign Marina is very high.

In fact, I’ve been here ten years, and based on the ‘A’ test, this is the highest tide I’ve witnessed.

Royal Sovereign: Preventing Accidents off Eastbourne

As you walk along the Eastbourne seafront and look out to sea, you might notice an odd looking shape on the horizon, a shape looking something like a large cross.

In fact, that cross is a very important safety feature for any of the marine users navigating this part of the English Channel for its the Sovereign Light Tower.

Around about that point on the sea bed there’s a sand bank and at low tide it can be as shallow as about 2.5-3 meters.  That’s been a hazard to shipping over the years and has seen many ships run aground.

In olden days, to prevent this happening, there was an actual ship called the Royal Sovereign that had a lighthouse on it and was anchored on the bank to prevent ships running aground.

In modern times, the boat has been replaced by a more formal structure, which consists of a tower sticking into the sea bed with a helicopter platform and a lighthouse on top of it.

If you get a chance take one of the boat tours out there, it’s certainly well worth a look.

Give Way: A Warning to Cyclists on the Marina

You may think I’m a grumpy old man for writing this, but I’ve had way too many near misses whilst driving around the roads on the marina not to say SOMETHING.

These close shaves have been with cyclists that don’t know when to give way on the cycle path.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a great fan of cycling.  I used to do a lot of it when I was much younger (and have lots of good intentions for cycling now I’m in the grumpy majority).

In many respects it’s actually one of the great things about living on the marina that the urban planners managed to incorporate a lot of cycle paths for everyone to use.

However, these cycle paths cross roads, and whilst they might only be these minor roads, it still means you’ve got to give way when you go across them!

What’s worse is that a lot of times it’s the teenage children that are just cycling along like maniacs and don’t know what a give way sign looks like, although, they’re hard to read because they’re actually on the cycle path.

But if they are flying across the road and a car comes as has happened a couple of  times with me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one on the marina, it means you need to have your wits about you to press the brakes.

So, please use the cycle path safely. Enjoy yourself, but be aware of where you cross the road and where the dangers are.

Video: The Return of Sospan

The annual visit of the dredger Sospan to Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour to remove the silt to free up the outer channel for boats to get a clear passage from the marina to the English Channel.

Eastbourne’s Council Tax Bands Announced (2009/10)

Eastbourne Borough Council have set their Council Tax charge for properties in Band D at £1561.15 for the year 2009-10, up from 1,506.33 last year.

The Council Tax charge comprises elements for East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Fire Authority, Sussex Police Authority as well as Eastbourne Borough Council.

Read on to discover the total charge for bands A to H … Read more »

Rough Weather Tests Eastbourne Marina Sea Defence

It’s just as well I like to live beside the seaside because with the stormy weather the past few days I thought I’d be in it.

With high tides and strong gales Eastbourne marina’s outer seawall breakwaters have been tested.

As the photo I took yesterday below shows, the waves were having a great time hitting the breakwaters…

waves crashing over the sovereign harbour breakwaters

Abramovich Visits Eastbourne…

For the past few days the big motor yacht has been moored in the relatively safe waters outside of Eastbourne’s Sovereign Marina.

Is this Roman Abramovichs yacht

With a lot more Russians moving to the harbour the rumour mill has been going into overdrive about every mega-rich oil baron and his comrade.

Apparently this vessel was too big to fit into the marina so it moored where the tide wouldn’t cause it to run aground, unlike the sailboat in my earlier post this month ;-)

Turn Left for the Locks, or Right for… Oh ! …

Just as car registrations now take place twice a year, it was felt that only having one official fools day in April meant that we didn’t have sufficient opportunity to do silly things!

For the past few days, the following sailing boat hasn’t moved (even when the tide has meant it could do). I don’t know whether the owner’s are just trying to save a few euros, or whether they may have experienced technical problems, but it’s made a different view from the promenade and always brings a smile to my face ;-)

Sailing Boat Runs Aground in Eastbourne Marina

Elvis in ‘No-Show’ Storm

Unfortunately many Eastbourne Half Marathon well-wishers were disappointed not to see Elvis, the kangaroo-suited prankster, at this year’s event.

It appeared, that like so many others, the clash of the annual fun run with Mothers Day meant that Elvis had a more important place to be.

This slight disappointment didn’t ruin the event, and the weather even improved to almost Spring-like proportions, as the score of Bermuda Place residents managed to light the barbie and applaud the dedicated runners as they headed for the finishing tape.

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