Paphos Life

Before the wall was taken down, during a storm, was there any seaweed
thrown onto the road . I can't remember it ever being like it is now.

If not, it would make sense to re-build a wall.

The old wall was not really appealing....



I don't think it would help if it was rebuilt. If the wind comes strong from the wrong direction, together with full moon or new moon, then a 50 cm wall would not solve the problem. Interesting is that we have recently much more seaweed which could be that the sea is more healthy now or interrupted by the new breakwater installations around. The windstorm a couple of days ago came with waves of 3.5 m into Yeroskipou Beach.!!!
Anyhow, the Municipality was quick enough to tidy up the last few days...

Max

Brilliant the way the Municipality tackled the sea front. I went for a walk one day after the last storm and the road area had been completely cleared and the seaweed was being cleared. Also how tidy the whole of the coast path is from Gerriskipou Beach to the harbour. Well done the Mayor.
The area outside Elean, which, the day before, had been covered with stones, sand and seaweed.

Nice photos of a stormy sea. But is it my imagination or is it the same part of the coastal path that we keep seeing?. There are many other interesting views from the coastal path as it leaves the harbour walking towards Lighthouse beach, then past the Elysium Hotel and onwards towards Chloraka. From there you see the wreck which today was surrounded by an angry looking sea with waves lashing it. From Chloraka, it is easy walking towards Kissonerga.
There are hotels and cafes dotted around here. The path is mainly good. Though there are a few unmade stretches. But this area is much quieter than the harbour area and there are also nice views of the sea.
There is also car parking available at many parts of it. If walkers get tired, there is access from several points to the Coral Bay Rd which has a good bus service back to the Mall and the harbour.
Dee

Dee, the OP was about the sea wall being taken down and whether that has added to the seaweed problem. Personally, I think it was better with the sea wall and, although it did not protect the shops on the seafront from severe storms, it did offer some protection. From a safety point of view, it was safer with the wall.
I've posted pictures of the whole of the coast path on the Paphos Life facebook page, as they get far more views and it is much easier to post pictures on facebook. It is now possible to walk from the airport, to Kissonerga on paths, without going on a road(except the harbour bit, when you are on a prom and a little bit through a Leptos Estate at Chloraka) I'll put them on here when I've time.

I have thought this all along. Personally, I thought that the old sea wall was very practical. I have said this many times, but some people who post on here are emphatically against it. Apart from anything the wall did on most occasions protect the walking harbour side from stuff thrown up by the waves during most of the storms. Yes, there was sometimes a little detritus after a really bad storm. But since the wall went, after every storm heavy machinery has to be used to clean up the mess, which must be expensive in terms of hiring it and man hours. And what damage is inflicted on the road surface etc with repeated clean ups "?
If you talk to the shop owners along the harbour all thought it was crazy removing the wall, and they dislike having to clean the area in front of their business every time the waves break over the unprotected area.
How many harbours in the UK or those in front of main towns in the Greek islands have unprotected harbours?

As I don't 'do'' facebook, I was wondering when our tame photographer might do some photos of the Paphos coast to the west side of town?

Dee

Dee, you are right about the shopkeepers objecting to the wall being taken down. Shortly after it was removed, Elean and the surrounding shops were flooded. It was the prevous mayor's idea to make it like an infinity pool, an infinity seafront. The wall needs to be put back and made to look attractive. However, the wall would not have prevented the tons of seaweed being deposited on the Cafe Nero, Pizza Hut side of the harbour.

I do remember that the wall caused the waves to go up when they hit wall and then crash down on the road, spectacular.

I only remember the seaweed collecting just past the out door baths, where there used to be a public beech.

Gary

I can remember the road along the front being flooded several times over the years with the traffic washing the sea water into the doorways of the shops.
I personally like the look of the harbour area and don't think a five hundred millimetre wall is going to be much of an obstacle to a three metre wave.

I see a tractor on the webcam!

Yes, we were walking along the harbour side around 9.30 today. There was lots of seaweed,lying about, as there usually is after a storm. In fact the wind was still strong and waves were continuing to crash against the shore line. The tractor with a scoop in front was on station once again starting to clean it up. It left a muddy residue on the cobbles/tiledsurface. I fail to understand why some members on here object to having a sea wall as we did originally. It is a safety feature as well as a smallish wave barrier. Do these people akso object to sea walls at other harbours and also in the UK?

Its a bit like anti vaxxers who violently dislike something, yet can't really explain why they object.

Dee

What on Earth are you blathering on about now? People against the wall have stated clearly their reasons in this very thread. Try reading their comments rather than assume you know what they are saying.

I have read and I do understand what they are saying, but not why they have a dislike to harbour sea front walls! Walls made of stone in my view look attractive as well as well as being practical. Also many of the winter storms come in from the west over the sea, and Cyprus harbour isn't very well protected when the gales arrive.
As I am not the only one who takes this view why pick on me?
I remember when I suggested a while ago that Paphos sea front looks very spartan, only a few battered looking palm trees, and some hideous street lights, some people imnediately wrote to say how much they liked its look!
Have they looked at the very attractive, landscaped and lit coastal paths in Limassol, or the attractive ones at Agia Napa and Protaras?
Its interesting to visit other towns in Cyprus and see what they have done.
And yes, I have lived here in Paphos for a long time and intend to go on doing so!!

Dee

You made an openly hostile comment when you said this:

"Its a bit like anti vaxxers who violently dislike something, yet can't really explain why they object."

This is deliberately antagonistic, and factually incorrect. Not wanting a wall, and saying why (which they have done) is nothing like an anti-vaxxers position.

So don't try and play the innocent. That mask fell off ages ago.

Dee, if you want a wall built well that's your view, I just think it's more aesthetically pleasing the way it is now as do a number of people.

Building a wall would make such a pleasant difference. People used to sit on it in the summer months. It used to stop all the rocks and gunge being washed up onto the road. So in my view it would be an excellent thing to do.

I too think the wall should be replaced. It certainly would stop some of the water and seaweed coming onto the promenade

Why not build a wall about 70 cms high with a concave side facing the sea like a lot of sea walls in UK,being concave will deflect a lot of the waves back,the side facing inland could still be stone faced,ok it won't stop the very high waves but unless you build a wall several meters high nothing will!

I wonder if one more of the break water installations in front of the harbour would solve the problem. It certainly improved the situation at Riccos Beach area at Yeroskipou. However it costs a lot and how much EU moneys Cyprus could get for that. Perhaps we will have more windstorms in future with the climate change...

Max

Mind you if the Cypriot boat steers men are anything like the car and truck drivers on the roads can you imagine the shipwrecks with them hitting the reefs ,good idea tho in theory,still think a wall would be better,would be a lot quicker and cheaper