River mersey, very interesting

[Captain Kong]

Here is a very interesting revue of the River Mersey.

http://merseybasin.org.uk/archive/as...the_Mersey.pdf
Cheers
Brian

[Jim Brady]

A good story Brian,I swam in that polluted river when I was a kid.The sewage barges would come down the canal from Manchester they were supposed to go out as far as the bar before opening the bottom to empty the sewage.I heard a guy on the radio who worked in the radar station say,he watched these sewage boats and as they got off New Brighton you could see them rising in the water they had already started dumping the cargo so they could do a quick turnaround and be back up the canal on the same tide.We don't have a tidemark anymore like we used to.
Regards.
Jim.B

[Chris Allman]

I too swam in it as a kid and the beaches had raw sewage and waste from the ships and docks on them as a matter of course. The improvement is brilliant, it will never be crystal clear entirely as there is too much mud and sediment around but you can see your feet clearly now when you paddle or wade on the Wirral beaches and also on the Crosby and Formby beaches too. I can also vouch for the return of the sea life as my rock pool fishing expeditions with my grandchildren at New Brighton are now proving very successful and popular. Lets hope the cleanliness continues.

[John Gill]

#3-the waters near Fort Perch Rock seem to be still a bit murky Chris, I've yet to see my feet when paddling along the shore. (my diet starts Monday).

[Chris Allman]

I was there today John, quite a lot of sea weed and shells thrown up by the storm which has clouded the water somewhat, but in recent weeks it has been clear and clean. As I said, there is still some mud patches and quick sand about but in the main the beaches are clean and the water clear in calm seas. When the seas are choppy then the waves do churn the sand and mud up and clouds the water but during the last summer months, the water around New Brighton, Harrison Drive, Leasowe and Meols was clean and quite clear during good weather, not crystal clear but clear enough to see your feet if they were normally visible to you on dry land Last June I was at the bottom of Victoria Road where the old New Brighton Ferry and Pier used to be. It was high tide and you could actually see fish swimming around in the water and they were not Mersey Goldfish either , the Beach Patrol lads told me they were bass and were frequently seen.

[Captain Kong]

Glad you all enjoyed it. The Spoil Ground that the bovril boats were supposed to dump their `cargoes` is off Rhyl, But then they could miss the tide on the way back so as Jim says dump it at the rivers mouth and it all flows in in on the incoming tide.

Cheers
Brian

[John Callon]

Many thanks Brian, for the interesting Article on the Mersey. I knew the river was polluted but not to the extent that the article reports. I remember as a kid we used to play on the Cast Iron Shore by the Dingle Oil Jetty and one could find god knows what down there. Eventually it became one huge landfill and subsequently Otterspool Promenade.
Regards
John

[Jim Brady]

I remember in the tide mark what looked like big black footballs and as kids we thought that it was whale poo it was in fact congealed oil if you happened to stand in it your feet or shoes would be in a right mess and it took some cleaning off.In recent years I have had whiting and cod caught off the sea wall at Seaforth,quite good fishing down there now,they say that there are salmon in the Mersey.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Arton]

Believe it not, there actually fish in the MSC these days. Saw some off Runcorn Promenade in 08
rgds
JA