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Four years after it was damaged during stormy weather, the Havelet slipway has been repaired and has now reopened for public use.
The work - on the slipway near Castle Cornet - has been carried out by Geomarine.
The area was left unsafe and structurally unsound after storms hit Guernsey in November 2018.
Pictured: The sight which Harbour staff were met with after storms hit Guernsey in November 2018.
The Harbour Master ordered the slipway be closed to the public while the damage was assessed and the subsequent work was carried out to fix it.
At the time, Guernsey Harbourmaster, Captain David Barker said they didn't know how much the repair work would cost. Express readers at the time claimed that the slipway had been damaged prior to the November '18 storms, and asked why it hadn't been fixed before the further damage was caused.
Captain Barker said that the slipway being in such an exposed location didn't help matters.
"The slipway has been damaged in previous storms and repaired a number of times. Because of its position it takes the brunt of any bad weather. It will need surveying to assess the extent of the damage and what repairs are needed," he said.
Pictured: Express first reported the damage to the Havelet slipway in November 2018.
The repairs were originally tendered in 2019, but the project was postponed in early 2020 - partly due to the restrictions imposed during the covid pandemic and partly due to funding risks and constructor availability as an ongoing result of the pandemic.
The work was put to tender again towards the end of last year. That process saw Geomarine appointed to do the repairs.
One of the primary uses of the Havelet Slipway is for the launch and recovery of small sailing yachts and rowing boats. It was also previously a popular place for swimmers to enter the water.
That meant consideration was given to reduce the risk of people slipping on the slipway. It was agreed that a textured finish would be applied to the concrete surface for that reason.
The design also incorporated reinforced concrete slabs with both steel and fibre reinforcement to ensure the slipway's longevity.
Pictured: The work eventually started in July this year.
The slabs are tied into the slipway and main sea walls via stainless steel dowels. Stainless steel mooring cleats have also been embedded with the reinforced concrete for boat users.
As St Peter Port Harbour is all tidal and Havelet Bay is itself a tidal marine environment, Geomarine's workforce were restricted on when they could do some of their work.
The work was planned around the tides and weather spells. Most of the work was carried out during this year's summer months to minimise the risks of delays, or further damage, due to storms.
Further work is also needed to ensure the further protection of the slipway's structure. That will include work to enhance the foundation protection to the base of the slipway wall, which will be undertaken by Guernsey Ports’ maintenance team in January.
That work will be weather dependant, so dates have not been finalised, but Ports' expects it to take between five and 10 days. The slipway will be closed to the public while that is carried out.
Repairs to Havelet slipway have begun
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