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Sark's Seigneur warns "losing access to Little Sark is not an option" as work continues to try and repair the most recent damage to La Coupée.
Rockfall earlier this month has left part of a wall towards the top of the isthmus damaged.
A civil engineer from Geomarine in Guernsey and a geological engineer from the firm's Jersey arm had rushed to Sark last Thursday to assess the damage.
Since then, remedial work has started to shore up the structure, using reinforced concrete and anchor pins.
The crossing has been closed to traffic this week while the engineers and a team of rope access specialists do this work.
It was initially closed to "all but essential traffic" with weight needing to be kept to a minimum but now the work has started there is no access across for anyone "for the safety of all and a precaution against further damage" said a spokesperson for the Douzaine, which is a committee of Chief Pleas, Sark's government.
Pictured: La Coupée is one of Sark's most iconic sites.
This was not the first rockfall that has damaged La Coupée, with a similar event happening towards the base of the isthmus last January.
At that time, the Seigneur called for a survey to be carried out to establish exactly how safe the crossing was and what further risks there were.
Neither he, nor the Douzaine, could tell Express when La Coupee was last surveyed, but it is understood that it wasn't done over the past year at least.
Regardless, "this issue is not new", said the Seigneur.
He told Express that "erosion is virtually unstoppable but it can be managed".
It's how that erosion is managed that is now the bigger question.
The Seigneur shared with Express a photograph of La Coupée from 1885 (top). It shows the impact of a much bigger collapse of rock beneath the crossing than the one currently being fixed.
The missing section pictured (top) is on the 'big' Sark side, where the path down to Grand Greve (the beach at the foot of La Coupée) is now located.
The Seigneur surmised that "you’d have had to have nerves of steel to cross after this happened". But some brave souls did choose to cross the damaged isthmus.
"The repairs were completed between 18 May and 24 July in 1885 by a stonemason called Nicholas Duquemin," explained the Seigneur.
The wall that was damaged in last week's rockfall is also visible in the picture at the top of the page. It is on the right hand side as the crossing climbs up towards Little Sark.
"This section of wall was built around 1870," explained the Seigneur.
"Given it has been where it was for well over 150 years it has done remarkably well. It can and will be fixed but it’s going to cost a bit more than it did last time," he added.
Christopher Beaumont is keen for the recent damage to be repaired to allow access to Little Sark again, but he is also concerned with a long term plan to address some of the other issues at hand.
"Now is the time for us to look for low impact methods of transport," he told Express.
"The larger tractors will continue to pose a risk of further damage, a weight limit would seem sensible and this in turn might lead to alternative transport solutions being considered. There are many varieties out there. I’m sure this is something to which Chief Pleas will give some thought.
"Losing access to Little Sark is not an option. We will fix the problem as we have done every time it arises and I do not doubt we will have to do it again."
Pictured: Christopher Beaumont is Sark's Seigneur.
The Seigneur is concerned about the costs involved with fixing the current damage to La Coupée and said anyone wanting to donate would be very welcome to do so.
"Those that love Sark may like to help out with financing this project," he said.
"We ask very little of our visitors except the modest landing tax, every little helps."
Mr Beaumont also said he would be very keen to hear from any descendants of stone mason Nicholas Duquemin who repaired the damage to La Coupée in 1885.
"His descendants must still be on Guernsey - I'd love to hear from them," he said.
"He was paid the princely sum of £18 10s for his work. How inflation has come to bite us!"
Pictured top: La Coupée suffered damage from rockfall in 1885. Image supplied by the Seigneur.
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