2010 NE/Sea-Scope Marine Environmental Consultants. Flamborough Head SAC sea cave survey.

notPlanned

"Survey undertaken in July 2010 investigating intertidal sea caves within Flamborough Head SAC.main aim of the survey was to update the assessment of the SACs sea cave interest feature by repeating, and adding to, a baseline survey undertaken in 1999 (Howson 2000). Caves that were missed out from the 1999 survey (amounting to approximately half of the total number of 365 caves) were surveyed for the first time to Phase 1 level of ecological detail; and a number of selected caves were re-surveyed to Phase 2 level.days of cave surveying were carried out between 22-30 July 2010, during a period of spring tides, by four marine biologists who had experience of this specialised type of survey. Access to sites was either by foot (via main access routes to the shore and then scrambling over boulders and around headlands); or, particularly for the more remote sites off the Buckton and Bempton cliffs, by means of a 5.8 m Rigid-hull Inflatable Boat (RIB). the five survey days, a total of 173 caves were recorded to Phase 1 level (it had been estimated after the visits in 1999/2000 that just 70 caves remained to be surveyed to Phase 1 level); a further 8 caves re-surveyed to Phase 2 level; and 1 additional cave (previously recorded to Phase 1 level) to Phase 2 level. For the purposes of the Phase 1 survey, the coast was divided into five sectors reflecting the gaps in survey coverage from 1999/2000. Phase 2 surveys entered only, as Phase 1 data in report limited."