East Anglian Daily Times featured an article (excerpts below) on 21st August about Jet-Ski’s behaving dangerously off Felixstowe beaches.

The illustrated Jet-Skis were caught on camera high up the Deben one March when there are no Byelaws in place (the 1980 River Deben Bylaws are currently in force May-September). The Byelaws were designed for the human summer season and not for the overwintering birds for which the Deben Estuary is famous.

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/26477958.pspo-tackle-jet-skis-felixstowe-felixstowe-ferry (EADT article 21st August)

A legal order could be used to tackle anti-social behaviour on the water.

Jet skiers were seen launching from the section of Felixstowe beach near the Pier on 24th June. East Suffolk Council has suggested a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) could be introduced to address growing concerns about jet ski misuse in Felixstowe and Felixstowe Ferry (“Felixstowe bathers disturbed by jet ski riders close call” EADT article 7th July)

The measure comes after repeated reports of dangerous and disruptive jet ski activity along the coast and on the River Deben.

In July, a local resident described a “terrifying” incident near the Fludyers Hotel on Undercliff Road East in Felixstowe, where two men launched jet skis from the shore and endangered swimmers.

Since that incident, a Felixstowe Ferry resident has contacted East Suffolk Council’s community safety team to highlight the “ongoing problem of nuisance, anti-social and potentially dangerous use of jet skis/personal watercraft on the River Deben.”

The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I would particularly like this matter to be considered by the appropriate community safety and enforcement officers, as the problem now appears to involve repeated breaches of the River Deben byelaws as well as persistent anti-social behaviour and a genuine risk to public safety.

“In good weather, jet skis are operating around Felixstowe Ferry on most evenings, frequently at excessive speed and often continuing until dusk.

“On some occasions I have witnessed them operating after dark.

“Some of the individuals involved also behave in an anti-social manner and can be rude or confrontational when challenged.

“There is increasingly an attitude that they can simply do what they want because there appears to be little or no effective enforcement.”

He said the activity is having a “considerable effect on Felixstowe Ferry,” with repeated high-speed passes, noise, and wash disturbing residents and other river users.

The resident added: “I believe some sailors, paddleboarders, kayakers and swimmers are now avoiding the area during the evenings because they consider it unsafe to be on the water while this activity is taking place.”

He also noted a decline in seal sightings and warned that the greatest risk is that somebody could be seriously injured in a collision with the “high speed, unpredictable” personal watercraft.

East Suffolk Council said a PSPO can be applied for, which is a legal tool used to address persistent anti-social behaviour in public spaces.

A council spokesman said: “Our rivers and estuaries are there for the enjoyment of everyone, and we expect all inland waterway users to act safely and responsibly, observing local byelaws and speed limits.

“Breaching a byelaw can result in a fixed penalty and could lead to prosecution in the most serious cases.

“Where there are concerns regarding repeated incidents of reckless or inconsiderate behaviour which poses a risk to other people within a designated area, a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) can be applied for.

“Given that this requires significant evidence of repeated and continued activity by identifiable individuals, and the capacity to enforce the PSPO, we will also consider what other options are available to us to ensure the safety of all users.”

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “Suffolk police is aware of the concerns and have been responding to reports when it has been possible to do so.

“Officers are in liaison with partner agencies, the majority of whom have more specialist capabilities and the appropriate vessels to respond to this.

“Suffolk Police does not have a marine unit but officers have been in contact with colleagues at the Essex Police Marine Unit to seek advice, as they have experience of dealing with this issue.”

Speeding boats can also be an issue in the Deben Estuary.

Click the link to see a full copy of the 1980 River Deben Byelaws

Click the link to see a full copy of the 1988 Felixstowe Shoreline Byelaws

BBC News, Suffolk says: (link) A footbridge damaged after heavy rain is to be restored as part of a longer-term plan to protect the area from the “increasing challenges” of drought and flooding.

The Hawkeswade Bridge at Ufford, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, forms part of a popular route for walkers beside the River Deben but has been out of bounds since April.

Persistent rain had caused a weir structure to fall away, which in turn caused the bridge to partially collapse and water to flow on to surrounding land.

At the time, the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust said it created “significant damage to habitats along a large stretch of the river”.

The weir breach caused a water-filled crater known as Ufford Hole to drain on to surrounding land.

Water levels in the Deben dropped by more than a metre as water flowed down a side channel towards the East Suffolk rail line, and the downstream channel was left in puddles.

Councils and a consortium of landowners and farmers have worked with the Environment Agency and others to form an action plan, with restoration of the footpath deemed a “top priority”.

Preparation work is expected to begin by early autumn as a first step to reopen a route described as “well-used and much-loved”.

The parish councils of Ufford, Melton and Bromeswell said the dried-out channel from Old Melton Mill to Ufford Hole would be cleared this month to allow water to flow back to the mill.

“Looking further ahead, the project aims not only to restore the footpath but to improve the resilience of the surrounding landscape,” their statement added.

“Plans are being developed to help protect the footpath, neighbouring farmland and the railway from the increasing challenges of winter flooding and summer drought.”

The broader plan required “significant” additional funding, it added, with possible opportunities for people who “value this special area” to support the project.

Statement from representatives from Bromeswell, Melton and Ufford Parish Councils who attended a meeting on Tuesday 4th August

Following the current Chair-elect taking a job abroad, the Deben Estuary Partnership is seeking a new Chair.  If you are interested in finding out more about the role, do please contact the DEP Vice-Chair at Vice-Chair@debenestuarypartnership.org

The work of the Chair

The Chair’s work is essentially about leading and representing the organisation from within. In simple terms there are 4 SG meetings a year, including an AGM, but in reality, it is about gently directing the Partnership’s activity and a broader representational role of engaging with all the stakeholders and agencies. This is leadership with ‘soft power’. Everyone involved with the river and the estuary are, without exception, deeply passionate about safeguarding the estuary for generations to come. There is a very strong sense of community and service, but it is also a very disparate community, that does need to have a sense of collaboration and cohesion. Vested interests are all very well, but the Chair must make sure that all parties in the Partnership pull together to a common aim, and that the organisation is perceived as being strong, unified, relevant and respected.

More information is contained within the document ‘The Role of the DEP Chair’

A beautifully illustrated account of a Deben Estuary Partnership research initiative that was facilitated by the Environment Agency’s 3Cs fund and co-ordinated by Helene Burningham, Professor of Physical Geography UCL and Simon Read, Associate Professor of Fine Art, Middlesex University London and Deben Estuary Partnership trustee.

The project sought to identify strategies for community engagement on the Deben estuary and adjacent coastline, encourage stewardship activities and a higher level of community participation in the estuary management process

The 3C‘s: Championing Coastal Coordination

Link to the new booklet

The Deben Estuary Partnership held its latest Quarterly Meeting Waldringfield Sailing Club on 12th March and viewed the erosion that has been successfully repaired.

For more information about the repairs, please see the 6th March RDA Journal item about erosion in the Estuary, at Bawdsey, Waldringfield and Ufford. https://www.riverdeben.org/rda-journal/erosion-on-the-deben-bawdsey-waldringfield-ufford/#more-10318

Supported by the DEP and RDA, East Suffolk Council’s Wildlife Wise team and Suffolk Police’s Rural, Wildlife and Heritage Crime team were together on the water this weekend to see the river and its environment from a different perspective, and to engage with the public in protecting the river’s wildlife and promoting responsible use of this much-loved waterway.

Throughout the afternoon, two patrol boats crewed by Wildlife Wise rangers and an officer from Suffolk Police’s Rural, Wildlife and Heritage Crime Unit conducted high-visibility patrols between Wilford Bridge and Waldringfield. The teams engaged with river users, sharing advice on how to enjoy the river safely and respectfully while helping to minimise disturbance to wildlife. They also met with the Scouts and volunteers from Transition Woodbridge, who were doing a litter pick along and in the Deben that afternoon.

With input from the RDA and other local organisations, Wildlife Wise have developed a colourful information pack that they hope will help people appreciate the Deben for its tranquillity and its wildlife. “Our goal is to help people get the most from the river they love, while ensuring it remains a haven for wildlife,” Will added. “The Deben is a shared space, and by being aware and considerate, we can all help protect it.”

Sue Quick, Simon Read, and a team of willing volunteers organised this well-attended community event, which took place both in Waldringfield Village Hall and along the river wall at Waldringfield Beach.

‘Beach’ events included a ‘Flood Management Walk and Talk’ by David Kemp of the Environment Agency, a ‘History Walk’ led by Gareth Thomas, demonstrations from Ipswich Detectorists and the David Findley, music from the Rabble Chorus, and open access to the Boatyard Studio in Waldringfield Boatyard.

In the Main Hall there were stands from the National Landscapes, Environment Agency, DEP and RDA, Waldringfield Wildlife Group, Ipswich and District Detector Club, and the Deben Climate Centre, plus many artists exhibiting their work under the heading ‘Art and the Shoreline’: Waldringfield Art Group; Jackie Brinsley; Tim Curtis; Lizzie Hale; Malcolm Hodd; Al Gurr; Ian Kay; Graham Kellaway; Claudia Myatt; Simon Read; Neil Sully; Darren Tansley; Annie Turner; Jonathan Ruffle.

In the Kennedy Room, visitors could watch videos from Tim Curtis and Malcolm Hodd (and ask them questions), as well as learn more about local history (from the Waldringfield History Group) as well as the 3C’s project and the Deben Photoposts (Helene Burningham).

But to get into the mood to appreciate all this local activity, visitors first walked through a corridor filled with locally-recorded birdsong and lined with pictures of the birds we can see and hear on and around the river.