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Hurd's Deep

February 17, 2023

Hurd's Deep (or Hurd Deep) is an underwater valley in the English Channel, northwest of the Channel Islands. Its maximum depth is about 180 m (590 ft; 98 fathoms), making it the deepest point in the English Channel.

Hurd Deep running from bottom left to top right of an extract from a 1955 Admiralty Chart
1955 Admiralty Chart No 2649 showing Hurd Deep in the context of the English Channel

Etymology

It is most probable the feature was named after Captain Thomas Hurd RN (1747–1823), by Admiral Martin White.[1]

Description

The feature has an approximate length of 150 kilometres (80 nautical miles), a width of between 2 and 5 km (1 and 2+1⁄2 nmi), and a maximum depth of 170 m (560 ft; 93 fathoms). It terminates abruptly at the western end. Outside of the Deep, the seafloor is typically flat with a depth range of 70–90 m (230–300 ft; 40–50 fathoms).[2] It is the deepest point on the English channel.[3]

Late Quaternary origin

The underwater valley system found on the floor of the eastern English Channel formed from a catastrophic flood which was caused by a breaching of a rock dam at the Strait of Dover, which released a huge proglacial lake in the southern North Sea basin. The flood scoured the former river systems to form Hurd's Deep in late Quaternary times.[4][5]

Pleistocene glacial refugium

During the ice ages, when the sea level dropped, most of the English Channel was dry land. Hurd's Deep likely remained as a sea. During the Pleistocene it is thought to have been a glacial refugium.[6]

Seabed

Dumping

Following the First World War, Hurd's Deep was used by the British Government as a dumping ground for both chemical and conventional munitions.[7] SMS Baden was scuttled there in 1921.[8] Following the Second World War, it was used to dump military equipment, munitions and weaponry left behind by the ousted German invaders of the Channel Islands.[9] Routine dumping of British munitions carried on until 1974.[7][10][a]

Between 1946 and 1973 the area was also used for the dumping of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. 28,500 barrels of waste – including plutonium, which has a half-life of 24,100 years – were disposed of into the Deep during this period.[11][12]

Shipwrecks

The British submarine HMS Affray sank in Hurd's Deep in 1951 with the loss of 75 lives.[13]

In popular culture

In Harry Collingwood's science fiction stories about the Flying-Fish airship-submarine, the Flying-Fish is hidden in Hurd's Deep between adventures.[b]

Notes, references and sources

Notes

  1. ^ Admiralty Chart No 2649 English Channel Western Portion of 1955 shows munitions have been dumped there but cannot confirm further details
  2. ^ The three stories are:
    • The Log of the ‘Flying Fish’: A Story of Aerial and Submarine Peril and Adventure (1887)
    • With Airship and Submarine: A Tale of Adventure (1907)
    • The Cruise of the 'Flying-Fish': The Airship-Submarine (1924)

References

  1. ^ Davies, Martin (1973). "Martin White RN". La Société Jersiaise. The Island Wiki. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  2. ^ Lericolais, G.; Guennoc, P.; Auffret, J. P.; Bourillet, J. F.; Berne, S. (7 October 1996). "Detailed survey of the western end of the Hurd Deep (English Channel): new facts for a tectonic origin". In De Batist, M.; Jacobs, P. (eds.). Geology of Siliciclastic Shelf Seas. Geological Society. ISBN 978-1897799710.
  3. ^ Oggioni (2013), p. 42.
  4. ^ Smith, Alec J. (1985). "A catastrophic origin for the palaeovalley system of the eastern English Channel". Marine Geology. 64 (1–2): 65–75. Bibcode:1985MGeol..64...65S. doi:10.1016/0025-3227(85)90160-4.
  5. ^ Gupta, Sanjeev; Collier, Jenny S.; Palmer-Felgate, Andy; Potter, Graeme (2007). "Catastrophic flooding origin of shelf valley systems in the English Channel". Nature. 448 (7151): 342–345. Bibcode:2007Natur.448..342G. doi:10.1038/nature06018. PMID 17637667.
  6. ^ Provan, Jim; Bennett, K.D. (2008). "Phylogeographic insights into cryptic glacial refugia". Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 23 (10): 564–571. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2008.06.010. PMID 18722689.
  7. ^ a b Replacement Metallic Return Conductors - Marine Environmental Report (PDF) (Report). Vol. 4. Moyle Interconnector Ltd. December 2014. pp. D3–D4. (PDF) from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. ^ Schleihauf, p. 81.
  9. ^ Carr, Gilly (7 March 2014). Legacies of Occupation: Heritage, Memory and Archaeology in the Channel Islands. p. 30. ISBN 978-3319034065.
  10. ^ "Alderney Hurd Deep radioactive waste 'not dangerous'". BBC. 18 April 2013. from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  11. ^ Nuclear dumping leak sparks concern 11 March 2006 at the Wayback Machine – BBC, 17 January 2002
  12. ^ . Greenpeace. 19 June 2000. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009.
  13. ^ "1951: Fears for crew of lost British submarine". from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2007.

Sources

  • Oggioni, Francesa (2013). Characterization of catastrophic flood-related features in the English Channel (PDF) (Phd). London: Imperial College. (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2020.
  • Schleihauf, William (2007). "The Baden Trials". In Preston, Anthony (ed.). Warship 2007. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-84486-041-8.

Coordinates: 49°30′N 3°34′W / 49.500°N 3.567°W / 49.500; -3.567


 

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February 17, 2023
hurd, deep, hurd, deep, underwater, valley, english, channel, northwest, channel, islands, maximum, depth, about, fathoms, making, deepest, point, english, channel, hurd, deep, running, from, bottom, left, right, extract, from, 1955, admiralty, chart, 1955, ad. Hurd s Deep or Hurd Deep is an underwater valley in the English Channel northwest of the Channel Islands Its maximum depth is about 180 m 590 ft 98 fathoms making it the deepest point in the English Channel Hurd Deep running from bottom left to top right of an extract from a 1955 Admiralty Chart 1955 Admiralty Chart No 2649 showing Hurd Deep in the context of the English Channel Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Late Quaternary origin 3 1 Pleistocene glacial refugium 4 Seabed 4 1 Dumping 4 2 Shipwrecks 5 In popular culture 6 Notes references and sources 6 1 Notes 6 2 References 6 3 SourcesEtymology EditIt is most probable the feature was named after Captain Thomas Hurd RN 1747 1823 by Admiral Martin White 1 Description EditThe feature has an approximate length of 150 kilometres 80 nautical miles a width of between 2 and 5 km 1 and 2 1 2 nmi and a maximum depth of 170 m 560 ft 93 fathoms It terminates abruptly at the western end Outside of the Deep the seafloor is typically flat with a depth range of 70 90 m 230 300 ft 40 50 fathoms 2 It is the deepest point on the English channel 3 Late Quaternary origin EditThe underwater valley system found on the floor of the eastern English Channel formed from a catastrophic flood which was caused by a breaching of a rock dam at the Strait of Dover which released a huge proglacial lake in the southern North Sea basin The flood scoured the former river systems to form Hurd s Deep in late Quaternary times 4 5 Pleistocene glacial refugium Edit During the ice ages when the sea level dropped most of the English Channel was dry land Hurd s Deep likely remained as a sea During the Pleistocene it is thought to have been a glacial refugium 6 Seabed EditDumping Edit Following the First World War Hurd s Deep was used by the British Government as a dumping ground for both chemical and conventional munitions 7 SMS Baden was scuttled there in 1921 8 Following the Second World War it was used to dump military equipment munitions and weaponry left behind by the ousted German invaders of the Channel Islands 9 Routine dumping of British munitions carried on until 1974 7 10 a Between 1946 and 1973 the area was also used for the dumping of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes 28 500 barrels of waste including plutonium which has a half life of 24 100 years were disposed of into the Deep during this period 11 12 Shipwrecks Edit The British submarine HMS Affray sank in Hurd s Deep in 1951 with the loss of 75 lives 13 In popular culture EditIn Harry Collingwood s science fiction stories about the Flying Fish airship submarine the Flying Fish is hidden in Hurd s Deep between adventures b Notes references and sources EditNotes Edit Admiralty Chart No 2649 English Channel Western Portion of 1955 shows munitions have been dumped there but cannot confirm further details The three stories are The Log of the Flying Fish A Story of Aerial and Submarine Peril and Adventure 1887 With Airship and Submarine A Tale of Adventure 1907 The Cruise of the Flying Fish The Airship Submarine 1924 References Edit Davies Martin 1973 Martin White RN La Societe Jersiaise The Island Wiki Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 3 March 2019 Lericolais G Guennoc P Auffret J P Bourillet J F Berne S 7 October 1996 Detailed survey of the western end of the Hurd Deep English Channel new facts for a tectonic origin In De Batist M Jacobs P eds Geology of Siliciclastic Shelf Seas Geological Society ISBN 978 1897799710 Oggioni 2013 p 42 Smith Alec J 1985 A catastrophic origin for the palaeovalley system of the eastern English Channel Marine Geology 64 1 2 65 75 Bibcode 1985MGeol 64 65S doi 10 1016 0025 3227 85 90160 4 Gupta Sanjeev Collier Jenny S Palmer Felgate Andy Potter Graeme 2007 Catastrophic flooding origin of shelf valley systems in the English Channel Nature 448 7151 342 345 Bibcode 2007Natur 448 342G doi 10 1038 nature06018 PMID 17637667 Provan Jim Bennett K D 2008 Phylogeographic insights into cryptic glacial refugia Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23 10 564 571 doi 10 1016 j tree 2008 06 010 PMID 18722689 a b Replacement Metallic Return Conductors Marine Environmental Report PDF Report Vol 4 Moyle Interconnector Ltd December 2014 pp D3 D4 Archived PDF from the original on 16 August 2019 Retrieved 16 August 2019 Schleihauf p 81 Carr Gilly 7 March 2014 Legacies of Occupation Heritage Memory and Archaeology in the Channel Islands p 30 ISBN 978 3319034065 Alderney Hurd Deep radioactive waste not dangerous BBC 18 April 2013 Archived from the original on 13 February 2016 Retrieved 15 August 2019 Nuclear dumping leak sparks concern Archived 11 March 2006 at the Wayback Machine BBC 17 January 2002 Thousands of radioactive waste barrels rusting Greenpeace 19 June 2000 Archived from the original on 28 June 2009 1951 Fears for crew of lost British submarine Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 31 December 2007 Sources Edit Oggioni Francesa 2013 Characterization of catastrophic flood related features in the English Channel PDF Phd London Imperial College Archived PDF from the original on 18 June 2020 Schleihauf William 2007 The Baden Trials In Preston Anthony ed Warship 2007 Annapolis Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 84486 041 8 Coordinates 49 30 N 3 34 W 49 500 N 3 567 W 49 500 3 567 This article about a specific oceanic location or ocean current is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hurd 27s Deep amp oldid 1112850001, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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