We’ve already described the walk along the estuary into Dinan. There was no evidence of it being tidal, but walking the other way explains why: a barrage and lock gates. So, on one side of the lock is a marina permanently full of water, on the other a tidal river.
A road runs across the barrage so when a tall-masted yacht wants to go through the lock, the lockkeeper has to move the road out of the way. It swivels, as the photo shows. We were actually stood on the swivelling section before it moved, and couldn’t understand why the lockkeeper kept waving at us. “What a nice chap”, we thought, only reflecting afterwards on what he might have been muttering under his breath!
We kept going along the path along the tidal stretch and noticed numerous fishing huts on stilts, mostly like the one in the photo, in a ramshackle condition. They are evidently in current use and must be more robust than they look.
Farther on down the estuary, at Dinard near the sea, is another barrage. This one is 330 metres wide and contains the largest batch of tidal electricity generators in the world. The cost per unit is now less than nuclear, which supplies more than 60% of France’s electricity. Has the UK missed a much bigger opportunity with a 10- mile wide Severn barrage?
1 comment:
Re the Severn Barrage. The Rance is relatively silt free granite shrouded system. A complete contrast to the heavily silt laden soup that is the Severn. The Rance has no major ports behind its barrage.
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