BEACH – Forest under the Sea

  • The Forest Under The Sea

          The first written account of the submerged forest at Redcar was after it was revealed in 1871. It was recorded in 1871 that antler of red deer and the tusks of wild boar were found, and were very well preserved.

          The forest which had been in existence for many thousands of years was uncovered due to the sand erosion that is a recurring happening along this stretch of coastline. It was embedded in peat, and blue clay. Several large trees were found, and on occasions the peat was carted away for use.

          When uncovered it is a vast bed of roots, stems, branches, bark and even the leaves. Fruit of the many species of trees are also evident, mainly consisting of birch, larch, beech and hazel. The appearance of the forest is almost like that of a peat bed…and when dried, burns in a similar fashion.

          What intrigued me on the couple of occasions I have seen it well exposed, was the preserved sections of keels and ribs from some old long forgotten wrecked boats jutting out from the smooth greyish timber..

          I have seen it exposed a few times but only on two occasions when you can see visible signs of shipwrecked keels etc., embedded in the tree stumps

          The forest can still be seen on occasions when movement of the sand occurs, and of course at low tide. The location is directly behind Leo’s licensed premises on the seaward side of the promenade

Another written record states…..

Geologists assert some 50,000 years ago a huge forest extended from Whitby to Hartlepool, and in the neighbourhood of Redcar the still remains of this submarine forest show that at a very remote period the bed of the ocean hereabouts was dry land covered by dense forest. This spread out for miles out to sea.

At this remote period, lions, tigers, hyenas, and many saurian monsters inhabited this forest, and the old bed of the River Tees ran out a little south of where Marske now is, a long way from the present coast line. Between 35,000 – 38,000 years ago a great saltation of land and sea buried this forest.

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dean February 5, 2010 Beach