Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 118

interview

Island Life - December 2010

Photos: Above: High tide at the causeway, Old Freshwater. Right:
Chris Lisher, Yarmouth harbour master
Photos David Ballard.

River Yar so
full of life

Chris Lisher, Yarmouth Harbour Master

The Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners

lavender but is not related. It doesn’t

has a grey-brown back and white belly

have jurisdiction over the Western Yar

smell like lavender either, though it

and a straight bill. It is normal to see

from the causeway, Old Freshwater, to

does attract bees and flies for the

just one of them on the foreshore.

the harbour entrance where the river

nectar. Cordgrass, or marsh grass,

meets the Solent. Our breakwater helps

grows here, too. It forms large dense

curlew. Numbers are at their peak

to protect the estuary and its wildlife

colonies, binds the mud and prevents

in January and February. I’ve even

habitats. The Western Yar is home to

erosion. Sea holly grows on Norton

seen one by Yarmouth Sailing Club’s

an abundance of plants and animals.

Spit; it is pretty rare on the Island, but

slipway checking out the aspiring

A variety of official environmental

grows like a weed here.

Olympic sailors’ technique. It is

des