Stranded starfish on Pembrokeshire beaches

Published

3 years ago

January 4, 2022

Credit - Giles Davies

THOUSANDS of starfish have been found washed up along the coast. A beach in Scotland saw similar sights last November following bad weather from Storm Arwen.

Giles Davies, an amateur nature photographer, photographed thousands of starfish on Coppet Hall Beach.

“It’s really sad to just see that in nature, because you’re looking at deaths in the thousands of one species,” he said. “I have never seen something like this before.”

Mr Davies claims there had been reports of starfish stranded on beaches from Coppet Hall all the way up the coastline to Tenby.

“That would kind of make sense because Tenby is the first place where the tide turns in Wales, so when you get strandings they come to shore generally in that area,” he said.

“But it’s the sheer volume, you’re always going to get winter tides where stuff will come ashore.

“For that volume to come ashore, no, something seriously has gone wrong with nature.”

Jake Davies, a marine biologist who works for the Angel Shark Project Wales, said large storms are often the cause of such events.

“This type of event of stranding does occur following a big storm along with big tides,” Mr Davies said.

“Every year there are images of large strandings of starfish coming ashore.”

“A similar event was seen on the Gower beach [last] year where rock pools were full of starfish.”

He added: “It’s an incredible thing to see, it’s very very sad, but it’s an incredible thing to see.”

Honey Foxx French, aged 9, spent her morning returning as many of the starfish as possible back to the sea and surrounding water.

Honey was upset to see so many stranded starfish drying out, so put her efforts into moving them from rocks into deep rock pools.

Her mother, Jessica Foxx French, told The Herald she had “never seen it so bad!”

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.