North Gare forms the northern shore of the mouth of the River Tees as it enters the North Sea. Like much of coastal Teesside it is a jarring mix of industry and natural beauty. These photographs are of the breakwater, built in the late nineteenth century.
North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4Breakwater-4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4North Gare, Seaton Carew. #fujicast901 #ilfordfp4Untitled (25)Untitled (18)

Look at the sides of the breakwater, where time and the weather have got at it, and you will see the foundations of solid, marble-like discs of blast furnace slag. This handy waste product of iron and steel making also underpins the breakwater at South Gare as well as the sand dunes in Tees Bay.

Untitled (11)

The breakwater is fenced off, but it’s easy for fishermen, photographers and the curious to skirt round the fence with ease, at their own risk. I am fascinated by the efforts made to fortify and stabilise the breakwater. It makes for interesting images. They have been added to my Edge of Town project.

3 thought on “North Gare Breakwater Blues”

Leave a Reply