Langstone Harbour Live Cam

Geological Origins and Tidal Dynamics

Langstone Harbour occupies a classic ria formation on the south coast of Hampshire, carved by post-glacial sea-level rise that inundated ancient river valleys. Beneath the estuary’s silty waters lie Pleistocene sands and gravels, overlain by Holocene muds derived from eroding chalk headlands to the west. These sediments settle in a complex bathymetric pattern, creating shallow flats interspersed with deeper channels. The harbour’s tidal range, often approaching four meters, drives a powerful hydrodynamic regime: ebbing water scours the main channel between Hayling Island and the mainland, while flood tides spread fine particles across mudflats and saltmarshes, continually reshaping the intertidal landscape.