Historic Hayle Harbour

Sluicing from Carnsew Pool

Sluicing was re-introduced to Hayle Harbour in 2017

The 2019 sluicing schedule started on the 17th April 2019.
Prior to this the four actuators on the blackhouse tunnel penstock gates were checked and operated fully to insure they were operational. The actuator housings were also painted black.

At High Water the site is attended by Hayle Harbour Authority staff, power is turned on and the Blackhouse tunnel penstock gates are closed.  This is achieved by electrically operated actuators. Once this has been completed staff leave the site, checking that that Mitre-gates have closed. This completed the impoundment of the water, Effectively the gates keep the pool at the High Water level until the gates are re-opened.

Staff arrive back on site at the designated impoundment duration which is currently 4 hours. First the warning sirens are sounded and the area around the blackhouse tunnels are checked to see if anyone is in the water. After the area is considered safe the penstock gates are opened. This can take up to 15 minutes. Once the gates are fully open the siren is switched off. Over the next one to two hours the water in Carnsew pool will rush through the tunnels into the harbour, scouring the sand, pulling it into suspension and washing it down and eventually out to sea.

Once the tide turns and starts to flood it will open the mitre-gates and also flow back though the blackhouse tunnel penstock gates, filling the pool ready to sluice again.

Please see our Gallery for photos and videos of Sluicing in action.