Port Eynon Submerged Ancient Forest

 forest, shipwreck

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In previous ice ages the sea level was much lower, so that the coast was as much as 80 miles distant from the present shoreline. The Severn Estuary was thus an extensive valley. Remains of an ancient forest exist off the Gower coast and are present here off Port Eynon. On the eastern side of the bay there are about 50,000 square metres of forest sometimes exposed at very low tides.

There is also, in the same vicinity, the wreck of The Prince Ivanhoe, a pleasure cruiser operating out of Swansea. It was lost in August 1981 when it struck an underwater obstacle which breached the hull. The ship was grounded in the bay and over 400 souls were rescued. The bulk of the remains have been removed but some have been left and are marked by bouys.

Reference:
1. George, T.N., 1930. The Submerged Forest in Gower. Proceedings of the Swansea Scientific and Field Naturalists' Society. Vol.1, Part 4, 100-108.

2. George, T.N., 1932. The Quaternary Beaches of Gower. Proceedings of the Geologists Association. Vol.43, 291-324

3. www.llanellisand.co.uk/porteynonhistory.htm