In 1835 the mathematician Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis formulated the «Coriolis Effect», which determines that the force of the Earth’s rotation causes ocean currents to deviate to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere, which also happens with the general circulation of the winds.
Thus, at the mouth of the northern hemisphere rivers, the sands are deposited on the right bank and leave the deepest part of the port on the left, whereas, in the Southern Hemisphere, they do it in the opposite direction.
Evaristo Churruca designed an 800-meter pier, that would start on the old one and, being familiar with Coriolis’ formula, he made it curve, with a 3000-meter radius that, in three years’ time, ended with the problem of the sand settlings.
In the picture: Building the iron pier allowed bigger ships with higher cargo allowance to enter and exit easily. They still had not started the works to build the breakwater in Santurtzi and the wharf in Algorta. To the right a shipwreck can be seen (1891).
