and Powder Hole is the remains of the Powder Jetty (or Powder Wharf) dating from the First World War or earlier. Sands South Gare & Coatham Sands is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The dunes on the eastern flank are protected by three slag banks close to the breakwater, known as the German Charlies that are partly exposed at low tide. The name German Charlies was applied after a First World War incident involving a German ship that ran aground on them. There is a gas pipeline through the SSSI sand dunes. On the inner side of the breakwater is Bran Sands known for its bird life and the wooden wreck of a ship in the sands. A number of underwater wrecks lie off South Gare. Wildlife The land is made from thousands of tons of basic slag from blast furnaces. The high limestone content of the slag produces a base rich soil that is attractive to lime loving plants. The area consists of tidal mudflats, scrub, grassland, sand dunes, rocks and freshwater and saltwater pools, and attracts a very wide range of birds. Seals can also be spotted. Industry Built on the reclaimed land of Bran Sands is the ore terminal, sinter plant, coke plant, and blast furnace of SSI's Teesside Steelworks. The plant was mothballed in 2010, reopening in April 2012, only to be mothballed again on 28 September 2015, and finally closed on 12 October 2015. Next to that is Bran Sands Water Treatment Works. Activities As well as those out for a stroll other activities indulged in include sea fishing from small boats and angling from the concrete breakwater, photography of wildlife and shipping etc., also birdwatching, sailing, kite surfing, windsurfing, jet-skiing, diving and motorcycling. Proposed developments Near the end of the breakwater, in the fenced compound, there is a tall steel framed mast, housing air speed measurement devices. These devices gather data on wind speeds at various heights for a planned offshore wind farm proposed by Northern Offshore Wind Limited. The mast is tall and wide at the base. Plans for the offshore wind farm include thirty windmills over offshore. AMEC Wind has plans to site 19 wind turbines inside Corus steelworks generating 47.5 MW of electricity. A giant sculpture of the Right Hand of Friendship was proposed for Redcar and Cleveland, at South Gare, as one of series of artworks called Tees Valley