​​Floating piers and pierheads were known collectively as ‘Whale’. They were constructed of steel and concrete and had to float. The intention was that the ‘Whale’ was towed across the channel in suitable sections and erected on the spot at Arromanches-les-Bains or Vierville-sur-Mer. 

​The ’Whale’ was the vital component that consisted of ‘Beetle’ and the steel road. The ‘Beetle’ (floating concrete sections) were spaced out with the road section attached to the top: these were the ‘Whale’ element. These formed the roadways from the sea to enable the unloading of ships and crafts to allow the supplies and vehicles to come ashore. 

​Each ‘Whale’ needed to be anchored down into position to stop the floating roadways from drifting away with tide conditions or weather. The ‘Beetle’ component had the anchors attached to them. 

​On 8 June 1944, the first ‘Whale’ tows were sailed from 03:30 and then continued daily. The only time they were not allowed to be towed was when the weather conditions were unfavourable. On 12 June, five ‘Whale’ tows were lost on passage across the channel.  

​Nowadays, there are no complete ‘Whale’ sections remaining at Arromanches-les-Bains. However, what can still be seen of the ‘Whale’ are the ‘Beetle’ components. These are the concrete structures, lozenge shaped, that are visible on the beach in a line when the tide is out. They should not be climbed on or into.