By 1900 there was need for improvements to the harbour and a dam was built to make the harbour watertight, the first pile being put in on the 11th November of that year and by the 26th November the harbour was watertight. Silt was removed and the harbour was deepened. Many problems were encountered, a gale on the 5th March 1901 washed seawater over the dam filling the working area with three feet of water. It seems then that the company went into financial difficulties and in 1902 it was put up for sale and bought by Forest of Dean Stone Firms, work was restarted on the harbour and by early 1904 goods were once again being shipped out.