Thoughts: Beach Erosion Situation, Solution, Dilemma

After thousands of years of existence the folks of the east end are now very worried about their ocean beaches. With a world once covered by glaciers during the ice age scientist are focusing in on the rapid melt down of the last few huge ice covers. Locally Town Board meetings have been held with experts explaining, proposing and opposing various positions aimed at protecting property along the East Hampton Town ocean shores.

I feel the need to yet once again tell a story from hurricane Katrina. I did first hand reporting on that story interviewing by phone and in person residents of Biloxi, Mississippi where Katrina landed as a “Category 5” Hurricane (when Katrina reached New Orleans it was a category 3-4 hurricane.)

The central theme was the Katrina induced Gulf of Mexico tidal surge of 32 feet above sea level that swallowed the whole town of Biloxi except for a hill that had a Catholic School on top. It was there the townsfolk were all huddled, freaking out and perhaps feverously praying. A year later for a follow up article one woman said the landscape of Biloxi was devoid of any live vegetation and looked like a photo of the “moon.” The key fact here was the 32 ft. above seas level rise. The reality is all work proposed, opposed, and so far done will not protect Montauk or East Hampton for a 32 ft. rise in ocean water level. Buying, building, owning homes along the ocean shoreline has risks that cannot be protected totally. In recent times the East Hampton Town Board has now entered the business of trying to reduce risk from storms for the beaches, homes and establishments that border the ocean shoreline. Eventually at some time in the future “ALL” those efforts will fail. History has taught us you cannot control Mother Nature’s rages (storms) when they happen.

That brings us to where we are now deciding what to do if anything to retard, slow down and limit the risk from lesser storms to “buy time” until the inevitable happens. This is a very tough process. Watching and reporting on the blame game that followed Katrina in New Orleans, the central theme was Federal, State, and Local Governments all failed at providing the needed safety measures to combat the effects of the storm. The levies should have been reinforced. Others should have been built. A national claim that the authorities ignored the problem with their heads in the sand was sort of the bulk of mainstream media reporting. Not one report I read said what was done to protect New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina was awesome.

So my heart goes out to an East Hampton Town Board just 40 days before their re-election efforts as they address their actions to date on addressing beach erosion and possible damage to homes and businesses. This is a tough issue but one that must be addressed by people who chose to live so close to the ocean. Collectively they must address a problem that has no proven answer. Should they hope the town will pour millions of dollars onto to beaches to limit short-term risk? Or should they do nothing and role the dice? How much time should they take to come up with a plan and who do they consult, hire, and pay to do it?

I loved living East Hampton and Montauk for a decade. The grit and kindness of the local people saved my life from post divorce behavior that could have destroyed me. Their advice, and acceptance guided me back to a good place. Living on the ocean in Montauk (Ditch Plains) for 4 years was a tonic of good fortune. The sunrises, the sunsets, the stars and even the storms healed and lifted my soul. I am heartily rooting for a “best” outcome to this problem; hopefully the East Hampton Town Board will select the best minds to come up with a best solution. Nobody knows everything about this complicated issue, so lets root for a collective positive outcome.