Adapting to Nature

Adapting to Nature. . , Nauset Light is one of the most dynamic beaches on Cape Cod. The rate of erosion along the Outer Cape's ocean-facing beaches has averaged about three feet per year for the century that scientists have been measuring it. But this beach is an erosion "hot spot," with over 45 feet of bluff edge lost between 2012 and 2016!, Why is this? Offshore sandbars that slow waves down are not setting up as they once did, focusing wave energy on the base of the cliffs. Winds drive waves higher even when there is no storm predicted on land. In addition, climate change is causing more frequent and stronger storms in some areas. These factors require seashore managers to plan for strategic retreat and consider sustainable approaches for future beach access., Visit again to see firsthand how the drama between nature and our built environment plays out. Here, and elsewhere on the Outer Beach, the forces of nature are relentless, and people must adapt., ( photo captions ) , , the 1960s bathhouse was removed in 2017 to prevent its loss to the ocean. The new bathhouse is far from the eroding bluff. The path to the beach eliinates frequent stair replacement. , , There have been three generations of lighthouses here. the original brick towers were threatened by erosion and were replaced by removeable wooden towers in 1892. The masonry foundation of one tower is in the ocean, where it is occasionally revealed at low tide, Nauset Light, installed in 1923, was within 20 feet of the eroding cliff in 1996, and was moved inland to its present location.