John L
Well-known member
I took a much need day off today a ran the Black Brant III along 30 miles of coast line.
We were going to launch from my marina but there is still a pile of debris blocking the ramp that we have not gotten to clean up yet. We were able to launch from a ramp in town that still has half the ramp accessable. Todays mission was not so much about scouting for birds as much as seeing how thing have changed post Hurricane Sandy.
I left the ramp and headed out along the usual route where we saw plenty of Brant and other birds going back and forth.
The rafts of birds are about what they should be this time of year. So it looks like Sandy didn't drive them away.
The route we took brought us from the back bay thru the marsh islands and out towards the barrier islands. There was not as much small debris as I thought there would be, a pleasant surprize. There was some larger pieces logdged in the sand around some of the islands.
The next stop is a spot on the bay side that we frequent during the summer to BBQ and just hang out on the hook and relax. It is one of the shortest walks from the bay to the ocean, about 200 yards. So it's an easy walk thru the dunes when dragging the surfboards.
We took the Black Brant II and the Black Brant III (grassed).
As soon as we headed up the trail to the ocean it was clear that the ocean had broken through at this location.
The road that runs along the barrier island was washed out and undermined. The army had cleared most of the sand from the roadway and did a quick fix so the road would not be lost.
You can see where the ocean cut right through the sand dunes and spilled over into the bay. This was one of several spots we found like this.
The barrier islands are still off limits at this point. Only vehicles we saw were government trucks. When we arrived at the ocean front it was clear that we lost almost all the dunes. This area was once covered by large dunes and beach grasses. It is protected nesting grounds for the endangered Piping Plover.
Where my friend Dominic is standing was once dunes and beach grass. There is just a small thin line of dunes left here. You can see where the dunes were just cut away and pulled out to sea.
Mocha was running around getting re-acquainted with the area and then decided to go for a swim in the ocean. This crazy lab just loves the surf.
While we were there the only vehicles we saw were state police, DEC and various other government agencys. There was a trooper that slowed down took note of where we were and must have dispatched a helocopter to tell us to move along.
So we headed back to the boats and started back to the main land. The chopper stuck around until we left then turned around and headed back also.
As we traveled along the cost line of the mainland we saw home after home boat after boat destroyed.
I passed by a few peoples homes who I know to see how they made out. This is a clients 35' Searay that ended up on his back lawn. I still have not heard from him yet and it didn't look like anyone was home.
This next photo is a friends home. He and his family were in the house on the second floor when the storm surge came through his back doors and push all the furniture through the front of the house. His entire back yard was torn up and undermined. One corner of the houes was moved off its foundation. It will have to be completely torn down.
As we got closed to home there is a place where there were a lot of house boats. This is what is left. Some of them crushed, some heaved onto land and others just a pile of debris floating in the water. The town has been trying to get ride of these house barges for years. I sure hope some of the owners had enough sense to leave when they were told to evacuate.
Well that pretty much sums up our scouting for the day.
If anyone in construction is out of work come on out to the east coast and bring your tool belt. There is plenty of work here.
We were going to launch from my marina but there is still a pile of debris blocking the ramp that we have not gotten to clean up yet. We were able to launch from a ramp in town that still has half the ramp accessable. Todays mission was not so much about scouting for birds as much as seeing how thing have changed post Hurricane Sandy.
I left the ramp and headed out along the usual route where we saw plenty of Brant and other birds going back and forth.
The rafts of birds are about what they should be this time of year. So it looks like Sandy didn't drive them away.
The route we took brought us from the back bay thru the marsh islands and out towards the barrier islands. There was not as much small debris as I thought there would be, a pleasant surprize. There was some larger pieces logdged in the sand around some of the islands.
The next stop is a spot on the bay side that we frequent during the summer to BBQ and just hang out on the hook and relax. It is one of the shortest walks from the bay to the ocean, about 200 yards. So it's an easy walk thru the dunes when dragging the surfboards.
We took the Black Brant II and the Black Brant III (grassed).
As soon as we headed up the trail to the ocean it was clear that the ocean had broken through at this location.
The road that runs along the barrier island was washed out and undermined. The army had cleared most of the sand from the roadway and did a quick fix so the road would not be lost.
You can see where the ocean cut right through the sand dunes and spilled over into the bay. This was one of several spots we found like this.
The barrier islands are still off limits at this point. Only vehicles we saw were government trucks. When we arrived at the ocean front it was clear that we lost almost all the dunes. This area was once covered by large dunes and beach grasses. It is protected nesting grounds for the endangered Piping Plover.
Where my friend Dominic is standing was once dunes and beach grass. There is just a small thin line of dunes left here. You can see where the dunes were just cut away and pulled out to sea.
Mocha was running around getting re-acquainted with the area and then decided to go for a swim in the ocean. This crazy lab just loves the surf.
While we were there the only vehicles we saw were state police, DEC and various other government agencys. There was a trooper that slowed down took note of where we were and must have dispatched a helocopter to tell us to move along.
So we headed back to the boats and started back to the main land. The chopper stuck around until we left then turned around and headed back also.
As we traveled along the cost line of the mainland we saw home after home boat after boat destroyed.
I passed by a few peoples homes who I know to see how they made out. This is a clients 35' Searay that ended up on his back lawn. I still have not heard from him yet and it didn't look like anyone was home.
This next photo is a friends home. He and his family were in the house on the second floor when the storm surge came through his back doors and push all the furniture through the front of the house. His entire back yard was torn up and undermined. One corner of the houes was moved off its foundation. It will have to be completely torn down.
As we got closed to home there is a place where there were a lot of house boats. This is what is left. Some of them crushed, some heaved onto land and others just a pile of debris floating in the water. The town has been trying to get ride of these house barges for years. I sure hope some of the owners had enough sense to leave when they were told to evacuate.
Well that pretty much sums up our scouting for the day.
If anyone in construction is out of work come on out to the east coast and bring your tool belt. There is plenty of work here.
