9/30/15 Surf Check (Archives)

We worked the northern shore of Cape Cod for this article... not really because it's better than Scituate or Duxbury, but just to get a better feel for the region. We're in this game for the long haul, and we may as well use lesser storms to pick up some local knowledge.

We went from Sandwich to Dennis, but the camera didn't like wet work. As bad as these pics are, know that they were the GOOD ones.

This was the waning storm tide, very much sustained by the high winds.

We also wanted the north-facing aspect, as the wind had shifted somewhat.

Some good old-fashioned Yarmouth sea foam.

Water, sand, lifeguard stands., dunes, snow fencing... everything you want from a beach... too bad this is the Sandy Neck Beach parking lot.

In high winds, it's better to shoot from behind sand and stone.

I wish this came out better, I had elevation on my side here.

The storm did her best to get the roads sanded.

One big difference that I have noticed between northern Cape Cod and South Shore beaches is that the Cape can sometimes get away with a jetty-style wall.

The storm god of Dennis.

My Duxbury people got some better shots.

You can get some nice shots from upper decks over the seawall.

Our Mommy photographers are not at all afraid to stick their cameras into the belly of the beast.

An annual post-storm tradition in Duxbury is the Stair Harvest.

Jumping the Sandwich boardwalk with a parasail thingy in a nor'easter ROOLZ.

Said boardwalk in Sandwich

Beach plum berries are ready!

If you ain't from Town Neck Beach, don't come to Town Neck Beach.

Surf Check, Round 2

For the second straight day, we set out to give you some surf reports. This is from Duxbury Beach.

Media Savvy Sky Rat

You just knew we were gonna hit 'Murica's Hometown, folks.

If I lived there, I'd have the Lobster Pound just zip-line me my supper every day.

Rough-but-ultimately-unimpressive surf, Duxbury Beach

Lobster Pound, Manomet Point, Plymouth MA

White Horse Beach, Flag Rock

Care to venture a guess which pictures in this article were shot on Jessica's phone, and which were shot on my $27 Wal-Mart cheapo camera?

Under the boardwalk, there's lots of water..... Sandwich, MA

Rotten camera ruins a nice shot from Scusset Beach, MA

The author, cavorting...

Plymouth's lobsetermen were taking no chances.

This guy was psyching himself up to jump the Sandwich boardwalk, but he didn't get it done while I was watching.

You'll get various opinions on fishing during storms, but this guy was at least putting his theories to practice in the Cape Cod Canal

Strong winds in effect for a few days, which means that we'll be out there tomorrow, as well.

CCM knows not fear, and runs only for the exercise.

Rotten shot, but this was as far East as I went... Sandwich, MA

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Surf Check: Round 1

CCM sent out their A Team to chin-check the coastline during the waning Supermoon high tide, and we went from Scituate to Sagamore. This is an iconic photo angle from Marsh Vegas.

Unfortunately for the readers, it wasn't that bad. Here is fearsome Scituate, about 45 minutes before high tide. Joaquin is still a day away from threatening the Bahamas, let alone Massachusetts.

The surf does look mean if you, say, stand on some steps, squat down, and shoot the wave as it rolls safely under you.

OK, that's what it really looks like.... Duxbury Beach, high tide.

Staring down at Green Harbor from Duxbury, you can see where this will become an issue once the seas have built themselves up over a few storm tides.

The prospect of having allergy fuel like Goldenrod blown into your face at 70 mph is something that most coastal residents of Scituate don't waste a lot of time worrying about.

Duxbury Bay is showing us that it can inundate a neighborhood on a flood tide, even without waves.

Duxbury Beach can look you in the eye and stab you in the back at the same time, as water washes in around Saquish and enters the neighborhood from the seawall-free marsh side.

Water flowing over Gurnet Road, during a storm where the biggest wave could be dodged by standing on the 3rd step up on a set of beach stairs.

We got out of Scituate before the marshes started spilling over. I want to do some storm time in Scin Scity, but I also had to get the kid off the bus at 3:30... and beaches with marshes behind them can sometimes hold you in place for a few hours.

We did high tide in Duxbuy, where I know the roads better and where we still almost got trapped. Gurnet Road and her side streets get washed over rather easily.

This is us driving down Gurnet Road, which washed over a foot deep in the ten minutes that we were in town. For locals, this is at the bottom of Cable Hill.

To be fair to Duxbury Beach Park, the scenery to the left of the sign is what they're selling. We shot to the right.

I only have so much flooded-marsh material. This is Duxbury Beach, aiming at Duxbury Proper.

Not storm related... but pretty cool, playboy.

Any insurance actuary worth her salt would say "Stephen will die in a 45 mph crash on a Scituate side street while shooting a blurry picture out of the car window," right up until she saw me open the Marl'bros.

They got the Duxbury Beach seawall up just a few months before Hurricane Carol hit. If you don't believe me, ask Tony. Our friend Tony, if he is alive, is 60+ years old if he did that as a child. He might be 60 years dead if he did that as the job foreman.

We got off easy today, but we're planning the same trip tomorrow, after the seas have built a bit. Go Coast Guard!