Waves have pounded the coast in Salisbury, where beachfront property owners are concerned about what’s to come.
For those who live on a stretch of beachfront in Salisbury, Massachusetts, ocean views have taken on a whole different meaning.
Storm after storm demolishing protective dunes has proven to residents that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
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"All of our friends and neighbors, we are all scrambling for sand right now. Another storm coming on Tuesday," said Larry Kady, who lives on the beach.
The problems started in December 2022, with a winter storm days before Christmas not leaving presents, but taking tons and tons of sand that had formed those protective dunes.
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"The dune is completely gone, and the homes are now going to absorb that energy, which is not what you want," said Kady.
That proved true during a mid-January storm. Strong winds and a very high tide caused extensive damage to homes.
"It is devastating, one of the worst storms I have ever seen," said Chuck Takesian, who served on the Salisbury Board of Selectmen.
Residents say they continue to work with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to bring in more sand.
"If you want to live here on Salisbury Beach, that is how we live. We analyze it, we look at storms coming, look at the tide level, the ocean level. You have to prepare the best you can," said Tom Saab, who has lived on the beach since 1971.
A spokesperson for DCR says it continues to work with residents.
"As we continue to see more and more severe weather, DCR is committed to working to support the Salisbury community," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "We continue to meet regularly with the legislative delegation and the Town and are partnering with them and with community members to address the impacts of climate-change erosion at the beach."
Kady worries about several storms in the forecast.
"Things you can fix, right? There are those things you can't fix, this is something we can fix, and we are not using our heads," Kady said, shaking his head. "Definitely not using our heads."
