As befits a noreaster the northeast sides of the Cape were pounded relentlessly throughout Friday and Saturday. The 70-mph winds and storm surge coincided with the lunar high tides and beaches on the outer arm and bayside were scraped bare.
Brewster had already lost the big parking lot at its most popular beach at Paines Creek and this storm chopped up pavement at Ellis and Mants Landing like it was peanut brittle.
This one storm took more than anyone has seen in their lifetime We had extensive damage. The peak surge and high tide were at the same time we were getting winds from the north, Natural Resources Director Chris Miller said. High tide was at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and I went down and Paines Creek was under water, waves were in the parking lot. Mants Landing was entirely under water. The dunes are the north end were washed over.
The result is roads that devolve into crumpled pavement, steep drops to the beach, pieces of home foundations scattered along the shore, mysterious exposed ancient timbers, concrete and pipes.
Kathy Coady has lived on the beach between Saints and Mants Landings for 50-years as home owner and cottage dweller.
It was horrible, tremendous, devastating, stairs are like toothpicks, she lamented. It is disheartening because I know how long it takes to replenish.
My fianc rakes the seaweed jetty to jetty and hauls it on top of the bluffs. It actually grows tomatoes on top of the beach. We ate tomatoes and theres not a stick left, nothing, from what he did. I actually cried. The devastation was tremendous, she sighed.
Coadys originally went stayed at a cottage built in 1898. There was no electricity or running water. She grabbed to opportunity to buy one in eth same colony (Brewster Magic Cottages) in 1995 and added electricity.
Since I bought in 1995 weve lost maybe 20-feet, she said. I have a big wild cherry tree in the backyard, which is lovely, I call it my protector.
She still has 80-feet of sand between her and the sea, other homes arent so lucky, as the waves breached or exposed their foundation.
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