A couple of days ago I posted a series of photos of the wind-driven waves splashing against the breakwall at my back yard, and ended with a shot of water that was pooling in my neighbor's yard two doors down. Then yesterday, the fellow who does breakwall maintenance showed up with his tug and barge, and a load of big rocks (aka armor stone). As I watched out the window, the barge turned and headed very close to my place, so I grabbed my camera and headed out. I was shocked to see my neighbors' yard with a large, deep hole in it! Even worse for them, the strong metal barrier had buckled in at the top, and then flared out at the bottom as easily, it would seem, as a curtain hem billows out a raised window.
Armor stones can shift and some even sink with time, but whatever may have been in front of my neighbors' place in the past, there were no stones to prevent the buckling and the washing away of his yard when the recent winds and high water came. I don't know if there's any way they can restore the wall without making it worse; the rock
s they added yesterday may be all that can be done to prevent further erosion. And then they're going to have to fill that hole with something.
It got me thinking about the power of water. Together with the wind, it bent and buckled that section of thick metal breakwall like it was nothing. At my place, it's obvious some of the previous owners have added to the pile of armor stone over decades. It may not be the prettiest bit of shoreline from certain angles, but I'm awfully glad it's there!
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12 comments:
I'm glad it's there too. Don't want you washing away. The power of water is, indeed, awesome! I often speculate on it, standing on the shore in Cape May, thinking of the whole section of town, somewhere out there, under water. And as I drive along the bay, I remember how it looked when I first came here, 30 some years ago. It has changed so much. The water creeps up a little each year, and one of these days, Bay Drive will buckle and the homeowners along it will have some serious thinking to do.
Water's power is the power of persistence!
OMG...your neighbour's piece of metal bended like a piece of butter!
but you...
...you rock! ;)
*double -or even triple- entendre warning*
zedawell I think your wall is gorgeous, and the more rocks the merrier. water certainly erodes...it is sort of magical when you think about it the way it can seep in almost anyplace,
zeda the zeda part was a typo--it was the word veru that was typed in the wrong place I forgot to say I LOVE the Tug!! (love tugs love tugs)
Yes, I'm with Bobbie! I don't want you washing away either!! We don't have trouble with the Sound even though we live very close, primarily because we live up high in the hills above it. Take care!
My mom always made comments along the lines of how destructive fire and water can be, but how we couldn't live without either.
we all need protection from the elements be they wind, waves or other things...
Wow that is quick service, Deb.... They came quickly to make the repairs, didn't they???? In this country, we wait MUCH longer for things like that..
Water certainly is powerful. The recent Texas storm was unbelievable!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
Ah yes, we who live on the water are a special breed eh, Deborah?
;-) Aloha
I have seen the shores and banks of Lake Ontario whittle away like that over the years at a camp I used to go to as a child. The camp has lost some real estate that can't be reclaimed. They, too, have tried to shore up what is left of their land. I hope your neighbor doesn't lose his whole yard!
That is some serious wave action! Wow. I bet those units get lots of business in the springtime. I wonder how many repairs are going on just in your area? And you've never had to worry about it too much; I can see why. Smart way to do it.
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