We took a long walk on Coast Guard Beach yesterday morning. High tide was a little after noon, so we went out early so we could get back before the tides came in. You can’t walk on Coast Guard Beach at high tide as the water comes right up to the dunes where the trail is.
It was still pretty chilly here as we had our winter jackets on with a fleece vest underneath. The wind was blowing and it was cold.
We keep wondering what will happen this summer if there is no beach at high tide. Or, will Mother Nature straighten it all out by then?
I love walking to the end of Coast Guard Beach. It’s a beautiful walk where you might see some nesting birds. It was low tide when we walked there last and the ripples in the sand made for such an interesting photograph.
You have Coast Guard Beach on the left and Nauset Beach way in the distance on the right. You can see the little specks of people across Nauset Spit walking on Nauset Beach.
(I took this photograph last week before Coast Guard Beach was closed because of heavy erosion.)
I was surprised to read an article in the Cape Cod Times on Thursday morning stating that Coast Guard Beach was temporarily closed due to heavy erosion. It showed a photograph where the water had proceeded past where the trail to the beach ends… where the little bench for viewing was. Wow! The water came up very high.
So we took a ride down there and saw this sign that said the beach was closed. We’ve had quite a few storms lately with high winds and high tides and pounding waves. They have really done a number on the beaches, especially Coast Guard Beach. In the article it stated that there was quite a steep drop off from the end of the trail to the beach.
Coast Guard Beach extends into a little peninsula that leads to Nauset Spit, with the ocean on one side and Nauset Marsh on the other. Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Beach were once connected, but now they are not. Nauset Spit is a narrow body of water deep enough for the boats to go in and out of Nauset Marsh and Orleans Cove. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
You can walk to the end of Coast Guard Beach and turn around or you can proceed further and walk along the marsh side. There used to be a little trail that eventually would lead you back to the beach. Now there are several ponds that are there all the time. You can see they get higher at high tide. You can still find that trail, but it is not as easy.
Such a different view than in years past, don’t you think? There’s very little grass on the salt marsh side.
Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous here on Cape Cod! We decided that a morning walk on Coast Guard Beach would be the perfect way to spend Easter Sunday. Were we in for a treat! (Click on blog link to see other photo.)
The tide was so low that the flats down by Nauset Spit went on for miles! Phil took this pano as we stood way out on one of the flats looking back toward the beach. That’s me in the photo on the right with Coast Guard Station way in the distance. On the left is Nauset Spit. So cool, don’t you think?
We’ve never seen the tide this low at Coast Guard Beach. There were numerous sandbars that we had never seen before either. What a perfect way to spend Easter… walking on the beach on such a glorious day!
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
