Sesachacha Pond Opened To The Ocean

Video by Peter Sutters

Sesachacha Pond was opened to the Atlantic Ocean Monday morning as part of the town Natural Resources Department's semi-annual opening to lower nitrogen levels, raise salinity, and allow the entry of marine species into the brackish (blend of saltwater and freshwater) pond. An excavator was used to dig a trench between the pond and the Atlantic and allow the waters to exchange. Hummock Pond and Sesachacha Pond are both opened by the town in the spring and fall.

There's some interesting history on island pond openings, captured nicely below in an excerpt from island author Peter Brace’s book “Nantucket: A Natural History”:

“Unable to produce the environmental impact statement needed to satisfy the Conservation Commission, the Pond Management Committee and its supporters succumbed to the will of the opposition, whose voices joined with those of the Conservation Commission to carry the farthest, and no great salt pond was opened by the town between 1981 and 1993. However, Hummock, Sesachacha and Miacomet ponds were opened illegally by several pond-opening proponents, including scalloper Steve Scannell, who would actually phone former Nantucket Environmental Police Officer Don LaHaye, a.k.a. “Clambo,” to report that he would be out at a certain pond to dig a trench between it and the ocean. Scannell always gave Clambo the date and time he’d be digging because he hoped the officer would arrest him and Scannell could get a court hearing, forcing a test case so that Nantucket could re-establish total local autonomy over the island’s great salt ponds. Several times, digging with only a shovel, Scannell was able to open Sesachacha and Hummock ponds before Clambo caught him in the act.”