The Public Is Pulling For Madaket

Let’s be honest, a number of you want to see one of these projects fail.

It’s not that people want to watch the ‘Sconset Bluff crumble into the ocean or Madaket Beach swept away by a winter nor’easter.

That would be cruel.

However, for the first time, I sense the tide is turning and the public’s affinity seems to be backing a new underdog.

In Sconset, I believe it’s the method to their madness that has turned people off.

Initially, there was something heroic about their unsuccessful efforts to save the bluff from erosion. Undertaken mostly by ‘Sconset neighbors, various sand-holding methods such as a dune and beach grass restoration approach ultimately proved to be woefully ineffective. As time passed and chunks of the ‘Sconset Bluff disappeared into the ocean, more drastic measures were introduced such as “dewatering” and eventually geotubes.

But with that came resistance, and for years, we were subjected to the infighting of the ‘Sconset elite along Baxter Road and beyond as enclaves of residents tried to rally their neighbors to fight Mother Nature. As the supporters’ drumbeat grew louder, their success rate grew weaker ultimately jeopardizing much of the island-wide attention and support.

Nevertheless, the Sconset Beach Preservation Fund is all in on geotubes. Besides the late Gene Ratner and those living along Baxter Road, most people know very little about geotube technology outside of the fact they are big and an eye sore when exposed. While they may be effective for the immediate area where they are installed, the concerns that geotubes can exacerbate erosion on the beaches to the north and south of where they are installed are real. And so I would argue they have been largely ineffective on the ‘Sconset Bluff to date. Consequently, it has fueled the public’s growing skepticism of ‘Sconset’s infatuation with this approach.

The net effect on Nantucket has been a case of Marilyn Monroe Syndrome. That’s when people love to see a star fail. Despite millions of dollars being invested, the preponderance of the local betting public is hedging their wagers thinking the current geotube project slated to start before Nantucket’s next nor’easter will ultimately collapse under the weight of the crumbling ‘Sconset Bluff and the gnawing effect of the ocean waters.

On Nantucket, most people believe in coastal resiliency measures but not necessarily in ‘Sconset’s geotubes. In their eyes, time, money, and resources have been needlessly washed away. Moreover, it has pitted neighbor against neighbor, and to cut to the chase, the fact that the ‘Sconset Bluff has not withstood the test of time against Mother Nature only cements the fact that the geotube approach has not worked effectively enough to secure unanimous support.

But, that’s the irony.

Vincent Murphy, Nantucket’s Sustainability Program Manager, has reviewed the unsuccessful attempts from the last 30 years. According to Murphy, these attempts “have produced invaluable information from a highly dynamic area.”

The current geotube permitting process to expand the project started in October of 2023. It has gone through over 14 months of public hearings in front of the Conservation Commission. It has the support of the Select Board. There are over 60 conditions associated with the Order of Conditions including some to potentially rectify previous compliance failures.

“Now that the official hearings have been closed, we are waiting for the appeal period to end in about two weeks. Hopefully, there are no legal challenges. In my opinion, this plan will buy us over 50 years allowing Nantucket an opportunity to implement the next plan because there always has to be a ‘next’ plan,” Murphy said with optimism.

Murphy summarized: “You have to understand that both ‘Sconset Bluff and Madaket Beach initiatives are ‘resiliency plans’ and not ‘protection plans’ and there is a big difference.”

Despite Murphy and his department’s dedication, I sense the public’s lack of empathy and general unenthusiastic ambivalence towards the ‘Sconset Bluff mission are due in large part to the optics of the geotube project - cumbersome, expensive, heavy equipment, contentious behavior, narrow in scope and effect and not enough tangible success stories to champion.

But, there’s always a silver lining.

To the local, idealistic coastal resiliency supporter, that silver lining is Madaket Beach.

According to Leah Hill, Nantucket’s Coastal Resilience Coordinator, “We are trying something never used on Nantucket before called ‘cliff stabilizers’ from Long Island Coastal Technologies. Through Nantucket’s Natural Resource Department, we secured permits for a pilot program for Madaket in a matter of a few weeks.”

“Recently, we installed a series of plastic honeycombs and then planted dune grass. Assuming the grass takes hold, it stabilizes the dune; and after one growing season, we come back and remove the plastic honeycombs,” summed up Hill.

As reported by the Current last week, a group from the town’s Department of Natural Resources helped install the cliff stabilizers and grasses with the idea they will have the same level of success that took place near Madaket Millies last year.

Clearly, the scope and expectations of the two initiatives are significantly different. While both fall under the heading of “coastal resiliency,” Murphy acknowledged, “The intent is the same for both projects.”

In a few weeks, the public will have another opportunity to voice its opinion on the Sconset geotubes project at the Annual Town Meeting.

Chapter 67- 1E of the town code requires the voters of Nantucket to approve any coastal engineering project on municipal property, and that vote will come with Article 81 on the warrant. This bylaw was passed roughly 10 years ago and that vote amended chapter 67. While the Town of Nantucket is not financially invested in the project, its “investment” comes in the form of large parcels of land at the base of the Sconset bluff.

I asked Vincent Murphy what happens if Article 81 does not pass?

“Ultimately, it’s in the hands of the Select Board, but as I mentioned before, we always need additional plans and one option could be to reintroduce something like the ‘Retreat Project’ which has estimates in the $24 million dollar range,” he said.

Murphy added, “While some parts of the island are eroding at a slower pace, there are very few areas that are actually accreting - parts of Coutue, Eel Point, the north side of Tuckernuck. But generally speaking, the island is facing erosion rates of roughly seven feet a year.”

According to Murphy, there are about 170 years of historical data available on Nantucket’s erosion rates. While the rates are not consistent every year, 170 years at an average of approximately seven feet per year is a significant amount of sand disappearing around the island.

When trying to keep things in perspective, I think of a story my neighbor and friend, Carl Sjolund, once told me about his grandfather, James Tabor Worth, who was a butcher on Nantucket.

According to Carl, at low tide, Worth would take his horse and buggy over to Tuckernuck to help butcher the cows and chickens for the year-round population living on Nantucket’s neighboring island.

Today, not even charter boat Capt. Hal Herrick on his 23-foot Jones Brother would make it through The Cut on a windy day between Smith’s Point and Tuckernuck without his Yamaha 250 at near full throttle.

Where did all that sand go?

The erosion battle between Nantucket and Mother Nature will continue to play out for all of us to see. Whether it’s geotubes in ‘Sconset or cliff stabilizers in Madaket, Mother Nature is a formidable foe. But for three decades highlighted by barge loads of money via the ‘Sconset Beach Preservation Fund and endless permitting at the local and state levels, the viewing public has seen enough. In turn, one can sense a shift in public support and the new emotional favorite appears to be the underdog beach to the west.

As I penned in a previous column (“It’s What’s For Dinner”), Sconset has always won the head-to-head battle with Madaket. Whether it is the Chanticleer versus the Westender, Old Man Shoal versus the shipwreck, Sankaty Light versus Jackson’s Point, or ‘Sconset’s footbridge versus Madaket’s crab bridge, it’s not a fair fight.

But at the end of the day, Sconset has never defeated Mother Nature.

To ‘Sconset and your Geotubes:

Ultimately, I hope it works but you have had your run.

Like the sand jockeying for position around the island, the tide is turning and the public is yearning to back a new sentimental favorite even though it might ultimately fail.

Granted, I know you have your own zip code and what’s left of Baxter Road does have a better view than Starbuck Road; but like Fred Durst once said, “Everyone loves the underdog…”

And today, that’s Madaket Beach.