The forces of nature

Since Hurricane Matthew went through we have been seeing many changes to MY beaches - especially this week as there have been SUPER king tides occurring with the full moon (in fact for this whole past week and even this morning and the next few mornings too). A lot of the sea grass is either being pushed up the beach or just washed back out into the ocean. (I must point out in the high 80's temps we have been getting it is starting to smell REALLY pawsome - although Mom doesn't seem to find it so appealing)

Because so much sand has washed away what use to be the high tide mark has now changed and it is about 20 foot higher up the beach.  After our walkies on MY beach Mom decided to go and check out Little Talbot State Park (Yes that evil place that doesn't allow doggies on the beach - why she would consider going there is beyond me!)

Anyway - when pulling up to the gate to the park the Park Ranger told her only boardwalks 1 and 3 were open. The other 6 boardwalks were all so badly damaged in the storm that they can't be used and as you can see from the photo below - even boardwalk 1 took a pretty good beating (which is sad as they had only just finished this a few weeks ago). What shocked Mom the most at Little Talbot was how much sand had washed away - 8-10 feet of it going back 200-250 feet. All the palm trees and shrubs that use to line the edge of the sand dunes are now gone - as too is the beautiful white sand - which is now grey and even dark black in places. So much sand washed away that is even uncovered an old pier that use to be there some 30 years ago! Sadly too - Mom could see that many many shells had washed up but they have just been smashed to pieces in the relentless waves.

This was the brand new boardwalk 1

Plenty of stinky sea grass

Changes in the beach at Little Talbot

The top of that pile is where the beach use to be!

Uncovered - part of an old pier

Another view of the old pier

Little Talbot a few weeks ago before the storm