The Otis Pike High Dune Wilderness Area just west of Smith Point is what I consider my “home beach.” Since superstorm Sandy, it no longer has those high dunes, and I’ve come to know that this particular spot is prone to overwashes during dramatic storms. Knowing that Hurricane Jose was hitting us during the new moon (tide cycles are more extreme during full and new moon phase), I knew it would be worth a look. At high tide this morning, I saw it had broken through from ocean to bay. When I went back this evening, it was wider and wilder, cutting deep along some edges and spreading out over grasses in others.
I hoped to walk to the bay to get a view from there, but I would have had to get into the rushing water and didn’t want to risk my equipment.
Like I said, this has happened before, and I don’t expect it to become a permanent inlet. The tides will recede and the grasses will grow, but for tonight, it was a dramatic sight!
More images and video on page 2!
