Fans of Long Nook Beach in Truro may have to find another strand this summer.
Public access to the popular, Atlantic-facing beach has been closed for several weeks due to concerns about the stability of the surrounding sand bluffs, and the town is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the situation with help from the Center for Coastal Studies.
In a phone interview with the Cape Cod Times, Truro Town Manager Darrin Tangeman said “it’s a very likely chance” that Long Nook Beach will remain closed for the summer.
According to a release from the town, in late spring, a loader and excavator were used “to moderate the slope of the coastal bank and establish pathways.”
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Truro’s attempt to make beach access safer ‘no match’ for erosion
The method has often been used by the town to deal with access issues caused by winter erosion. This time around, the results weren’t satisfactory. According to the town’s release, “while the efforts provided some access, they proved to be no match for the severity of erosion occurring at this location.”
“We have some significant concerns,” said Tangeman. “We know there is significant demand and appreciation for this beach and we’re moving forward as quickly as we can.”
Tangeman stressed that the safety of beachgoers is the town’s primary concern, particularly avoiding possible injury (or worse) from a cliff collapse.
“We are working to find out what we need to do to stabilize the cliff,” he said.
In 1973, a cliff collapse at Long Nook Beach claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy.
According to a Cape Cod Standard-Times story, the boy was buried under 20 feet of sand when part of a 165-foot cliff collapsed south of the beach parking lot. It took several hours for rescuers to find the boy.
”Early attempts to dig out the area where the youth was lost nearly cost (the) lives of two of the diggers,” wrote Neil G. Nickerson in the Cape Cod Standard-Times. ”The surf was pounding, the men were soaking wet, and a particularly vehement surf nearly took the two out to sea.”
Access to Long Nook was also closed for a time in 2005, when erosion created a sheer drop from the parking lot down to the beach.
What efforts are being made to reopen the beach?
Mark Borrelli, a coastal geologist at the Center for Coastal Studies, said there are plans in the works for a series of drone mapping surveys that will provide three-dimensional information about the Long Nook cliffs. These surveys will likely be spaced out over a period of weeks or longer to see what changes might be occurring.
Possible solutions to the situation will have to be considered carefully, said Borelli.
“It’s definitely tricky and full of challenges,” he added. “When it comes to altering natural features, you want to avoid unintended consequences.”
Tangeman said the town would also be working with the Cape Cod National Seashore as they consider ways to restore access. As more information becomes available, updates will be published on the town’s website, truro-ma.gov.
In the meantime, Truro beachgoers seeking an Atlantic-facing beach experience have other options, including Ballston Beach, Coast Guard Beach (yes, there is a Coast Guard Beach in Truro) and Head of the Meadow Beach.
Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at ewilliams@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X: @capecast.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod erosion: Dangerous cliffs may close popular beach for summer
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