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anziofaro

*"All the sand on the beach has washed away. How will we stop the rising tide? Oh, I know... how about sand!"*


lazydictionary

I want to know where they sourced the sand. Good sand is a finite resource, so I hope they didn't piss away the useful kind for building a mediocre sand dune.


Cobrawine66

They probably dredged it.


lazydictionary

I read that they were trucking it in, but no idea from where.


JoshSidekick

First encounter beach is now a crater.


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lazydictionary

Go ahead and do a Google search for sand shortage - the quick answer is that useful sand needs to be uniform and have certain qualities. Once it is used, mainly in construction, like concrete and glass, it's no good. It's no longer uniform, and usually mixed up with lots of other stuff. It is absolutely a finite resource.


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PortlyCloudy

Fun fact - A desert is nothing but sand, but all that sand is too smooth for concrete. They actually have to import sand for all construction projects.


Corey307

Sand is commonly used in construction and using the wrong kind of sand can be catastrophic. It’s common for builders in China to use cheap beach sand instead of river stand when doing construction but beach sand has impurities that lead to catastrophic failures. The phenomenon is referred to as tofu dregs construction, imagine massive buildings, just falling apart because they weren’t structurally sound the day they were finished.


Thadrach

Yep. Vietnam apparently exports a lot, to the point where its river banks are eroding for miles in places. And worldwide, sand thieves are a thing.


theeandthine

I know this is totally a serious subject, but every time it comes up (and frankly there's been a worrying increase), it always makes me think of this: https://youtu.be/AISoNYxeaqo?si=rv2v-dwfpfL_9Qw3


SeasonalBlackout

Sand that reaches the bottom of the ocean is not easy or cost effective to bring back up. Waves are very good at mixing sand into ocean water and then carrying the sand out deep where it drops to the bottom of the ocean. This is especially true during storms. Places that rely on beaches for tourism like Miami and Cancun regularly have to truck in sand to replenish their beaches, but there's only so much 'good' sand to dig up and truck in. Then another storm hits and literally rinse and repeat. edit to add, we also use a ton of sand in construction and electronics (silicone). Those require 'good' sand as well. We're using it really fast.


Blarghnog

Beach sand isn’t good for construction. It’s smooth and not what’s needed for aggregate. 


throwawaysscc

Nantucket is also importing tons of sand.


Atlantis_Risen

Probably beaches that were frequented by lower income people.


burger-breath

This is worse than the time that wind blew away my fallen-leaf sculpture park


buried_lede

“Coming up with a plan to save the beach” I’ve got bad news -there is no plan for that. Tides are getting higher, water levels are just higher. You can’t save this. It is happening down here in CT too. I am sure in RI too. You either move your house further inland or eventually lose it. Edit: https://sealevelrise.org/states/massachusetts/


FreezingRobot

Here in New Hampshire, it feels like there's a news story every other week where Hampton floods. I don't mean the beach, I mean the entire section past the beach where all the homes and businesses are. I have no idea how sustainable that place will be as-is if that keeps happening.


Silky__Smooth

NH has the smallest coast line of any state. They do have a fair amount of in-land marsh area. About to have more of that I suppose.


I_like_turtles710

Let’s be real, with the current types of people who frequent Hampton it would be a massive favor if nature washed it allllllll away


MAandMEMom

And Maine from what I read.


0verstim

Joke's on you- Maine doesnt have sand.


ManifestDestinysChld

Maine has sand, just not on the beaches - it's in the desert.


gallaj0

I do love that old Desert of Maine; it's kinda fun and kitschy.


Icy-Conclusion-3500

*OOB has entered the chat*


Mojam59

Love Old Orchard Brach


Strange-Scientist706

Actually, New England’s coastline is mainly rock, granite specifically. That particular area around Plum Island and the mouth of the Merrimack River is marshland: we have some shoreline that - it’s where we keep our beaches for the most part - and erosion isn’t exactly a new issue there. It’s idiots building on that land that is new. Those homes are doomed, but much of New England’s coastline will do better than most areas as sea levels rise. Rest of the country’s shoreline (except maybe Oregon and Washington) are screeeeeewed


WarPuig

Cape Cod is fucked though.


Strange-Scientist706

Yeah, I’d sell any house from Falmouth to Chathan asap


Thadrach

Dad quite deliberately bought on one of the few actual hills in that region, back in the 60s.


throwawaysscc

It’s in the Bible, the part about building on sand. Read your Bible!!


twoscoop

Well you can always create a wall and divert the water into different locations but that takes a fuck ton of money, mind and power. They used 500k worth of sand so they got 2 of those... Just needed that middle one to be good.


HistorianOk142

Yes, happening in RI as well.


Visible_Inevitable41

There was someone who was selling T shirts in RI that said RI grows by 5% at low tide. It was totally made up.


TitsvonRackula

I found one of those shirts at Savers. My teenager stole it from me, because they think it’s hilarious.


TootTootComingThru

If Mr Lahey taught me anything, [it's that it's best to play with rocks and cement](https://youtu.be/3mcQfP8k51s?si=kqW60etknm2tZwOB&t=11)....and build stone walls against the water for the generations after you.


aweejeezzrick

Miss you JD, legend for sure


TootTootComingThru

I'll take a sippypoo to that...and another sippypoo...


cheezburgerwalrus

Sober enough to know what I'm doing, but drunk enough to really enjoy it


ThisBoyIsIgnorance

That video was amazing! Thank you


Emmafabb

How? Who is this guy? Kind of incredible


TootTootComingThru

[A magical person](https://youtu.be/ORli-oLFlwE?si=QUp5oHItcPMmY3hn&t=26) that's why.


Emmafabb

Whoa. What a ride. I guess I’ll watch Trailer Park Boys


Ggnndvn

/r/trailerparkboys


Mari_0520

Omg I randomly saw this video the other day! Mr Lahey knew how to protect himself from a shit storm.


Dr_Bunson_Honeydew

And just up the coast a bit: [in Hampton the other day](https://www.reddit.com/r/DisasterUpdate/s/0s8w9i8zdx)


legalpretzel

Salisbury gets that in the flats where the wetlands are. I had a friend who inherited a beach house there 20 years ago. Their family had been dealing with increasing flooding from the wetlands for decades. I can only imagine what it’s like now.


jujubee516

Wow this is insane


Theseus-Paradox

What baffles me is people built/bought houses that were on the edge of a sandy beach and didn’t think twice about the beach just staying exactly where it is forever? The ones who sold them the houses are the smart ones, also people who built on rock/ledge instead of sand.


icebeat

People are moving to Florida, so I guess some people don’t look at the whole picture


themuthafuckinruckus

Can’t wait for Florida weather in MA in 25 years


twoscoop

You wont have to wait 25 years


WarPuig

December doesn’t have snow anymore man it’s over.


Jimmyking4ever

Was going to say Massachusetts already has south Carolina weather


Enragedocelot

A bunch of NIMLTs, Not In My Lifetime!


gallaj0

No, they assumed that because they were already rich, they could force the town or state to pay for whatever it takes to protect their "investment". The town didn't pay up fast enough so they threw some play money at the problem to show how "serious" it is and the government needs to step in a pay for a real solution. 500k split over a couple of millionaires is nothing if they get what they really want, and they've already had their state Rep hit the news outlets about the problem.


arlsol

Salisbury is kind of the ghetto of the North Shore. (I'm excluding Revere) The hovels may be worth $1mm on paper, but you can generally buy an identical dwelling from the HomeDepot parking lot. Some of those right on the water are newer/nicer, but just one row back is roach motel.


Intrepid_Ad1765

what are you talking about - most of these houses were built 100 years ago. Sure if they were built 5-10 years ago they are idiots. But most have never been impacted by flood before.


0verstim

I mean... yeah climate change wasn't a known thing 100 years ago, but storms still were. I dont think there was EVER a good time to build houses on the beach.


pjk922

Just to be pedantic, the first scientific paper theorizing climate change due to CO2 emissions was from 1896! https://www.rsc.org/images/Arrhenius1896_tcm18-173546.pdf


0verstim

This is legitimately cool, thanks for linking


Think_please

damn fine pedantry


lazydictionary

Exactly. We are really only just beginning to see the effects of climate change. These homeowners are likely 50+ and spent their entire lives hearing about and thinking about having a home on the beach. It's like how retirees all want to move to Florida. But now Florida is being ass blasted by climate change too, yet people keep moving there. They don't expect change.


KleshawnMontegue

umm...yes they were.


ZedRita

Fault the buyers for ineptitude but call the seller smart for the swindle? Bad recipe for an economy.


whichwitch9

I mean, I wouldn't call it a swindle because it's not like the information is hidden.... it's absolutely willful ignorance now to ignore what's happening on the shore


Theseus-Paradox

Not calling them smart for the swindle, calling them smart because it’s a bad idea to live next to an ever-changing sandy beach. Same concept of buying a boat, the 2 best days for someone who owns a boat is the day they buy it and the day they sell it.


Valuable-Baked

Bust Out Another Thousand


Dazzling_Statute

Caveat emptor...


Workacct1999

Our economy isn't based on precariously placed beach houses.


rped80

Can’t feel bad that’s just dumb


believe0101

Never bring sand to a water fight


IolausTelcontar

Sandman hates this one trick….


alvvaysundertow

“Whose tennis court was destroyed…” boo hoo


thedawesome

Hey if this could happen to his tennis court it could happen to any of our tennis courts!


Grapefruit__Witch

I laughed when I saw that. Are we actually supposed to give a shit about this dude's private tennis court? What a joke


Grand-Baseball-5441

Right???


AceyPuppy

Tennis courts are essentially for keeping the wild NIMBY distracted.


RockemSockemRowboats

Damn so we lost a vital resource then


Itsametoad

Fr the moment I read this was in Salisbury I stopped caring


jmalone1187

Gotta start burying your Christmas trees. Let nature build your sand dunes.


Garethx1

This guy dunes.


NativeMasshole

You think these people ever spent a winter here?


Penaltiesandinterest

They’re in West Palm Beach, obviously


Anxious_Cheetah5589

Mother Nature always wins.


EPICANDY0131

Dune 3 it is


BigAccess6408

Title: “Dune 3: No More Dune”


UGetTheHeBitchDance

Being rich doesn't mean you're smart.


iwillbeg00d

This outcome is not surprising at all. These homeowners got duped by whoever they paid to Do this work. Predicting weather and tides is also not rocket science ... its meteorology... I wonder if they even pretended to


Back_on_redd

Gotta have dune grass and a healthy bit of biomass or else this happens. The hubris still angers me that we as humans still think we're stronger than nature... we're but a speck of dust in time to the powers of nature.


bronabas

Me sitting, sipping tea, at my future beachfront property in Leonminster.


DanieXJ

My 2 rules. Never live on a street that indicates it's been covered by water in the past. River st, water st, lake Ave, etc. Humans aren't good at naming things, so, see water, name street after water.... And, live close enough to coast that it's a shortish trip (30-45 min), but far enough away that, ya know, the ocean/hurricanes don't take your house out to sea.


richg0404

Hey, Leominster hasn't exactly been doing well in the battle against water recently.


Anderson74

Don’t worry guys, Ben Shapiro tells us these homeowners should just sell their homes in this situation and then problem solved! Another issue: destroyed with logic.


paganlobster

SELL IT TO WHO BEN FUCKING AQUAMAN? -hbomb


Anderson74

lol love that


throwsplasticattrees

Not one dollar of public funds should be used to protect private property. They bought the house inches from the water, they can deal with their own problems. This is not a public issue and we shouldn't allow public funds to be directed to a fool's errand.


The_eldritch_bitch

Not to mention most beach home owners lose their shit if you use “their” beach above the low tide line


Ambitious_Ad8776

While the dune was destroyed if they hadn't built it their homes would've been swept away instead. Ultimately this isn't an issue that can be resolved with the resources available to a city.


throwsplasticattrees

I believe it is called "managed retreat" to abandon property that is THE most vulnerable zone. 


mullethunter111

There are these new things called sea walls and jetties that may help.


mattgm1995

Or may cause harm (see plum island) or take years of approvals to build


rattiestthatuknow

If they are even allowed. The conservation commissions on coastal towns are really strict. Their priority isn’t protecting your house (Source I’m a builder and deal with Falmouth waterfront issues a lot. Placing 800 yards of sand at the end of the month that eroded this winter.)


ezekielragardos

Concrete sea walls cause more erosion than anything. The force of waves hitting a wall redirects a ton of that power in pulling sand out to sea. It just creates cliffs and an unstable situation down the line. Natural slopes with properly rooted plants are the best option but they take a ton of money and time to mature to a working state.


orielbean

Or this old thing called 10 miles inland.


FuckThesePeople69

Or do what they do in Florida, Carolinas, Hawaii, etc. — build on stilts.


somegridplayer

That doesn't solve beach erosion, it just makes your house an island.


LookAtMyWeenus

Great thinking, these entitled schmucks should be stuck on their own house island.


warlocc_

That's a feature, not a bug.


somegridplayer

Instructions unclear, drowned going to work.


BrentD22

Not allowed by the town.


TheLyz

But they don't look PRETTY


WovenHandcrafts

Why should the city pay to stave off the inevitable for these wealthy people? Let them (responsibly) abandon their summer beach homes.


abrit_abroad

You should see the facebook comments on daily news of Newburyport page: many comments from Salisbury residents saying "its always like this and nothing to do with hoax climate change" smh


Penaltiesandinterest

Peak Boomer denial


h2g2Ben

>Ron Guilmette, whose tennis court was destroyed in previous storms along the beach, added that he now doesn’t know how much his property is worth or if he will stay in the area. He calls the situation on Salisbury Beach “catastrophic.” “I don’t know what the solution is,” Guilmette said Jesus. This guy is a [former Statie](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-guilmette-b4097614/) who seemingly racked up enough OT to buy a beachfront home with a tennis court.


ok-dentist4amonkey

"I would like to speak to the ocean manager, please." - HOA Chief Karen


Common_Ring821

A fool and their money are quick to part.


rufknkidingme

A fool and their money were lucky to get together in the first place.


nihilite

Youre paying way too much for sand, man. Who is your sand guy?


Avadya

Say the line Bart! “When you build you house on the dune, your house becomes part of the dune” Yay!


next2021

So much of beach along New England coast is private. Don’t want my money insuring coastal homes


liptoniceteabagger

Fools and their money are soon parted. Beach erosion along the north shores is not a new problem. The beaches of Salisbury and Plum island have been quickly eroding for the past 30-40 years. The issue has been discussed and reported on for decades. Several houses have collapsed into the ocean already during storms. Anyone who has bought a home at these places during that time frame has either not done their diligence in researching the property, or has simply dismissed the obvious evidence and warning signs that these properties are at risk.


Definitelynotcal1gul

roof support start paltry smart enter exultant pause impolite abundant *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


DanieXJ

I mean, it's the roots of the mature sand grasses that take years to establish themselves. Dunes are complex, not just sand piles. So, it makes sense that it all washed away.


Chunderbutt

I'm sure this sounded logical at the outset... but really? It's SAND!


Luciano1m

Nature called, he wants his shoreline back.


rando-commando98

Seems like they should have invested in giant boulders instead of sand?


WeAreNotNowThatWhich

hmm maybe if they hadn't privatized the beach the government would be able to help them. Oh well, it's their problem now.


Auerbach1991

Well, that was just stupid of them. Sand alone doesn’t provide protection, they need to re-establish natural vegetation with roots to anchor down the sand and soil. Florida has a similar issue since they removed the mangrove forests near the coasts to make it “look prettier”. Short of building a concrete sea wall, there isn’t much else they can do.


vocaliser

Good point. Replanting of sea grasses in Truro, P-town, etc. has noticeably helped slow dune erosion.


95blackz26

OK so we have beach erosion which means the sand is taken away by the water but he let's put more sand down and think it won't wash away like before.. How are these people that dumb


[deleted]

rich people are really dumb


TheHoundsRevenge

You lost my sympathy at “my tennis court was damaged”.


L7meetsGF

But I thought I could buy my way out of the impacts of my bad decisions


Straight-Pipe5508

At least this guy didn’t sell them a monorail!


chomerics

Who were the moron homeowners who invested $500k for sand? Seriously wtf?!? If you want to stop water from destroying your home, you build a stone walls deep and wide. It’s how harbors protect themselves all the time….. Just goes to show you don’t need a brain to have lots of money….


Royal_Acanthisitta51

They should have gone with boulders. They don’t wash away.


TheEmpressIsIn

Ah, yes, yet another example of how the rich are so much smarter and better than everyone else and that's why they're rich. These idiots have had decades of warning about climate collapse and yet...


lazydictionary

It actually does show how they are rich - they are cheap as fuck. I'm assuming these are million dollar homes, and they collectively pooled their resources together to protect these properties to a total of...less than half the value of one home? It did technically work. But they'll have to built another one, and likely bigger, next time.


Nesurfr

No they did not pool resources. You could elect to have sand dumped in front of your home if you were willing to pay. It was individually billed. A lot of it washed away in Sundays storm but like someone else said it would’ve been houses washing away in some cases had they not dumped sand


KindAwareness3073

I guess these folks didn't build enough sandcastles at the water's edge as kids and try to protect them from the incoming tide with a sand berm. What us kids quickly discovered was "the ocean always wins".


Brave_anonymous1

That is weird. The obvious solution is to do flood control, like in Netherlands: dikes, dams, floodgates. How long did they expect that sand dune last? And why? Because sand itself will obviously be washed away sooner or later.


atuarre

They probably chose sand because it was the cheapest option versus everything else. I don't know why they chose sand because it washes away. Now they're going to have to pay more or move.


Blarghnog

The solution is to expect your stuff to be destroyed if you build at the beach and expect to pay to rebuild frequently, OR, don’t build at the beach. I know it’s extreme but this is literally a group of people *fighting nature* while wondering why they can’t. It’s Don Quixote in every way. The beaches will still be there to enjoy… in tents and RVs even, if we don’t build permanent structures. It’s ok not to fight the sea.


Fantastic_Poet4800

How can people so stupid have so much money?


Own-Suit-4454

Just so we are all aware, Salisbury MA is not the bougie, wealthy town you're all making it out to be. Salisbury is a harbor for a lot of low-income, working class people because of the cheap rent here. It's cheap because it's not a desirable place to be from September through May. Frankly, it use to be the sketchy area, and has turned around a little bit in recent years. Not to mention, the state of Massachusetts is one of the most politically progressive places in this country. Here you all are acting all snooty about how dumb these homeowners are, trying the every last thing they can to save their town, but it's maybe a small handful of wealthier people with beach front homes, and pretty low income housing right behind them, all the while most people in the state are supportive of legislature to turn global warming around anyway. So all you who don't know a thing about Salisbury MA sound ignorant.


Fatguy73

I’ve always gotten coke bar biker vibes from Salisbury.


willitplay2019

Right!? I am reading these comments wondering if any of these people have left the city of Boston. I have no personal tie to the Salisbury community but know enough to know these people aren’t some kind of enemy - vast majority are just middle class people that like to have a place to go in the summer months (it’s not even remotely comparable to having a home on the vineyard or Nantucket)


Due_Lake94

Rick Rigoli is never gonna give up, never gonna let that ocean get you down …


Due_Lake94

Never gonna build it strong Never gonna make it right Never gonna see it last Through a single stormy night Gonna spend the cash so fast, Gonna cut some corners too, Gonna hear that ocean laugh, As the waves come crashing through


CLS4L

Just move to revere it's perfect


NorthernLight27

Lol


StuckinSuFu

The dutch have managed their shorelines since the 1940s... its time for permanent solutions.


Soggy-Regret-2937

Lisan Al Gaib!


Stillwater215

Note to self: buy a house with beach access, but not on the water.


Ozymannoches

My town Salisbury is so beautiful when the sun is low. Rolling over the sands you can see spice in the air. Within 3 nightfalls it all washed away.


natethegreek

The muppet on the local news was trying to make this look like he was saving 1a and the town should protect his home F that quite with the avocado toast and pay for it yourself.


nostrings978

A half a million bucks worth of sand ain’t gonna do much for that area! Pretty sure the same thing happened when they tried dredging sand at Plum Island some years back. Hampton has started going underwater more frequently, Salisbury and Plum Island have been washing away for 30 years now….


Spartancarver

Oh no, what are you dune


Pjg43

Rule #1 Don’t build on the beach Rule#2 See rule 1


TeacherNES75

Salisbury beach had been washing away heavily for many years. They need more than just $500,000 of sand.


factualfact7

Poor guy , rip tennis court


Dicka24

They built a sand wall for half a mill, and no one thought this might be a bad idea?


ThrowAwayAnother1991

Man plans, god laughs But this was a seriously terrible plan lolllll can you imagine making a conscious decision to spend 100k with 4 other people to pour sand, on top of other sand lollllll


Notoriouslyd

It's almost like this was predicted decades ago but people did NOTHING. Now your house is going to be in the ocean. Que sera sera


Important_Device_502

These people are getting a free preview of the future earth. Climate Change 


g33may

You use stones for Christ sake you build a jetty. Fucking moronic


laughingwarlock

It’s global warming. The change is permanent. Some sand dunes aren’t going to stop a process we’ve been screaming about for 50 years.


internalogic

Wonder if any climate deniers live there…. Karma is a beach.


mom_with_an_attitude

Why did they use sand instead of rip rap? Using sand seems ridiculous to me.


throwsplasticattrees

Hard barriers are prohibited under state law.


bluhat55

My investment is worth millions! -house damaged hy storms, price doesn't drop. It's a fixer upper! (Borrows against it to buy more hoomz) -house washes into the ocean, price doesn't drop. The land is where the true value is! -land washes away


Deakul

Easiest 500 those contractors ever got.


Garethx1

Folks should have used something solid. Aesthetics trumps the smart thing way too often.


BrentD22

Not allowed by town.


SpyCats

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”


Marky6Mark9

This is when you sell after doing the sand thing. Anyone worth their salt knew that sand was a sitting duck in a storm. Come on.


PLS-Surveyor-US

Gotta spend the million on granite instead half on sand.


Beantownbrews

Do people not understand the scale or insane force of nature? 14k tons of sand may seem like a lot, but it is nothing in the grand scheme of things.


8793stangs

Where are your giant boulders like ghe ones the size of a triaxle dump truck they work every type of


iggybee617

Why don’t these people at risk of losing it all just sell while they still can? Seems like no brainer.


0cean19

It’s unreal how quickly people go from “climate change is a hoax” to “there’s nothing we can do!”


Fun-Tourist-2339

That's awful. I live, right near there.


ExpensiveCategory854

This is what we former military call putting a bandaid on a huge sucking chest wound.


No_Drama4771

Sucks to suck


bostonforever22

Marshfield has done well with the sea wall for a hot minute now


the_riddler90

Also maybe don’t build your house on the fucking beach you clowns


johnofupton

And so castles made of sand Fall into the sea eventually


swiftdude

I hope I’m not in the same insurance pool as these people


bagpipesfart

Of course it’s the shithole known as Salisbury


constipatedconstible

You hear the one about the sand dune that drowned? Sadly, it tide.


DreiKatzenVater

I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t hire an engineer at any point. This would have been completely obvious.


fecundity88

I wonder if these places are even insurable?


collegefootballfan69

I feel bad for them I guess they have to go pound sand….


Admirable-Place9499

Sand dune?... who's stupid idea was that


Additional_Speed_463

These people have more money than common sense


Formal_Business

Nature's carbon tax


katuskac

Oh my goodness! Mr. Guilmette’s tennis court was destroyed! Let’s talk to our state reps and see if we can get public money to safeguard private property. BS. I thought this whole suite of issues was addressed in Chatham decades ago.