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December 01, 1983 - Blustery Day On The SoundSECOND SECTION Blustery Day On The Sound By PAUL STOUTENBURGH I must be slowing down because in the past whenever there was a storm brewing I was always out in it. There is something about wild weather that fascinates me. Perhaps it is the idea that for that brief moment man with all his progress must bow to the elements. And surely we had ourselves a major storm last Friday. But I had set the day aside to catch up on correspondence and reading and therefore spent most of the day doing just that. The storm, that came out of the northeast, had to have had some pretty BOO QN7� ao Mn,Q[flTq drastic effects on the Sound and so Barbara and I decided to head up there about 7:30 Saturday morning. We put on extra thermal vests, lined pants, down jackets and even got out the gloves that had been stored away since last year. We knew it had rained all night but were dumbfounded to see the amount of water in the streets as we headed up to the Sound. The wind was still blowing but had changed its direction to the northwest, which meant clear weather and a sparkling sky. As we headed along the back roads we could see ducks and geese in many of the field ponds formed from the rain. Up along Oregon Road there was a pond so big it actually had waves working their way across its brown waters. Planned to Collect Driftwood Our plan was to take a walk along the Sound beach possibly collecting some driftwood if we had time. When we got there we almost didn't get out of the car as the wind was blowing so hard off the Sound. It still had some fury left in it from the day before. Once outside we discussed whether to walk with the wind or against it. From long experience of past walks we decided to head into it so that the walk back would be easier. This proved to be a wise choice. The beach below the high bluffs was in the shade as the sun was still low and we immediately noticed that a change had taken over. Where once a high beach with seaside plantings all along it had been was now a completely cut away beach of smooth sand with not a footprint on it. The tide had come up during the storm to such a height that it had cut away three and four feet of the bank where we walked. Later we were to find areas more severely cut where banks eight and 10 feet were completely wiped away. As yet nothing had moved above the cutoff portion but time would soon erode away these once - established banks. When this occurs the whole face will change and the upper edge will crumble and fall. Down will come boulders -- some huge -- some small. All will take their place on the beach below and Wsrvq - gW5fi` �TWI 011PP111! - .►.i it iPllt December 1, 1983 Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh ERODED CLIFFS- -Our recent storm raised havoc all cliffs back eight to 10 feet in some places. The photo along the north shore of Long Island, cutting the above was taken at Duck Pond, Cutchogue. become part of the beach we'll become accustomed to. All our Sound cliffs take on a prescribed angle depending on the material the bank is made of. Sand has a longer sloping angle than banks made of clay, and, of course, the clay sometimes stands as rigid as walls themselves. Each has its own angle of repose. The erosion we saw was merely at the bottom of these huge 60-80 foot cliffs. How long will it take for these cliffs to equalize and balance themselves again? How long will it be before we have a high beach and the sea rocket, seaside spurge, Russian thistle and sandwort again thrive in the sands below? Those who visit us during their vacations in the summer will never realize that these great movements of sand and soil have taken place for when they come again the beach will be much as they remembered it from last year. Discouraging Amount of Debris The storm was so fierce that instead of leaving debris strewn all over the beach as it usually does, it swept most of the beach clean and then jammed heavy concentrations of debris between great logs or boulders. Here in great piles wood of all sorts, some half buried some lying strewn about mingled with grasses and seaweeds and most discouraging the plastic of our everyday life. Every kind of plastic container and wrapper was tangled in among this mass of clutter. There were shoes, old life jackets, parts of boats, and bathing caps. You name it -- what man had made and discarded could be found there. Sorry to say, it reminded one of a dump rather than what we imagine as a collection of driftwood that we so often look forward to after a storm. We turned away from what we had hoped would be a beachcomber's delight and prodded on. The sea still carried its white mane of breaking waves and with the low tide they broke in a continuous line off shore over a submerged sand bar. Sand bars are characteristic off shore wherever you have shallow waters and pounding surf. Our ocean beach all along the south shore has its sand bar famous for so many ill fated shipwrecks. A mile or so up the beach we stopped to pick some bayberries that would go nicely with Christmas decorations. They were so full and looked so bright even though we were still in the shade of the great cliffs we walked under. It was with this reward we finally turned around and headed back with the wind at our backs. We were now down along the water's edge and the flat smooth sand made our walking much easier. Inside our car the pungent but delightful smell of bayberries swept over us. We hadn't gotten our driftwood and so our fires in the fireplace will not glow with the varied colors that come from such wood. I'm afraid our spirit had dwindled with the unpleasant plastic conglomerates we passed along the way but the refreshing smell of bayberry and the invigorating walk made up for our disappointment. We started up the car and headed back home and hoped inside that perhaps another day our Sound beach would somehow miraculously disperse the ugly debris so that once again our beaches would be as we remembered them. Brand New and Ready to Serve'. Saddles Pads Blankets Bridles Halters Crops Whips Wraps Muckers Training Aids Haversham • Regency • Elan Sobie • Equestrian A SADDLERY STABLE Franklinville Road, Laurel, N.Y. (516) 298 -5041 Between Aldrich La. and Main Rd., East of Elbow Too STORE HOURS: 10 AM - 5:30 PM Jackets Breeches Jodphurs Boots Helmets Caliente Giftware Je welry Books Galloping Boots Crosby • Equitana • Triple Crown New Zealand • Polarsham SECOND SECTION The *Uffolh Timleg December 1, 1983 Blustery Day On The Sound By PAUL STOUTENBURGH I must be slowing down because in the past whenever there was a storm brewing I was always out in it. There is something about wild weather that fascinates me. Perhaps it is the idea that for that brief moment man with all his progress must .bow to the elements. And surely we had ourselves a major storm last Friday. But I had set the day aside to catch up on correspondence and reading and therefore spent most of the day doing just that. The storm, that came out of the northeast, had to have had some pretty 9 @ (� ln�) @ M imn,Qn,g drastic effects on the Sound and so Barbara and I decided to head up there about 7:30 Saturday morning. We put on extra thermal vests, lined pants, down jackets and even got out the gloves that had been stored away since last year. We knew it had rained all night but were dumbfounded to see the amount of water in the streets as we headed up to the Sound. The wind was still blowing but had changed its direction to the northwest, which meant clear weather and a sparkling sky. As we headed along the back roads we could see ducks and geese in many of the field ponds formed from the rain. Up along Oregon Road there was a pond so big it actually had waves working their way across its brown waters. Planned to Collect Driftwood Our plan was to take a walk along the Sound beach possibly collecting some driftwood if we had time. When we got there we almost didn't get out of the car as the wind was blowing so hard off the Sound. It still had some fury left in it from the day before. Once outside we discussed whether to walk with the wind or against it. From long experience of past walks we decided to head into it so that the walk back would be easier. This proved to be a wise choice. The beach below the high bluffs was in the shade as the sun was still low and we immediately noticed that a change had taken over. Where once a high beach with seaside plantings all along it had been was now a completely cut away beach of smooth sand with not a footprint on it. The tide had come up during the storm to such a height that it had cut away three and four feet of the bank where we walked. Later we were to find areas more severely cut where banks eight and 10 feet were completely wiped away. As yet nothing had moved above the cutoff portion but time would soon erode away these once - established banks. When this occurs the whole face will change and the upper edge will crumble and fall. Down will come boulders -- some huge -- some small. All will take their place on the beach below and ERODED CLIFFS - -Our recent storm raised havoc all along the north shore of Long Island, cutting the become part of the beach we'll become accustomed to. All our Sound cliffs take on a prescribed angle depending on the material the bank is made of. Sand has a longer sloping angle than banks made of clay, and, of course, the clay sometimes stands as rigid as walls themselves. Each has its own angle of repose. The erosion we saw was merely at the bottom of these huge 60-80 foot cliffs. How long will it take for these cliffs to equalize and balance themselves again? How long will it be before we have a high beach and the sea rocket, seaside spurge, Russian thistle and sandwort again thrive in the sands below? Those who visit us during their vacations in the summer will never realize that these great movements of sand and soil have taken place for when they come again the beach will be much as they remembered it from last year. Discouraging Amount of Debris The storm was so fierce that instead of leaving debris strewn all over the beach as it usually does, it swept most of the beach clean and then jammed heavy concentrations of debris between great Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh cliffs back eight to 10 feet in some places. The photo above was taken at Duck Pond, Cutchogue. logs or boulders. Here in great piles wood of all sorts, some half buried some lying strewn about mingled with grasses and seaweeds and most discouraging the plastic of our everyday life. Every kind of plastic container and wrapper was tangled in among this mass of clutter. There were shoes, old life jackets, parts of boats, and bathing caps. You name it -- what man had made and discarded could be found there. Sorry to say, it reminded one of a dump rather than what we imagine as a collection of driftwood that we so often look forward to after a storm. We turned away from what we had hoped would be a beachcomber's delight and prodded on. The sea still carried its white mane of breaking waves and with the low tide they broke in a continuous line off shore over a submerged sand bar. Sand bars are characteristic off shore wherever you have shallow waters and pounding surf. Our ocean beach all along the south shore has its sand bar famous for so many ill fated shipwrecks. A mile or so up the beach we stopped to pick some bayberries that would go nicely with Christmas decorations. They were so full and looked so bright even though we were still in the shade of the great cliffs we walked under. It was with this reward we finally turned around and headed back with the wind at our backs. We were now down along the water's edge and the flat smooth sand made our walking much easier. Inside our car. the pungent but delightful smell of bayberries swept over us. We hadn't gotten our driftwood and so our fires in the fireplace will not glow with the varied colors that come from such wood. I'm afraid our spirit had dwindled with the unpleasant plastic conglomerates we passed along the way but the refreshing smell of bayberry and the invigorating walk made up for our disappointment. We started up the car and headed back home and hoped inside that perhaps another day our Sound beach would somehow miraculously disperse the ugly debris so that once again our beaches would be as we remembered them. Brand New and Ready to Serve! Saddles Pads Blankets Bridles Halters Crops Whips Wraps Muckers Training Aids Haversham • Regency • Elan Sobie • Equestrian ARSE HqM SADDLERY STABLt Franklinville Road, Laurel, N.Y. (516) 298 -5041 Between Aldrich La. and Main Rd., East of Elbow Too STORE HOURS: 10 AM - 5:30 PM Jackets Breeches Jodphurs Boots Helmets, Caliente Giftware Jewelry Books Galloping Boots Crosby • Equitana • Triple Crown New Zealand • Polarsham �J KNO