Cape Cod, Massachusetts is a gem to all with its serene beaches, lovely towns, stunning architecture, and picturesque landscapes. The beauty of the Cape is something that I never want to miss; it's a place that I call my second home. We have a stunning old red house that has been in the family for decades. It is located on Lieutenant Island in Wellfleet. I remember biking over to see if the tide was too high to leave the island. When the tide was high, I would jump off the bridge into the ocean. Cape Cod is a place that I would love for my kids and future generations to see. In order to preserve such an important and beautiful place, we have to take action.
An ongoing problem in Cape Cod is the rising sea levels, leading to coastal erosion. In his article, “Will Cape Cod be underwater in 50 years?”, Stephen Kota talks about the effects of coastal erosion. A quote from his article reads: “For every centimeter of sea level rise, there is a corresponding 1 meter erosion due to the ability of the waves to move farther upland.” This is a problem because Cape Cod’s low-lying coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to these effects. This erosion not only threatens the beauty of Cape Cod’s coastlines but also poses a real threat to the community.
In Cape Cod, the Nauset-Monomoy barrier system can show subtle or dramatic changes. The erosion along the barrier "can move the beach from anywhere between 1 to 6 meters a year which is 3 to 20 feet,” according to an article from the NASA Earth Observatory. Another fact from capecodxplore.com is that the “sea level rising has increased flooding instances in Cape Cod causing damage to Coastal property and infrastructure.” Cape Cod is addressing the problem of rising sea levels that requires sustainable coastal management practices and climate change mitigation to protect the areas.
To get more insight on what it's like living on Cape Cod, I interviewed my grandparents who live on Lieutenant Island during the summer. I asked them: “Since you go there often, have you been affected by these climate change issues with rising sea level problems and Coastal erosion firsthand? What changes have you observed over the years since?” My grandmother answered, “Good question! Our house is on a tidal island and the erosion on the beaches has been extreme. Unless people fortified their parts of the beach with huge boulders, a significant part of the dunes has been washed away. Recently, about 100 dolphins were stranded on the island across from the marsh because of the change in the currents due to climate changes. Fortunately, most of the dolphins were able to be rescued by volunteers, but some did not make it. There has never been such a large stranding in our area ever before.” As you can see from talking to someone who has been visiting Cape Cod for decades, these issues not only affect the people living there but the ocean life as well.
There is an excellent video about erosion on Cape Cod called Welfleet Coastal Erosion. This video talks about the combined effects of storms, coastal erosion and rising sea level problems that are creating a complex set of challenges for the people living on Cape Cod. Some of these challenges include property damage, economic impact, public safety, and environmental concerns. Cape Cod is a place that many want to call home for years to come. It's a place where my ancestors visited, and it's a place that I hope my children will visit too. Change for the Cape needs to happen to not only make Cape Cod a better place to live in the future, but also to make it a better place for wildlife.
Home to many, Cape Cod is a beautiful naturalistic place with rich history and vibrant cultures that make it a destination you won’t want to miss. To preserve its beauty, it's crucial to focus on the steps we could take to help the climate problems one step at a time, so we won't have to ask the question: will Cape Cod be underwater in 50 years?
