Dancing sand moving machines

Surreal photos of the Ocean City, Maryland, beach and sky Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, the day after Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey and moved inland. Photos made possible by my new digital camera. No extra charge for the words.

Shoreham Hotel with Irish pub @ 4th St. stands tall after the storm, reflected in a pool of water deposited at the base of the boardwalk sea wall by Hurricane Sandy.

The little sea wall that saved the Ocean City boardwalk from Hurricane Sandy. How close did the ocean come to the boardwalk? This close, and more.  

INFRASTRUCTURE is the answer. At least part of the answer. What is the question?

The short but sturdy sea wall with a steel gate, closed to keep the ocean off the Ocean City boardwalk. Incredible disappearing wooden steps go down to the beach. The steel gate is normally left open so swimmers and sunbathers can access the beach. Didn’t see any today.

The concrete sea wall, with beach sand piled to the top of the wall. Normally, the top of the sea wall is four feet or more above the beach. The sea wall protects the boardwalk from being destroyed by waves from hurricanes and nor’easters. Also protected, millions of dollars worth of real estate in the resort town. Just another project made possible by the Army Corps of Engineers. Cloudy sky made possible by Hurricane Sandy. (See that huge wood beam? How did that get here? Storm debris like this, driven by powerful waves, is the kind of thing that destroys buildings.)

An earth moving machine scrapes sand away from the sea wall late Tuesday afternoon, under a scowling sky.

The Ocean City Public Works Dept was busy cleaning up the beach almost before the hurricane departed. These guys are still working after 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Everyone knows government workers are lazy shirkers, right?  Right???  Why haven’t they been laid off to save taxpayer money? At least we can hope they’re paid no more than minimum wage. And look at those machines. Are we expected to pay for all this equipment?

Didn’t expect to see a Coast Guard boat patrolling off the beach late Tuesday afternoon. Another example of wasted taxpayer money.

A wooden handrail on the ocean side of the sea wall, left splintered by that nasty hurricane. I suppose we’re going to pay someone to repair this? Will you look at those gloomy clouds?

Beachscape and clouds are surreal in late afternoon. Why do we waste money on those sand fences? They don’t keep hurricanes away! Now they’re all broken and twisted! I hope someone will investigate this boondoggle.

More photos to come in days ahead. Did we mention the clouds?

Work In Progress and affiliated nonprofit hotdog stands are not responsible for opinions expressed by the blogger.

Please address subpoenas to our lawyers, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, Esq., PLC.

— Words and Photos By John Hayden

Related articles

• Feeling the effects of Hurricane Sandy (darkroom.baltimoresun.com)
• Ocean City Survived Hurricane Sandy With Relatively Light Damage (marylandonmymind.com)
• Hurricane Sandy leaves surreal scenes in its wake (photoblog.nbcnews.com)
• Sun Is Out, Ocean City, MD, Is Open For Business (marylandonmymind.com)
• Subway lines reopen as NYC gets back on feet (msnbc.msn.com)