At Winter’s End, Explosive Surf Along Ocean City Beaches

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Unusually powerful waves continued to break just off the Ocean City, Maryland,  beach in the bright sunshine Saturday afternoon, March 9, 2013.

Earlier in the week, the last storm of winter rolled up the East Coast, bringing snow inland, but only rain and sustained high wind here on the Atlantic shore. The rotation of the storm caused strong winds to push ocean water onto the beach and into the coastal bays behind the barrier islands.

sand on sea wall

The onshore winds continued through four or five tide cycles on Wednesday and Thursday. Sand (above) was blown and pushed up to and over the sea wall and onto the boardwalk in places. But there was no damage to the boardwalk. The sea wall did it’s job. Some buildings in Ocean City sustained wind damage to siding, and some signs were blown over. A little beach erosion. But generally, I think the storm was pushing sand up on the beach, rather than washing it away. — John Hayden

More photos of the surf, taken between 3 and 4 p.m. Saturday, as the high tide came in:

Lessons From Hurricane Sandy — Part 1 of Many Parts

It's global warming, stupid

(Photo credit: scriptingnews)

A respectable business magazine is out with the cover headline:

“It’s Global Warming, Stupid”

Fair enough. Quibble about the causes and terminology, if you must, but face reality.

I suggest two related subjects clamoring for serious consideration in the public square (or in smoke-filled back rooms) going forward:

“Geography Is Destiny”

And:

“It’s Infrastructure, Stupid”

What do you think? Suggestions for additional subjects to include in the syllabus? Extra credit for class participation.

— John Hayden

Surreal Ocean City Beach And Sky After Hurricane Sandy, A Photo Story

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.   Continue reading

Hurricane Sandy Flooding in West Ocean City, MD

A car tries to navigate a West Ocean City street which flooded at high tide about 8 a.m. Monday morning. The water has since subsided, but another high tide is coming this evening.    Continue reading

Waiting for Hurricane Sandy

Rising water from the marsh creeps closer to houses not far from where I live in West Ocean City. Taken Sunday afternoon. I guess there’s a reason they call this “wetlands.”

10:30 p.m. Sunday, still above water in West Ocean City, MD. (Although my roof is leaking again.) Just finished writing a detailed news report over at Ocean City Blog. It’s raining hard and the wind’s picking up. But this baby is only beginning. They’re calling Sandy a hybrid hurricane/nor’easter now.    Continue reading

Hurricane Sandy: Worcester County, MD, Warns of “Historic Flooding”

No one here is taking Hurricane Sandy lightly. The town of Ocean City and Worcester County, which is Maryland’s only oceanfront county, have ordered limited partial evacuations. Good thing the summer tourist season is over, or there’d be a lot more people to evacuate. For specifics, see the Ocean City Blog, AKA Maryland On My Mind.

A prolonged siege of rain, high wind, and flooding is expected. It’s raining now (1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon), with some very localized flooding already. But the worst is not expected until Monday afternoon and Monday night.     Continue reading

Hurricane Sandy, Note No. 1

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CALM BEFORE THE STORM — Hurricane Sandy might become disorganized into a big Tropical Storm by the time she hits Maryland. Or she might roll right over Baltimore as a Cat. 1 Hurricane. Or, if she stays over the Atlantic, Sandy could be Cat. 2 by the time she hits NYC. If she comes inland, hope she at least keeps moving! I don’t want her stopped by cold air from the north, dumping rain and possibly snow on my house for three straight days! — John

Hurricane Sandy — Ready or Not, Here She Comes

Hurricane Irene

Be advised that a hurricane named Sandy is swirling off the coast of Florida and heading north. Sandy will bypass Florida and probably the Carolinas as it follows a north-northeast curve.

Halfway up the coast, Sandy is expected to turn left and take aim straight into the densely populated East Coast of the U.S. Broadcasters and headline writers are  trampling each other in their rush to label Sandy “the perfect storm.”    Continue reading

Too Easily Distracted

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Editor (Retired)'s avatar

My unfinished review of J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy” is weighing heavy on my mind. Also, I’ve been wanting to post a remembrance of Sen. George McGovern, who passed over to a more peaceful place on Sunday, at the age of 90. And I have another “power in a box” review waiting to be written, about the new Kindle Fire. Nevertheless, I’m distracted by the sound of distant thunder. Hurricane Sandy is heading north with potential to rearrange the Eastern Seaboard. The hurricane is the blip on the radar that I cannot ignore. — John

Ocean City End-of-Season Damage Report, 2011 (via Ocean City Blog)

Economic trouble often leads to political and social trouble. Prolonged economic recession has taken a heavy toll on political tranquility in the U.S. At the local level, disagreements can be particularly disagreeable. Here’s a view from my little part of America, as reported in my other blog.

Ocean City End-of-Season Damage Report, 2011 More than usual, it feels like something is ending in Ocean City this September.  But take this report with a caveat: Events and perceptions often appear distorted after a long summer season, to those who remain when the visitors go home. This year, Hurricane Irene put an exclamation point at the end of the season.  Ocean City was fortunate to survive a nearly direct hit with hardly any damage. The eye of the weakening hurricane swept by offshore … Read More

via Ocean City Blog