b'C H A P T E R T E Noptionsdoing nothing, beach nourishment, sandbags, rock revetments, concrete sea walls. On the last of these, the visiting specialist said, Sea walls degrade beaches, period. If a communitys only priority is to preserve buildings, build sea walls. If the priority is to protect the natural environment, the only choice is to retreat. In the long run, we will retreat from the shoreline. Either were going to retreat in a planned fashion, or (in reaction) to unplanned events. By 2100, we wont be worried about Chatham, (but) about Manhattan and Miami. Was there any other option than retreating? Dr. Pilkey thought systematic beach nourishment might prove to be quite durable. But it certainly would be costly.Recently, Richard Batchelder and Lew Kimball reflected on that presentation. To the latter, Dr. Pilkeys remarks had provoked a good deal of thoughtful discussion. The scientist had been quick to point out that he was not a politician, saying to his listeners, as Lew Kimball recalled,youre a body politic. THE BARRIER BEACHESYouve got to decide whatol Chatham, Massachusettsyoure going to spend yourOn January 2,1987, money on.As forduring a severenortheasterly storm, a major breachwasproduced Batchelders snapshot, Ithrough Nauset Beach; it has deepened and become dont think we listened toremarkablywellorganized during the 3 months Pilkey . Its very hard tofollowing its inception.On January 16, it was implement a recommenda 123 meters wide at high water; by February 3 it tion that you retreat be had widened to 494 meters at high water.cause . its private property S T A TE MENT being destroyed.Then heoiP U R P O S ESpouse oi uie oyiiem io it, mthaieamatc hH syarsbteomPleasant mat r- amajor reorganization of the arCriehar berewncav. had an afterthought: TheisimminBeanty estuaryalr and eadby und This or reorganization wilHnvoive the creation of aurge of mankind to livemid closure of the existing channel; the erosionnear the ocean is primitive. With Chatham still stunned by the 1987 northeasters More than 80 percent ofdevastation of North Beach, FCW decided to present the American people livean educational forum that April.Key speaker:Dr. within a few miles of theGraham S. Giese of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.Simultaneously, FCW paid for publication water. Yes, it would bein The C hronicle of this eight-page text by Dr. Giese.extremely hard, in those circumstances, to push proud owners to retreat.Except for ordering beach nourishments at several places, the Town may not have followed Dr. Pilkeys preference to the letter.But to Lew Kimball, that did not invalidate that FCW-sponsored event. Generalizing, he said, We were much more active in those years,getting used to being a source of information188'