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On Monday, Delaware and surrounding states got pounded by a noreaster. Delaware took a big hit, with the storm producing all of the characteristics of a hurricane. Trees being knocked down all around the state from wind that sometimes was hurricane force. A storm surge caused flooding along the Atlantic Ocean, and especially along the Delaware Bay and the tidal rivers, which led to the evacuation of almost every community along the Delaware Bay. Numerous rescues by the Coast Guard had to be made out in the ocean as the noreaster ended up being much stronger than anyone imagined.
I was actually planning on going down to the beach for the first time this Summer since my schedule permitted it. My original plan was to go to Rehoboth Beach and/or Dewey Beach, but Delaware Route 1 in that area was closed from flooding, so I drove down to Dagsboro and then headed east to Bethany Beach instead. I arrived in Bethany Beach only to find out that the beaches had been completely washed away (and the same happened in all of the other beach towns). Since I couldn't go swimming or lay on the beach, I decided to just see some of the sights in the beach towns instead.
The RV Russell W. Peterson, a research vessel, was out 15 miles to sea from Rehoboth Beach, studying wind patterns for the proposed wind farm off of the Delaware coast. Waves as high was 22 feet pounded the ship, and it began to take on water. The Coast Guard had to come and rescue the crew, but one crewman ended up dying in the ordeal. The ship was abandoned, and eventually came to rest right in the middle of Bethany Beach.
The ship sits right next to the sand dunes, which were the only line of defense in the beach towns. All of the sand on the beach was washed away; you can barely see that the sand dunes end as a cliff dropping into the waves.
More beach erosion.
In some areas, the storm surge went over the sand dunes and flooded the town. Here is the water on Pennsylvania Avenue, two blocks inland.
Pictures from around Bethany Beach
I was actually planning on going down to the beach for the first time this Summer since my schedule permitted it. My original plan was to go to Rehoboth Beach and/or Dewey Beach, but Delaware Route 1 in that area was closed from flooding, so I drove down to Dagsboro and then headed east to Bethany Beach instead. I arrived in Bethany Beach only to find out that the beaches had been completely washed away (and the same happened in all of the other beach towns). Since I couldn't go swimming or lay on the beach, I decided to just see some of the sights in the beach towns instead.
The RV Russell W. Peterson, a research vessel, was out 15 miles to sea from Rehoboth Beach, studying wind patterns for the proposed wind farm off of the Delaware coast. Waves as high was 22 feet pounded the ship, and it began to take on water. The Coast Guard had to come and rescue the crew, but one crewman ended up dying in the ordeal. The ship was abandoned, and eventually came to rest right in the middle of Bethany Beach.


The ship sits right next to the sand dunes, which were the only line of defense in the beach towns. All of the sand on the beach was washed away; you can barely see that the sand dunes end as a cliff dropping into the waves.

More beach erosion.

In some areas, the storm surge went over the sand dunes and flooded the town. Here is the water on Pennsylvania Avenue, two blocks inland.


Pictures from around Bethany Beach





