BETHANY BEACH, Del. — As the sun returns to the Delmarva coastline, the aftermath of Hurricane Erin is still being felt from Rehoboth Beach to Chincoteague. Beach erosion, high water and widespread sand deposits are keeping cleanup crews busy — and many popular beaches closed at least in part.
In Bethany Beach, the ocean water surged past the shoreline, reaching the dunes and flooding walkways. Heavy equipment was brought in to remove sand from key access points as lifeguards kept people behind barriers. Two buoys were placed to keep visitors on the boardwalk and off the sand, though plenty of curious onlookers came to see the storm’s impact for themselves.
The dunes held up at the Indian River Inlet but did suffer erosion
Bethany’s main roadways briefly became waterways, with water creeping into driveways. Meanwhile, at the Indian River Inlet, recently restored dunes largely held up, but a wide layer of sand now covers much of the area after being eroded by waves.
Bayside flooding hit Fenwick Island
Further south in Fenwick Island, floodwaters from the bay are still covering parts of the town. Streets remain difficult to navigate, with some cars pushing through standing water as the tide slowly recedes.
Ocean City also saw heavy beach erosion. In many places, beachgoers are now forced to gather right against the dune line. At the Inlet, public works crews are removing sand from the parking lot and repairing a damaged beach walkway.
In Assateague, work crews were spotted clearing sand from roadways and trails under a continuing red flag warning, keeping swimmers out of the water. Maryland’s wild ponies appeared undisturbed, roaming the beaches as surfers took advantage of the large waves left behind.
As another August weekend approaches, the long-term impacts of storms like Erin serve as a reminder that Mother Nature ultimately controls the future of the coast.