The 2007 Breach of Norton Point

Norton Point is a beautiful strip of barrier beach that runs from Katama to Wasque, often times connecting Martha’s Vineyard to

Chappaquiddick

On April 17, 2007 (Patriot’s Day), a particularly strong storm, together with powerful spring tides, caused a breach, or a cut, right

through the beach. It was a rather severe event.

It was so severe, and so much sand was removed, that a previously buried whale skeleton was exposed

But this is certainly not the first time that Norton Point was cut.This map from 1894 shows a breach that occurred from

the Gale of 1886

Norton Point has breached several times since that Gale of 1886: The famous 1938 hurricane, Hurricane Edna in 1954, and Hurricane Bob

in 1991. This photo is after Hurricane Bob. Notice what is happening to that cut, just four days after the storm.

The 2007 cut, however, seems deeper and wider. Look at these diagrams of Norton Point over a fourteen year period after the breach from Hurricane Edna (1954). Not all cuts heal quickly.

Barrier beaches (like Norton Point) change constantly, storms and no storms. This is Monomoy Point, off Cape Cod ,over a two hundred

and twenty five year period.

Norton Point is also changing constantly. Compare the photograph on the right (1992) to the photo on the left (2003).

But for now, Chappaquiddick really is a “separate island”, as the name means in the Wamponoag language.

And what will become of this latest breach at Norton Point?Only time will tell.