BOWERS BEACH, Del. - The nor’easter has moved on, but neighbors in Bowers Beach are left cleaning up sand, debris and the effects of significant beach erosion.
Days of strong winds, rain and high tides pushed water and sand into the community, with residents saying the storm lingered longer than expected.
"This one was scarier because it just didn't seem like it was going to stop ever," said Bowers Beach resident Mark Stepanik.
Bob McDevitt said the latest storm brought a roughly six-foot high tide, compared with tides around five feet earlier in the week.
The high water and waves also took a toll on the shoreline.
"The sand that they put in a year ago is gone, it's down near the jetty and a lot of it washed in too," McDevitt said.
Residents with beachfront properties estimate about 14 feet of dune was lost in some areas. Sections of fencing were also destroyed, with pieces washing up along the shoreline.
"We got a ton of sand in the street," McDevitt said. "It doesn't look like much, but when you start to sweep it, it just multiplies."
Neighbors are now cleaning up the aftermath while looking toward possible solutions to restore the beach.
Stepanik said the latest damage highlights the need for a longer-term approach to protecting Bowers Beach.
"This is scary and we need a permanent or a longer standing resolution to it. Not just simply 'sprinkle a little sand on it every year and you'll be okay,'" Stepanik said.
For now, community members are watching the shoreline — and hoping the beach can be restored before the next major storm.
