Nauset Light Beach, Eastham (Part 1)

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Perfect fine sand, a little wave action going on, bright sun and blue skies – step down and visit one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

Nauset Light Beach is in Eastham, about one mile north of Coast Guard Beach. Driving along the road, suddenly there is a stop sign and this:

Nauset Light. It comes up on you quite suddenly if you are not expecting it to be right on the road, and the realization hits that the sea one cannot see is also right there.

Constructed in 1877, Nauset Light was moved from Chatham, Massachusetts, to Eastham in 1923. (For more history on it, The National Parks Service has it here.)

A very welcoming entrance, and considering the one we approached at Coast Guard Beach went nowhere, this looked hopeful with stairs visible at the end. Look back at the top image, and this is what greets you – a long way down and dune cliffs to either side.

I don’t know how many times I said “wow!” and “Oh!” during this Sunday’s journey, but many of them were here. The beauty is just incredible.

Pipes coming out on the left side hint of the changes in the dunes from this winter. Having never been here before, I have no way to compare. (But now I’m ready for future years.)

We just don’t see these “glacial scarps” (see link at end) so dramatically on the protected southern shore of Cape Cod.

Judging by the footprints, this beach is just as popular in the off season.

I couldn’t resist this shot.

There is one rock visible in the water, attracting the curious.

Enjoy.

A lone bicycle tire track. We wondered about the big over sized, fat tires we saw on a bike in the parking lot.

What a peaceful ride it must have been.

Part 2 on Nauset Light Beach tomorrow………

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Erosion is a natural phenomenon on Cape Cod. In fact, much of what we enjoy about Cape Cod today is the by-product of natural erosion. Wide sandy beaches are nourished by sand taken from the glacial scarp cliff faces. All of the Province Lands, as well as Nauset Spit, North Beach, Monomoy Island, and Sandy Neck were created by the long shore transportation and redeposition of sand. If erosion of the outer beach cliffs could somehow be halted, these formations would also disappear.

From The National Seashore/NPS page here.

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