A massive Cape Cod home is perched on a sandy hill that sits over a beach, and the land beneath the home has nearly eroded away.
According to the NY Post, is it not a matter of if, but rather, when. The multi-million dollar home, which overlooks Cape Cod Bay itself, is set to tumble into the water within the next three years. The home is large, at 5,100 square feet. Sliding doors, which used to open to a massive deck, have been barricaded by thin wooden slats. The idea is, that the physical boundary will keep anyone from stepping outside and falling 25 feet to the beach below.
The owner of the Cape Cod home had been aware of the trouble caused by erosion for a while. The owner had previously removed the deck and other parts of the home. Interestingly, the owner has now sold the property to a salvage company. The trouble is, the salvage company says it will not pay for the work.
Officials are now concerned that the home's collapse will damage beds in the harbor where farmers grow oysters. In New England, these oysters are some of the most prized.
The home's impending disastrous end is a reminder of the fragile nature of building along the cape. John Cumbler, who serves on the Wellfleet Conservation Commission, says that the "cape has always been moving." Cumbler - who is a retired environmental history professor in his own right - continued on to mention the sand itself "is moving."
As such, building on the cape has always been, and will always be, a risky business. Moreover, the rise in sea level has apparently accelerated in recent years.
Beautiful Cape Cod Home On The Verge Of Collapse Into Sea
The Cape Cod house was originally built in 2010, on the bay side of the peninsula. The original owners did seek permission in 2018 to build a seawall, which would have been intended to stave off erosion.
Although the wall may seem like a good idea now, it was rejected by the Wellfleet Conservation Commission. The seven members were certainly skeptical of the wall's ability to save the home. Likewise, concerns regarding the effects on the beach itself were the reason for the denial of the wall.
