While some sites in Cape Cod remain relatively unchanged, dating back hundreds of years, the coastline is ever changing, perhaps most evident in locations such as Chatham’s Outer Beach. As erosion has been a big concern for town leaders and residents over the years, so has the impact of strong storms, continuously leaving an ever-changing mark on the area. The waves and wind have made a real impact on the beach already, as the sands of the outer beach continually move and take new shape.
In fact, years ago a barrier beach reached from Orleans to the southern edge of Monomoy Point. A strong storm changed that in the late 1950s, splitting the area from the mainland, followed up years later by a massive blizzard that again changed the form of the island