Issue #33, November 10, 2006

Saving Montauk

Both the Surfer Community and the Lighthouse are Montauk Icons

By David Lion Rattiner

It is no secret that the shoreline where the Montauk Lighthouse stands is slowly but surely being chipped away by the ocean’s waves. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have found an answer to the erosion problem however, by constructing a revetment surrounding the Montauk Lighthouse that will stretch 840 feet long and be reinforced with 12.6 tons of stone.

The surfers of the community, headed by the Surfrider Foundation, have voiced their concerns about the revetment, because they are afraid that reinforcing the Lighthouse will damage the waves at Turtle Cove and the legendary surf spot, The Alamo.

Although it is possible that the waves may change from the project, it is extremely important, if not vital, to the community of Montauk to recognize the importance of the Montauk Lighthouse and the value that it has as the beating heart of the community, drawing tourists from all over the world. It is officially a historical landmark and countless efforts by good members of the community such as Dick and Betsy White and Joe Gaviola of Montauk have been working tirelessly to ensure that the lighthouse stays intact and can withstand the elements in the future. “We are thinking 75 years into the future,” Mr. Gaviola said to me on the telephone.

What are the options?

Well, it is clear that the revetment is the most reasonable and doable option and as much as we would like to move the Lighthouse back from the shoreline to protect it, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, it simply is not feasible because the structure is too fragile and it is also located on top of a hill, unlike the Lighthouse in Block Island that was moved back to protect from erosion. Moving the Montauk Lighthouse back would cause a very high possibility of damage to the structure. Also, moving the Lighthouse back would lower the elevation and would cause the view of it from far away to be blocked. The engineers are not in favor of moving the Lighthouse back and neither is the historical society of Montauk because doing something like that will automatically make it non-historical, since it will no longer be in its original location. This will also cause loss of funding for the Lighthouse on a federal level.

Can we put in beach fill? Yes, we can put in beach fill, but it doesn’t make any sense to do this because beach fill is a very, very temporary solution and for a structure as valuable as the Lighthouse, it simply is not logical, according to experts. T-groins with beach fill would change the shoreline drastically, costing a great deal of money, and a no-action plan would ultimately subject the Lighthouse to a large storm and threaten its stability. It could also change the waves as well at the Lighthouse, so neither party would be very happy from this solution.

From the Army Corps of Engineers’ perspective, it seems that the problems they are foreseeing with the construction of a revetment are not that significant. They predict short-term impacts on public access, sightseeing, fishing, surfing and hiking during construction, but believe the long-term benefits would outweigh the short-term impacts.

From a surfer’s perspective, it is vital to remember the historical value of this structure and the value that it has to the community and that a new wave break may form near that area that is just as good. Also, from a surfer’s perspective, it is important to remember that as time goes on, even if no erosion control is put into place, the break will change, naturally.

From a non-surfer’s perspective, it is important to remember the value of the surfers and how they contribute to the community of Montauk and all of Long Island for that matter. We are talking about a serious economic force of “dudes.” Surfers from all over the world go to Ditch Plains for the break and legends such as Joel Tudor have been molded there. People enjoy the surf culture and visit Montauk to experience it. There are countless surf shops, suppliers, teachers and camps that all operate because there are waves in Montauk. If the Montauk Lighthouse is the heart of Montauk, the surfers are the blood that’s pumped through it. When an erosion project is set in motion, the Surfrider Foundation should be fully informed, and if they have a suggestion it should be heard and acted upon if it is something that can be done.

Both sides need to try to agree on what is best for the community. Allowing the Lighthouse to fall into the ocean is not an option. Moving it back is not an option.

Not protecting the Lighthouse has no positive outcome and everyone in Suffolk County can agree on that.