Yeah that makes sense as the powder hole is in one of the thickest parts of the island. unless it is a break connecting the powder hole to the sound???
Fred, if you look at the third aerial you posted, dated 24 Feb., you'll notice the wasp-waist land bridge. If that is where the break occurred, it isn't that far from the old Southway. We fished the structure on the sound side a few years ago, and can't wait to get back, if in fact a break occurred, and it stays open.
The GE imagery change is something Ive been waiting for, I don't know what the dates of the last set were, but they were pretty old. The changes on the Bay side are quite dramatic as are Monomoy and Nauset Marsh, I wish I could go back and look at the old pics now and compare them with the new ones, just to be able to see trends, anyway got to be thankful for what we've got.
Jon
That most recent set today is from may 21 2010. So it's what we saw last year and a bit of a cold shower for me:Eyecrazy: . The previous set was 2008 I believe.
Depending on the version of GE you have there is an imagery history function you can turn on under tools or views up on the menu.
The new break is somewhere in the vicinity of the drop off point on South Monomoy, which is right where the "bulb" of the island gets narrow north of the tip.
Because of the southward shift of sand in this area, it will either close up when then spit travels south or the current will command the situation and things will really change - a Middle Monomoy Island will be formed.
It is several miles south of the old Southway unfortunately.
If the link passes muster, Powder Hole is way down on the SW corner of Monomoy on the west side about 3/4 mile from the tip... [near to where we get dropped off during Rip Trips]...
Any beneficial breaks need to establish an aggressive flow into and out of the area that served us so well back in the day, prior to the South Way demise...
Soonerorlater...
but...
that being said...
The SEAL problem persists!
As long as they patrol the beaches, the Stripes will continue to favour the deeper outside shoals...
But this also makes me wonder if shallow/hospitable flats also rate high on the seal tolerance meter as well as offshore shoals.
Case in point - there were always plenty of seals at Monomoy from the Southway all the way up to the J bouy and a few beyond but the area was thick with bass.
Sure they would get harassed and I've seen the fish get herded into huddled masses sometimes and slaughtered but overall it did not seem to deter the fish at all from doing their thing on the shallows.
The most dangerous type of habitat for stripers with seals present seems to be the surfline where more than 90% of fish eating sightings I've made have been.
In retrospect, I have seen very few seals actually getting seals (unless hooked by an angler) on the flats over many years.
In addition, I have seen swarms of fish on the flats while seals were present, but not when the water conditions were bad.
My guess is that shallow hospitable flats with food and good oxygen / temperatures are comparably good for stripers despite the presence of seals because seals will not have much success catching them without a bank to press them against.
The only possible significance for boaters if it grows to be like the two breaks to the north (big IF) is that they will save a run around the tip (something like a mile linearly). That ain't much. Google Powder Hole if you're not familiar with it's locale.
About the only thing we can say for sure is that things will become unstable... oh wait they always were
That part of South Monomoy has been thinning the last several years, not building like to the north around the southway. I'll place my bet on that breach persisting, if not immediately, in the near future.
The only possible significance for boaters if it grows to be like the two breaks to the north (big IF) is that they will save a run around the tip (something like a mile linearly). That ain't much. Google Powder Hole if you're not familiar with it's locale.
About the only thing we can say for sure is that things will become unstable... oh wait they always were
Jim - did you call from PA? Must be nice to be retired :lildevl: I asked the photographer via email hadn't heard back yet. So which way is the opening facing?
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge wrote: "Yes Jim, the outlet for Powderhole has indeed moved again by cutting more directly through the beach... at least for the time being but shoreline change is constant as you well know. Anyone visiting the Powder Hole area needs to be mindful of closed area signs of course. Tight lines
So rather than the north facing inlet, the outlet on the Natucket Sound side now cuts anywhere from northwest to west (i.e. more directly) and thus there is no impact to navigation nor increased exchange of sound waters with the Atlantic side (e.g. the "guzzle").
The impact on fishing would be that it may promote a rich tidally available food source for spring and fall stripers to pillage, if not a full invasion than a likely feedbag on the ebb and more interestingly it would likely be revitalized habitat for other estuarine species of the very delicious variety that don't run very fast
I can also presume that the photo is looking south southwest to the gap between Nantucket and the Vineyard and that the breach is of significant size thus the Powder Hole will be excellent habitat perhaps all through the year due to it's proximity to the atlantic (about a mile).
Spoke with Kate yesterday (photo taker / Monomoy official).
The breach is as suspected, a more direct second break in a westerly direction (vs northward inlet). I'll row down there and take a look once it warms up a bit. Should be a good workout and an interesting exploration.
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