Bringing Back Norton Point
Trustees of Reservations Assume Management of Barrier Beach; Shorebird Protection Increases but Fishing Access Preserved
By IAN FEIN
Stretching from Metcalf's Hole to Mattakesett Creek, bordered by the calm surface of Katama Bay and the rough waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Norton Point Beach is a spectacular place - offering popular spots for shellfishermen and surfcasters, prime habitat for rare shorebirds, and a vital access route for people going to and from Chappaquiddick.
Unspoiled beaches. A quiet, rural island community. Canoes and kayaks for rent. Cool caps and T-shirts for sale. Hundreds of cars.
Limits on nighttime access to the beach, except for fishing.
The Vineyard could see as many as 7,032 more homes on its 17,475 remaining acres of developable land, officials from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) said at an Island forum held Thursday night.
"That's a relatively short time frame to be faced with some tough choices," said Christian Jacqz, director of Massachusetts Geographic Information System, in a presentation to Island officials at the Howes House in West Tisbury.
The new Dike Bridge is complete and now open for pedestrian traffic.
The Cape Pogue beach - two miles of it - including virtually all the strip with the ocean on one side and Cape Pogue Bay on the other, has been g