VIDEO: Surging Surf Pounds King's Beach

From Swampscott to Lynn Monday's high tide brought water over the seawall splashing on to the walkway.

  Walkers ducked and leashed dogs darted Monday at noon on Lynn Shore Drive. It was high tide and the shore rumbled as waves rolled to the seawall.  Salty spray soaked anyone in its path, splashing the pavement and road to the cymbal-like sound of crashing water. The scene from Swampscott looking toward Red Rock Park in Lynn was dramatic. Feathery waves climbed the seawall from right to left then burst upward like waterfalls inverted. Traffic slowed, people got out of their cars and walkers paused to get a look at the seaside show.

• Videos (1)

VIDEO: King's Beach on Sunday Afternoon

King's Beach had plenty of activity Sunday including walkers and paddle surfers.

  Sunday's sunshine brought walkers to Lynn Shore Drive and paddle-boarders to the King's Beach surf. Beachcombers searched for rocks, sea glass, shells and other low-tide treasure in unlikely places — the base of the seawall and even the road's edge. Friday's storm tossed lobster traps and their bait bags and rope to the base of the wall, too. Gulls scavenged by the waterline finding food among piles of red seaweed and green eel grass and broken clam shells.

• Videos (1)

Town Votes to Transfer King's Beach Maintenance to State

Local officials think the transfer is a longshot.

With little hope of success, the Board of Selectmen voted Wednesday night to begin the process of asking the state legislature to have the Department of Conservation and Recreation to take over the maintenance of King's Beach. The DCR already maintains the beach in Lynn, but stops at the Swampscott line. Town Administrator Thomas Younger said the difference in the lighting, the wall and the railings on the beach in Lynn was far superior to that in Swampscott. The town took over maintenance of King's Beach from the state in 1968. Younger said, "It is doubtful if any legislation would pass if the state agency opposes it." But he and the Board of Selectmen argued that it would be good to start the process in the event that the state gets more…

• Photos (4)

Sidewalk Work Underway at King's Beach

Gravel washed out from underneath the sidewalk at the far end of King's Beach.

  Public Works crews and contractors have been at work replacing about a 60-foot section of sidewalk at King's Beach by Red Rock Bistro. Work on the estimated two- to three-week job started a week ago, right before Election Day. Public Works Director Gino Cresta said the work was needed because the sidewalk was settling. Gravel had washed out from under the walkway after a nearby storm drain collapsed, he said. Crews removed the curbing, excavated the old concrete sidewalk and gravelly material below and repaired the storm drain. The curbing has been reset, subgrade material installed and compacted and a portion of the new concrete sidewalk poured. The King's Beach sidewalk is a popular, ocean-side walking route. People often socialize at …

• Photos (4)

Town Interested in Transferring King's Beach Maintenance to the State

Selectmen are interested in the idea, especially the chairman.

  The Board of Selectmen on Wednesday were receptive to a proposal by Town Administrator Thomas Younger to open discussions with the Commonwealth about the state taking over maintenance of King's Beach. The selectmen's Chairman Richard Malagrifa said he has been advocating that the state take over ownership of King's Beach since he was first on the board. King's Beach extends from Swampscott to Lynn. The Swampscott section is located across from Monument Avenue. He said, "It just makes sense" for the state to assume control of the beach. Of concern to the town is the potential costs of fixing the infrastructure at the beach, including a crumbling pedestrian ramp.

• Photos (5)

One Lucky Duck

A storm-tossed eider duckling washed up on King's Beach last weekend and was rescued by a dog, its owner and the Swampscott animal control officer.

  Eiders are big strong sea ducks that dive 40 to 50 feet in cold Atlantic water and rip mussels from rocks and swallow them whole. But as downy hatchlings they are vulnerable to a similar fate from big hungry seagulls. After last week's ocean storm, a King's Beach walker — alerted by his German shepherd — rescued an eider duckling wrapped in seaweed at the Swampscott shore. The man brought the duckling home and later talked to Diane Treadwell, Swampscott's animal control officer. Diane picked up the duckling and drove it to the Marblehead Animal Shelter for care. It was a couple weeks old, and already it had a strong beak. "He was really cute," she said. Cute but panicky. Diane figured the eider got separated in the storm from its fellow …

• Photos (3)

Coastal Flood Warning Remains in Effect For Monday Night

Splash over and flooding in low lying areas is possible along beach tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

  The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning for Monday night and into Tuesday morning. On Sunday night the weather service issued a similar warning. At high tide, waves slapped against the King's Beach wall and splashed on to the Lynn Shore sidewalk. A combination of high astronomical tides and a strong storm off the coast led to Sunday's warning, said meteorologist Benjamin Sipprell of the National Weather Service in Taunton. The town sets up barricades along portions of Humphrey Street if water starts rushing over the street. The Fisherman's and Phillips Beach area are susceptible to coastal flooding, officials say.

• Photos (6)

Patch Poll

Poll: Move a Welcome to Swampscott Sign?

This week we move from politics to art. We are asking people if they prefer that the King's Beach artwork that welcomes people to town be moved to the high school.

Last week we ran a political poll about the Sixth Congressional District race. Here are the results: How would Tisei fare among Swampscott voters in a Sixth District race against Tierney? Total votes: 70   This week's question springs from a thought of Angela Ippolito's. After the last Historical Commission meeting ended, Angela suggested that the art work posted at King's Beach be moved to the high school. This is her own idea not a Commission initiative and no action is being taken to carry it out. She said she wants the art work to be moved to a place where it is protected from the elements — say, the high school, since it was a high school project. Another sign would go up in its place at King's Beach. Even though there is Plexiglas …

• Photos (6)

Sea Notes: Stories on the Swampscott Waterfront

NEW VIDEO: Waders Anchor Sailboat in Wild Surf

Three young men and a young woman anchored a wave-tossed sailboat that was drifting toward shore Sunday.

Three young men and a young woman anchored a wave-tossed sailboat that was drifting toward shore Sunday. At the end of the video, two people hold the anchor line to another sailboat that was moved from a spot near the rocks to a better anchor spot. Sailboat owners planned to return to their boats on Monday to move them back to Fisherman's Beach.

•  4 Comments
• Videos (1)

Susan Booras

6:58 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Hey, one of those four "boys" was my daughter, Anna Booras!   more ›

Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day

A seagull's flight.

A seagull flies through the cloudy sky on King's Beach.  Many people enjoyed the sun earlier in the day, until the clouds started to come in.  A few stragglers stayed behind. 

• Photos (1)