Those dunes do everyone a favor

The Maryland Shoreline Protection Project, as the creation of a system of dunes on the beach was called, was completed in 1994. Getting to that point, however, involved a good deal of lobbying and cajoling by two women, whose task it was to convince beachfront property owners to sign over easements so the dunes could be built.

Nancy Howard, who went on to become a member of the City Council in Ocean City, and Charlotte Cathell, who became and continues to serve as Worcester County's Register of Wills, literally worked day and night to get that job done.

Since that time, according to Ocean City's engineering department, those dunes have saved the resort an estimated $238 million in damages. That $238 million, however, does not include the damage the dunes prevented last week.

Chewed up as they were by the two-day nor'easter, the dunes did exactly what they were supposed to do: absorb the blows of an angry ocean that otherwise would flood into homes and businesses along the eastern side of this island.

Although severely eroded, the sand dunes are still larger than they were originally and, in any event, the portion of them that was lost will be restored.

It is true that they do block the view of the beach for many condominium homeowners and they can make the trek to the beach for some a little more arduous. But the fact remains that the extra steps beachgoers have to take because of them are no big deal and, more importantly, without those dunes people wouldn't care much for the view they would have had on Monday.