North Shore residents continue to prepare for Sandy

NEWBURYPORT, Mass. (WHDH) -- Along the North Shore Friday residents continued to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.

7News was told Friday the Army Corp of Engineers has allowed Plum Island residents to scrape the beach which will slow down the tide as it starts to encroach on waterfront houses.

“I guess they evacuate if it gets bad and the causeway always floods. It’s going to be a full moon, high tide. I mean, it’s going to be the perfect storm,” said Judy Hughes.

Hughes grew up on the Plum Island beach and said she’s done all she can to prepare.

“I put the deck furniture away. Anything that could act as a projectile,” Hughes said.

The beach has been cleared of logs and anything winds might pick up. Traps have been pulled and boats have been tied down south of Plum Island.

“Today I’m just sort of protecting my boat and my interests and batting down the hatches,” one man said.

But it’s not just the coastline that’s expecting to get hit. People have moved some aircrafts of the runway at Plum Island Airfield.

“The thing we worry about is wind and we worry about whether our aircraft is tied down properly,” said one man.

Now, it’s just a matter of time before Sandy moves in, and islanders know if they have to move out.

“I really do believe sometimes in about 20 years, Plum Island won’t even be here unfortunately,” one woman said.

Some residents with waterfront homes on Plum Island have paid for bulldozers to scrape the beach to prevent further erosion.