The "Slide"

[DZ]

Here is an interesting photo I took last November of Barlow's Point, Block Island. The eyes of most surf fishermen will immediately notice the wonderful looking water and water front homes - but this photo focuses on the bluff itself and how erosion affects the island. Notice the brush (dark brown area) on the bluff face below the homes - this brush was once the "backyard" of those homes - they lost a good chunk of their property on a rainy night a few years back. When an entire bluff slides it sometimes does so in a big chunk (called mass wasting). This is a perfect example on how a new boulder point begins to form or expand. This area (I nicknamed "The Slide") extended into the ocean but as the loose soil was washed away by the surf the boulders remained forming some new structure that is now home to lobsters, crabs, baitfish, and striped bass. Next time you're fishing in an area - take time to appreciate your surroundings.