Tag: pilings

Open the Hatches: Our Storm Adventure in Provincetown

We recently returned from a nice, long vacation in Provincetown. We had a bit of an adventure on September 29th when we weathered a storm in a house and deck surrounded on three sides by water.

We were renting the condominium apartment you see here sitting on a seawall with a deck on pilings. This photo was taken at low tide.

At high tide, the area next to the house fills with water. This is wonderful for sleeping to the sound of lapping waves …

… but it's not ideal when a major storm is brewing. One of the staff members came by to warn us that our deck would not be available during the storm because he would have to open the hatches.

Here's the view of the open deck from the condo at low tide.

Slowly the water rose.

A few hours later the waves were breaking through the open hatches. We believe this is done to protect the seawall. It really seemed to work well and it was fun to watch as the water rose. Since we were told they have been doing this for 30 years, we figured it must be a great system.

Here's the area along the seawall during the storm.

This bay window on the other side of the building took a direct hit from a big wave and the large deck on this side was well decorated with seaweed.

Fortunately, the wind changed direction and calmed substantially before high tide. The sun breaking through was a very welcome sight.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 22, 2015
He’s Testing Groundwater Levels

We came upon Christian Simonelli, the Boston Groundwater Trust's Technical & Recharge Coordinator, measuring the groundwater level in a Beacon Street test well. He admitted he's been receiving some curious looks in recent days so we decided to tell everyone what he's doing. If you notice him at work, you'll see that he is identified as a Boston Groundwater Trust worker.

Wells are monitored in areas of Boston where groundwater levels may endanger the integrity of building foundations. How that happens is a long story but you can read all about it under the FAQ here.

Here's a map of the wells around the city. You can find the ones near your home or a property you are preparing to purchase. Then, you can keep track of the levels of groundwater.

Here's a real estate shopping tip. In Boston, you should ask about the groundwater implications of any building as a part of your due diligence. Replacing or reinforcing the pilings that hold up a building is a very expensive project and you will want to know if it has already been done or if it is likely to be done during your ownership.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Mother's Day, graduation or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

May 8, 2013
He’s Testing Groundwater Levels

We came upon Christian Simonelli, the Boston Groundwater Trust's Technical & Recharge Coordinator, measuring the groundwater level in a Beacon Street test well. He admitted he's been receiving some curious looks in recent days so we decided to tell everyone what he's doing. If you notice him at work, you'll see that he is identified as a Boston Groundwater Trust worker.

Wells are monitored in areas of Boston where groundwater levels may endanger the integrity of building foundations. How that happens is a long story but you can read all about it under the FAQ here.

Here's a map of the wells around the city. You can find the ones near your home or a property you are preparing to purchase. Then, you can keep track of the levels of groundwater.

Here's a real estate shopping tip. In Boston, you should ask about the groundwater implications of any building as a part of your due diligence. Replacing or reinforcing the pilings that hold up a building is a very expensive project and you will want to know if it has already been done or if it is likely to be done during your ownership.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Mother's Day, graduation or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

May 8, 2013
He’s Testing Groundwater Levels

We came upon Christian Simonelli, the Boston Groundwater Trust's Technical & Recharge Coordinator, measuring the groundwater level in a Beacon Street test well. He admitted he's been receiving some curious looks in recent days so we decided to tell everyone what he's doing. If you notice him at work, you'll see that he is identified as a Boston Groundwater Trust worker.

Wells are monitored in areas of Boston where groundwater levels may endanger the integrity of building foundations. How that happens is a long story but you can read all about it under the FAQ here.

Here's a map of the wells around the city. You can find the ones near your home or a property you are preparing to purchase. Then, you can keep track of the levels of groundwater.

Here's a real estate shopping tip. In Boston, you should ask about the groundwater implications of any building as a part of your due diligence. Replacing or reinforcing the pilings that hold up a building is a very expensive project and you will want to know if it has already been done or if it is likely to be done during your ownership.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Mother's Day, graduation or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

May 8, 2013
Nature as Sculptor

What do you see in this weathered wooden pile?

On our last two trips to Provincetown, I spent time photographing the details of this group of weathered piles.

I find them fascinating. They change personality with the light, the tides, and the day.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

May 5, 2012