Cleanup begins after storm surge wreaks havoc on P.E.I. shoreline

Harbours around the Island are taking stock of damage after Thursday's storm surge.

Sheila Eastman, the harbour manager for North Lake, said the storm surge eroded the dunes by about three meters.

"It's amazing as much as it is horrible when you think about all the work that's ahead," she said. "Mother Nature's an incredible lady and this was her show."

Some of the North Lake Harbour buildings were damaged and Eastman noticed a few sinkholes around the property. The mess left from the storm will take a while to clean up, she said.

Eastman said the province has been notified about the damage. She is concerned that sand and debris in the harbour will require extra dredging, but they won't know for sure until the spring.

At Basin Head on P.E.I.'s southeastern shore, fisherman Jeff MacNeill said the damage could have been much worse had it not been for the rocks and seawall.

"With this breakwater, like it definitely held a lot of the dune from drifting away yesterday with all the water coming through it probably held thousands and thousands of yards of sand there for sure."

He said he thinks the storm may affectthe fishing industry.

"With the sea over there smashing on the surf, it's got to be hard on our lobster bottom for sure."

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