Beach project beats superstorm

Two-thirds of Longboat Key’s beach sits under water in the Gulf of Mexico to protect the Key from storms.
The beach width of Nags Head, N.C., left, was in poor shape prior to summer 2011. After a major beach renourishment that summer, right, the beach was widened on and off shore, which protected the town as Superstorm Sandy churned past the coastline in October. Courtesy of town of Nags Head, N.C.
The beach width of Nags Head, N.C., left, was in poor shape prior to summer 2011. After a major beach renourishment that summer, right, the beach was widened on and off shore, which protected the town as Superstorm Sandy churned past the coastline in October. Courtesy of town of Nags Head, N.C.