Shored Up

As the relentless march of sea-level rise accelerates, the documentary "Shored Up" serves as a stark warning, urging immediate action to mitigate the devastating consequences. Filmed over three years, the film delves into the intricate web of political conflicts, personal stakes, and expert insights that define the fragile communities along the shoreline. From the resilient residents of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, "Shored Up" weaves a complex tapestry of voices, exposing the profound shortcomings in coastal management and the urgent need for transformation.

Through intimate conversations with scientists, politicians, and everyday individuals, the film reveals the intricate dance between human nature and geological forces. As the camera captures the eerie quiet before Hurricane Sandy's destruction, it serves as a haunting foreshadowing of the storm's catastrophic aftermath. The resulting devastation is a powerful testament to the consequences of ignoring the realities of geology in our pursuit of coastal development and profit.

"Shored Up" is a clarion call to awaken us to the crisis unfolding along our coastlines. From its roots as a feature documentary, it evolves into an immersive experience across multiple platforms: interactive website, mobile app, and game. This multimedia odyssey transports viewers into the heart of the story, immersing them in the rhythms of the sand, waves, storms, and history that define our tumultuous romance with the wild.

Through the eyes of passionate surfers like Jon Coen and John Weber, we see the ocean's fury firsthand: the same forces that create exhilarating surfing waves also threaten to engulf their communities. As the film explores the intricate relationships between scientists, politicians, and residents along Long Beach Island and the Outer Banks, it reveals a nuanced narrative that will captivate and engage viewers. Ultimately, "Shored Up" poses a poignant question: as our coastlines succumb to the forces of nature, can we find the courage to make the choices necessary to ensure a sustainable future?

In the tranquil haven of Long Beach Island (LBI), nestled off New Jersey's coast, the rhythms of summer and winter collide in a delicate dance. As sun-kissed beaches teem with revellers and ice cream trucks cater to their sweet tooth, the fury of Noreasters and occasional hurricanes awakens, reshaping the island's contours. The waves' relentless pounding scours the sand, rearranges dunes, and occasionally cleaves the barrier island in two, leaving devastation in its wake. Behind the façade of tourist attractions, ice cream parlors, and sunny dispositions, a decade-old struggle brews between surfers and the Army Corps of Engineers over beach replenishment - a seemingly innocuous endeavour designed to safeguard property and infrastructure from erosion's ravages. However, this engineering solution has unforeseen consequences: buried and altered surf breaks, an alarming spike in back and neck injuries, and a severely degraded sea floor ecosystem. For Coen (character) and Weber (character), dedicated surfer-conservationists, these impacts are egregious enough. Yet, beach replenishment also obscures a far more profound issue. This endeavour is but one aspect of a colossal cycle of unsustainable development that leaves us perilously exposed to unforeseen threats along the coast. As legislative bodies rewrite laws to ignore sea level rise, beach replenishment has morphed from a means to maintain sand on the beach and tourists in their towels into a perilous game of chicken with nature - a gambit that imperils not only the island's ecology but also its very existence.

As the documentary Shored Up embarks on a journey from Long Beach Island to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it delves into the contentious issue that has been at the forefront of coastal conversations: sea level rise. For years, progressive regulations have governed coastal engineering projects in North Carolina, carefully balancing development and preservation to protect sensitive coastal ecosystems. However, as the Tea Party's influence grows, these policies are now under threat. The stakes become even higher during the annual Coastal Resource Committee meeting, where pro-development lobbyists aggressively push for changes that disregard scientific consensus and instead prioritize economic interests.

Prominent scientists, including Orrin Pilkey, Stan Riggs, and Rob Young, engage in a spirited debate with local mayors and business leaders like Harry Simmons and Tommy Thompson. The science panel's role in shaping policy is systematically eroded as the discussion devolves into nonsensical rhetoric, and national press coverage amplifies this once-local issue through outlets such as Scientific American and the Colbert Report.

Throughout its journey, Shored Up weaves a rich tapestry of historical context by interviewing historians, citizens, and mayors, including Deborah Whitcraft, Margaret Schram, and Jonathon Oldham. This nuanced approach illuminates the complex evolution of development along the Atlantic coast, revealing a new flashpoint in the national climate change discourse.

As millions of people worldwide live at or near sea level, it becomes increasingly imperative to establish a unified plan for the future of our coasts. While few would dispute that sea levels are indeed rising, the question remains: what's hindering the development of a shared vision? Shored Up sets out to uncover the answers, shedding light on this pressing issue and its far-reaching implications.