New Bedford Resident Reveals What It’s Really Like Living Outside the Hurricane Barrier

As I was thinking about storm preparations here in at my own house, I began thinking about the people who live by the coastline. Specifically, those who live out on the peninsula of New Bedford's South End, beyond the hurricane barrier. When those gates close, what goes through their minds?

A friend of mine who lives down there had shared her concerns about the nor'easter on Facebook, and honestly, it was eye opening. We know about the barrier protecting New Bedford, but what about the neighbors living outside it?

I reached out to a good friend of mine and coworker here at Fun 107, Susan Pimentel, who has lived in her current home for 41 years. She grew up in the area, spent 11 years in Fairhaven and eventually moved back. Let's just say she’s seen enough storms to know what the ocean can leave behind.

When the Gates Close

“It’s an eerie feeling when they close that dike,” Pimentel said. “It’s very eerie.”

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Bedford’s hurricane barrier was completed in January 1966, and the project protects approximately 1,400 acres across New Bedford, Fairhaven and Acushnet. For Pimentel, whose home sits outside that protection, a closure brings a different perspective. She said Brock Avenue remains her way out when the roadway gates close.

New Bedford Hurricane Barrier

Hurricane Bob Left a Lasting Impression

The storm that stands out most in Pimentel’s memory is Hurricane Bob, which struck southeastern New England on August 19th, 1991. She remembers being evacuated before returning to a neighborhood marked by flooding and fallen trees.

“The police came down the street and knocked on our doors and told us to leave,” she said.

New Bedford South End Peninsula

When she returned, Pimentel recalled water on Rodney French Boulevard reaching the bottom of a car door and extending onto the lawns of the first row of houses. Once the water receded, she remembered seeing fish and lobsters left behind.

The wind was also nothing to joke about. Pimentel said a massive tree uprooted in her backyard, taking out part of her fence and damaging a neighbor’s porch before landing on her deck. It missed her house, but left a huge hole in the yard and a story she'll never forget.

Watching the Trees, Too

When I asked whether approaching storms still make her nervous, Pimentel answered, “A little bit.” She said she hasn’t experienced water damage since Bob.

“I worry about the wind, mostly,” she said.

READ MORE: Here's What SouthCoast Residents Are Panic Buying

Again, I'm sure everything will be fine. From my home in Dartmouth, it’s easy to hear that New Bedford’s barrier is closing and move on with my day. However, thanks to Pimentel's insight, beyond those gates, neighbors are watching the same forecast with a very different view from their windows, and I'm counting my blessings.