If you regularly visit Chatham Lighthouse and take the nearby stairs down to the beach below, you probably know of the seaside “shack” that sits upon the low dune about 1/3 mile away. Known as “Occupy Chatham South Beach,” a nod to the disagreement between locals and the Cape Cod National Seashore over who controls the land, the Shack just celebrated its sixth anniversary in February.
Six years! That achievement is impressive considering how similarly located beach camps, dune shacks, even waterfront homes, have succumbed to storms, tides and shifting sands of the Atlantic Ocean.
Despite originally being erected from storm debris, the Shack has grown considerably in size, features and interest. Downright affection is a better description. The charming decorative touches illustrate community spirit and has contributed to shaping Chatham’s coastal identity.
Some refer to the structure as a “totem,” a natural object believed to have spiritual significance in the community. The Shack was featured by the Chatham Orpheum’s pre-movie visual tour of town, as it has “become an iconic image of the local community.”
Signs have been added over time, and people have carved their names or words into the drift wood. Christmas lights have shined during the holiday season powered by a solar panel once; and 1/4 mile extension chord another time. Tom Birch, the shack’s “keeper of the flag,” maintains a stars and stripes presence on the roof. It also has its own shark warning flag, though there are plenty of large signs on the beach that promote shark safety. The Facebook group, Occupy Chatham South Beach, has over 1,300 followers. The Shack was even painted on a whale as part of the Art in the Park exhibit at Kate Gould Park last summer.
The Shack is becoming better known with each passing year. Multiple engagements, selfies, meditations and even parties have occurred at the Shack. For good luck or just to be part of the story, people have left behind an item, ideally natural or native to Cape Cod. There is also a guestbook for visitors to sign. Though, good luck finding it as it is often buried in the sand.
Speaking of sand, recent storms have eroded the coast and knocked down dunes on nearby North Beach Island. The inner shore on which the shack is located is now more susceptible to the Atlantic Ocean.
So happy 6th birthday and/or anniversary to the Shack. May this cobbled together natural wonder bring laughter, peace, and hope to all who pass by. If a collection of driftwood on the shores of an unforgiving Atlantic Ocean can defy the odds of getting swept out to sea, so too can we persevere in the challenges that lay ahead.