The Traveling Wheelchair

3 Fitzpatrick Way
Hull, MA 02045
Phone: 617-727-5290
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/nantask.htm

Sunday my Aunt Nancy, Tony, Kate and I headed to Nantasket Beach to check out the waves caused by  Hurricane BILL while at the same time checking out the wheelchair accessibility of this beach. After reading ‘Nantasket Beach accessible for people with disabilities’ By Jennifer Mann / The Patriot Ledger / August 01, 2009 we were especially interested in seeing all the accessible changes the town of Hull did to make this beach fully wheelchair accessible. This article also mentions that Duxbury Beach  is known for its accommodations for the disabled yet when we recently visited Duxbury Beach we were disappointed to find it not very accessible. 

As for the renovations at Nantasket Beach; we read that the Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse was renovated 12 years ago meeting ADA compliance. In the past five years three other facilities at the beach have been updated meeting ADA requirements; the seawalls were repaired; four ramps were added from the sidewalk to the beach; all handicapped parking spots have been upgraded meeting ADA compliance; and loaner Beach Wheelchairs are available here.

Nantasket Beach, located directly on the Atlantic Ocean is located 20 miles from Boston and is open year round with lifeguards on duty from late June to early September. Nantasket Beach is a long, narrow beach that is maintained by Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and at some point it turns into a private beach; it doesn’t have much sandy beach areas due to severe erosion of the beach that’s occurred during storms of the past. Mother Nature hasn’t been very kind to this beach, especially during the blizzard of 1978 when much of the beach was eroded.

I found an aerial photo of Nantasket Beach showing Nantasket Hotel, State Bath House & Paragon Park on a 1910 postcard. Compare it with recent aerial photo I found on a post card I bought here Sunday. The beach was a lot sandier in 1910!

Nantasket Beach has been a popular summer destination for MANY YEARS. During the 1960’s when my mom and Aunt Nancy were young, they came here for a few weeks each summer to stay with their cousins who had a beach house at Nantasket Beach. My mom and aunt have many FOND MEMORIES OF NANTASKET BEACH; sunning and swimming at this beach; riding on the roller-coaster at the historical Paragon Park ; digging for clams and quahogs at low tide; and making homemade chowder with my Great Aunt Gerry and Great Grandma Mac. Paragon Park is no longer here and was replaced with new condos. The original Paragon Carousel remains at the beach. Band concerts and public dance lessons are still popular summertime events at this beach.

While we were here we reviewed the Parking, the Beach, Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse, Richie Burke Park facility, ‘Ally’s At The Beach’ snack bar, a Pavilion, the historical Paragon Carrousel, and the Paragon Carrousel Gift Shop.

Parking: There are plenty of handicap parking spaces in all the parking lots along this beach. Parking is FREE for disabled with handicap placards. There is direct access to the beach from all handicap parking spaces via wide wheelchair accessible cement ramps. I also saw handicap parking spaces located on the street close to curb-cut outs at the sidewalk. In front of the curb-cuts of the pedestrian crosswalks are mats with raised bumps which are detectable guidance systems for the blind/visually impaired.

Mary Jeanette Murray Bathhouse: This facility was renovated 12 years ago to meet ADA compliance; it has a cement ramp leading into the restroom; all doors are wedged open which makes access easy. The restroom is spacious and wheelchair accessible; the handicap stall is ADA compliant; the accessible sink is of good height but the pipes are not covered which is now ADA required. There are changing room stalls but NONE are wheelchair accessible for they are all too small and none have safety rails. Outdoor showers to rinse off the sand after you leave the beach are accessible; the faucet for the overhead shower and foot shower is at a good height for me to reach.

‘Ally’s At The Beach’: This snack bar is located near the Bathhouse. The ordering counter is at a good height for me to order and reach. There are some picnic tables that are wheelchair accessible because the post that supports the table is positioned directly in the middle of the table, leaving room for me to sit comfortably at the end. It’s the first time I’ve seen these kinds of accessible picnic tables.

Pavilion: I also enjoyed seeing a Pavilion. This area has easy access; it’s nice with much to see including entertainment. A very talented 50’s band performed that made the atmosphere quite interesting. Many folks were dancing to the music! The food was great at a snack bar. Located here is a cement ramp with direct access to the beach. Here the waves were so big that the ocean water splashed up over the wall.

Beach: There are plenty of wide cement wheelchair accessible ramps leading to the beach . A beachgoer told us visitors should CHECK HIGH TIDE before coming to Nantasket Beach because at high tide, much of the beach kind of disappears.  They suggested arriving about 6 hours before high tide to get a good spot on the beach and to enjoy the low tide while it lasts! Even during low tide, much of the beach is full of pebbles and kind of wet; it’s hard to find a dry sandy spot. I saw many areas at the beginning of the beach which has no place to sit as the water hits the cement wall and even comes up a portion of some of the ramps. We watched as one woman had to keep moving her chair further up the wide cement ramp! Further down along the beach is a little sandier. The recent storm made the usual problem worse.

Lifeguards and Park Rangers: As I was strolling along the sidewalk along the beach I saw some lifeguards who had to stand on the rocks by the walkway because their lifeguard chairs were in shallow ocean water. Other lifeguards were out in the ocean water. I saw one lifeguard riding on a jet-ski to help a swimmer in need of help. I didn’t want to bother them for they were very busy watching, warning and even rescuing some of the surfers. No Swimming Warnings Signs were posted due to the rip tides caused by the recent storm yet many swimmers and surfers ignored them. I met a very kind rescue lifeguard/surfer who was holding a bright yellow surfboard; she told me the waves were EXTREME! Lifeguards, local policeman, and Park Rangers on bicycles were trying to encourage swimmers to get out of the water but no one was listening. I did have a chance to meet some of the surfers. They were nice to take the time and talk to me. It was EXCITING being in the midst of all the action.

Richie Burke Park: Further along the beach I came across the Richie Burke Park which also has direct access to the beach; the restrooms in this facility are spacious, wheelchair accessible and fully ADA compliant. Accessible picnic tables and a lifeguard station with loaner beach wheelchairs are located here. I found this area was one of the better beach facilities for accessibility! There were plenty of wide cement access slopes leading to the beach. There was also more sand and room to sit at the beach.

Paragon Park Carrousel: The 81 year old Paragon Carrousel is not wheelchair accessible because there is no access ramp. If I would have known I would have bought my portable  EZ Access Suitcase Ramp . It is just a small step to get onto the carousel and there is a space where a wheelchair could fit. My aunt told me that my great grandma, great grandpa, grandma, grandpa and my mom have all ridden on this old carousel at some time in their life. WOW! It would have been great if I could have too!

Paragon Carousel Gift Shop: This gift shop at Nantasket Beach is NOT wheelchair accessible either for it has a small step leading to the entry door. it could easily be made accessible by simply placing an accessible threshold at the entry door.

Overall Nantasket Beach has EQUAL ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL except for the Paragon Carousel and Paragon Carousel Gift Shop. The main problem of the beach is there is not much room for many beachgoers to enjoy a sandy beach for there is not much sand!

I give Nantasket FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the Fifth Star they would need to provide an accessible changing stall in the Mary Jeanette Murray BathhouseBathhouse; provide a portable wheelchair accessible ramp for the Carrousel; and place a wheelchair accessible threshold at the entry door of the Paragon Carousel Gift Shop. I give all the Lifeguards, Park Rangers and local Police FIVE STARS PLUS for keeping the swimmer and surfers as safe as they can! Now I can see why my mom and Aunt Nancy loved this beach so much; it has a lot of character and a lot of visitors still come here today to enjoy the sun, beach, surf, and fun!!!