Big Beach

The island's largest beach, on the southwest shore below the fort's southern batteries. It is the widest stretch of open sand on Cushing and the easiest place to read the island's geology — ledge, cobble and sand in sequence — in a single walk.

• Battery Ferguson and Battery Kendrick sit on the high ground inland to the east.
• The strand shortens sharply at high water; check the tide before walking its length.
• Storm wrack lines show where the beach's working high-water mark actually sits.

1. 1.Is there any documented shoreline change at Big Beach between the 1888 maps and today?

Distances are straight-line from recorded coordinates. Island roads curve, so allow more time than the estimate.