Nantucket beaches closed due to wind turbine blade debris

NANTUCKET, Mass. (WLNE) — The Nantucket Harbormaster has shared that the water is closed to swimming on all south shore beaches, due to large floating debris and sharp fiberglass shards.

According to a report from WCVB, Vineyard Wind will deploy teams to search Nantucket’s southern beaches for any debris that has washed ashore after one of its offshore wind turbine blades was damaged.

“The water is closed to swimming on all south shore beaches, due to large floating debris and sharp fiberglass shards. Please go to the North shore to swim, there are lifeguards there ready to help,” wrote the coast guard.

The company, Vineyard Wind, has not publicly identified what caused the problem, according to WCVB, describing it only as a “blade damage incident that took place on Saturday, July 13, 2024.”