The Land

Quite simply, the cliffs are magical. They provide a spectacular view of the ocean, Nantasket Beach with the Boston skyline visible in the distance and a sweeping view of its harbor's entrance. Two lighthouses -- Boston and Graves -- are visible to the Northwest, and Minot's Light, the third, is only visible from the property's highest point. People of all ages have been drawn to this spot for a myriad of reasons, including stargazing, swimming and snorkeling, sunset viewing, storm watching, and cliff diving.
Gandhi once said that he imagined heaven to be filled with the sounds of children playing. Every day, during the warm months, children of all ages migrate to this sacred swimming hole to take a plunge into the Atlantic. The three diving areas are separate from one another. At the East end of the land, on the beach, is the Little Gully, a smooth stone natural water playground which is perfect for kindergarten and elementary school children. The Big Gully is the main attraction of the cliffs, providing a dozen perches, of heights between two and twenty feet, from which you can hurl yourself into the ocean. Most of these jumping spots have name like High Rock, Parachute, and Plateau, which have been passed down through the generations: parents to children, older siblings to younger. The west end of Gunrock Beach that borders the estate has stone formations and a gully that would make a perfect place to build a saltwater ocean pool for the public to use and enjoy during the summer months.
At the North end of the property is The Valley, the highest cliff jump in the area, which is close to thirty feet above sea level. A small inlet beach separates the two larger lots. A suspension bridge traversing this inlet could connect the two large lots. The North face of the land provides safe boat moor-age, just a hundred yards off the shoreline. The water depth around this area allows for boats to access passengers even at low tide. A long outcropping of rocks on the Northwest corner of the West lot is perfect for a seasonal dock slip, potentially providing direct access by boat to Logan, Boston's international airport. Retreat participants could be shuttled across the water from the airport, directly to the healing center, without using roads and sitting in traffic -- the healing can begin on the way over.
My family owns two houses, which abut the East lot at the South entrance, and provide access from the main road. These two houses border the southeast entrance and have the potential to be used in conjunction with larger retreats and trainings. Within walking distance there are many restaurants and shops, but most importantly two hotels, which can accommodate hundreds of people.
Situated twenty-two miles driving distance from the city, and about half that distance by water, Home would be perfectly accessible for local New Englanders as well as those making a longer journey. With two main lots divided by a stony beach, separate smaller retreats could co-exist side-by-side without disrupting each other. The two main lots encompass almost an acre of oceanfront cliffs, and lower on to a beautiful hourglass-white sand beach.
The beach itself is approximately four-hundred meters in width and has hard-packed white sand, perfect for yoga, movements, beach games, and, yes, amazing sand castles: fine sand, finer castles. Very few beaches have sand grains so small and consistent. If you've ever had the privilege to hear the beach squeak under your feet, you know what I'm talking about.
The beach is mainly residential, due to limited access and an absence of large parking lots nearby, so it is never overcrowded. The water temperature goes from sixty degrees in May to seventy-two in late August, but can change from day to day. The lovely waters prompt daily scuba diving trips off the beach, out to the jetty and beyond. Motorboats are not allowed close in to the beach, to keep the swimmers safe. Snorkeling is wonderful around the cliffs, with plenty of crabs, snails and fish scattered about. Occasionally you can spot a lobster close in, although they prefer deeper, darker waters.
My goal is to have all people enjoy this seaside haven, every season of the year. More can attend in the summer, because for six months or more temporary structures such as teepees, yurts, geodesic domes and container homes can be utilized. But the winter -- when the green sea is churning, and the whitecaps blow from the Northeast, when ice packs six feet deep cover the beach -- this land-and-sea junction reaches peak of beauty. All through the winter, in the two main buildings -- four thousand and seven thousand square feet, respectively -- gatherings can go on inside eco-friendly, naturally powered, radiant-heated structures, peering out over the turbulent, raging seas.
The sun rises over Gunrock Beach, to the East, across a wave-protected North face, and sets over Nantasket Beach to the West. In the summer, the sun dips below the horizon, illuminating the tall buildings of Boston's downtown, offering equally good views at sunrise and sunset, and casting colorful reflections off the water. The East lot is approximately seventeen thousand square feet, and the West lot is approximately twenty-four thousand square feet. They are extremely large lots for this neighborhood, and can accommodate building footprints for forty-two hundred and seven thousand square feet, respectively. Although I am planning for self-sustaining main buildings, there is road frontage, with sewage and utility access, in place. The land value within one mile of the cliffs has been rated the highest in Massachusetts, and this area is one of the most preferred vacation destinations in the nation. Sea kayaking, scuba diving, fishing, water skiing, snorkeling, Frisbee, volleyball, horseshoes, and beach walks happen every day in the summer on both Gunrock Beach, and on the “Big Beach,” Nantasket, just over the hill where the hotels and restaurants are located. Nantasket is four miles in length, perfect for long runs, walks and kite flying. Surfers occasionally catch some big waves and slow rollers in front of the town's main place of lodging, a full service resort complete with large function facilities, Health club, spa, restaurant, bar, pool with retractable roof and more. The Nantasket Hotel would be available for extra guests and is located about a mile or so from Home.