In recent years, the issue of beach erosion along Grand Cayman's iconic Seven Mile Beach has become more than a peripheral concern—it now directly threatens the Cayman Islands’ economy, infrastructure, and international reputation as a premier tourist destination. Videos showing waves undermining walls—and, in some instances, lapping at the foundations of buildings—have sparked alarm within the local community and among stakeholders who depend on the beach for their livelihood.

Stretching across Grand Cayman’s western coastline, Seven Mile Beach (ironically no longer seven miles due to erosion) is not just a scenic gem. As noted in a recent report by local economist Marla Dunkan, the beach generates approximately $1 billion annually in income for the Cayman Islands. This substantial figure includes government revenue from room taxes, work permits, income from hotels and vacation rentals, as well as the indirect contributions of the myriad restaurants, bars, tour operators, taxis, and other service providers that rely on a steady stream of beachgoers, both locals and tourists.

However, this future economic boon is far from secure. As photos circulated recently illustrate, the problem is no longer confined to the southern end of the beach near Royal Palms. Signs of sand erosion have appeared in areas further north, including near the high-end Kimpton Seafire Resort. This growing uncertainty may impact tourists opting for different destinations and investors reconsidering beachfront property purchases.

Since the beach is an economic linchpin, addressing its erosion has become a national urgency. Yet, despite several propositions, collective inaction among stakeholders has hindered progress. What are the proposed solutions, and crucially, could any of these approaches secure Seven Mile Beach’s long-term future—and consequently protect the Cayman Islands’ economy?

Assessing the Troubling Scenario

Seven Mile Beach’s erosion is no recent phenomenon. However, human-driven factors and rising sea levels linked to climate change have exacerbated the issue. Some experts blame the proliferation of seawalls and jetties built by private developers, disrupting the natural sand-replenishment processes. These structures impede the natural flow of sand, causing significant loss in beach width.

The question, therefore, is what can be done? A range of potential solutions has been floated across community discussions, planning meetings, and reports—but none have reached a consensus. Stakeholders have yet to agree on a temporary fix, let alone a permanent, long-term solution.

 1. Beach Replenishment: A Time-Buying Measure

Beach replenishment—one of the more straightforward options—is often seen as a temporary but essential way to address erosion in the short term. This solution involves importing or dredging external sand from deeper offshore waters to restore the beach’s surface and appearance. However, the drawbacks of this method are well-documented:

• Short-term results: Sand replenishment is, at best, a stopgap. Over time, natural forces such as tides, waves, and currents erode the manually restored sand, requiring repeated interventions.

• Sourcing challenges: Finding a place to source vast quantities of compatible sand presents a logistical hurdle. Nearby Caribbean islands dealing with their erosion issues may not be viable long-term partners in supplying sand for replenishment.

• Environmental scrutiny: Dredging large amounts of sand from the sea can adversely affect marine habitats and ecosystems, raising concerns about the environmental toll of these efforts.

Yet, despite these well-known hurdles, the Dunkan report supports the idea of beach replenishment as a bridge between today’s erosion crisis and the long-term solutions that will eventually be implemented. While not permanent, the strategy could offer enough time for stakeholders, policymakers, and scientists to formulate and execute a more enduring remedy.

 2. Engineered Groynes and Artificial Breakwaters

Another well-documented solution is the construction of engineered groynes—long, narrow structures built perpendicular to the shoreline designed to trap and hold natural sand moved by wave action. These groynes could help stabilise parts of Seven Mile Beach and prevent further sand erosion.

A more ambitious plan involves offshore breakwaters and permanent, submerged barriers placed further into the sea to reduce wave energy before reaching the beach. These installations are common in various parts of the world, including Europe and North America, and have been instrumental in attenuating beach and shoreline erosion.

The downside? While these structures' protective role in safeguarding the coastline is undeniable, opponents argue that artificial groynes and breakwaters, like seawalls, disrupt the natural coastal flow, potentially shifting the problem to other shoreline parts. Moreover, they represent multi-year, multi-million-dollar projects requiring significant planning and, possibly, substantial public and private sector collaboration.

 3. Living Shorelines: A Natural Solution

Taking a more ecological approach, living shorelines offer a way to fight erosion while maintaining some harmony with the natural environment. The concept involves using a mix of plants, sand, and rock structures to stabilise the coastline, absorb wave energy, and encourage natural erosion-resisting processes.

In practice, living shorelines have been successfully deployed in areas like the Chesapeake Bay in the United States, where they have provided erosion control, supported wildlife habitats, and improved water quality. Implementing natural solutions in the Cayman Islands could potentially reduce the long-term effects of erosion—if climate conditions, funding, and political commitment align.

Perhaps most critically, they offer an environmentally friendly approach that aligns with global calls for nations to invest in sustainable climate adaptations. However, while attractive on paper, there remains uncertainty over whether such a solution would be sufficient for the long stretches of Seven Mile Beach facing immediate erosion threats.

 4. Managed Retreat: The Radical Option

Perhaps the most polarising of the proposed solutions is a managed retreat—the purposeful withdrawal of infrastructure and development away from an eroding shoreline to allow the beach to rebuild naturally. This involves relocating buildings and amenities away from the current high water line, giving the natural ebb and flow of sand space to re-establish itself.

Of course, this strategy is not without significant challenges:

• Economic impact: Moving buildings inland—or demolishing expensive properties altogether—would result in high costs in terms of construction and relocation and loss of prime oceanfront real estate.

• Uncertain effectiveness: Even if implemented, retreating from the shoreline is not guaranteed to reverse erosion, especially given the increasing impacts of rising seas and more frequent storms due to global warming.

While still broadly under discussion, managed retreat may be part of the solution for specific properties too close to an encroaching ocean. However, a wholesale shift in the design and planning of beachfront developments might be too radical for some stakeholders to embrace in the foreseeable future.

Funding, Coordination, and the Path Forward

In 2021, the Cayman Islands government earmarked CI$21 million to address beach erosion. Although a task force was formed to spearhead efforts, very little progress was made as meetings with stakeholders halted and actions stalled in 2022. The sands (both literally and metaphorically) continue to slip away.

The big question remains: Why the inaction? While the reasons are diverse, from bureaucratic gridlock to competing private interests, the issue is too critical to ignore. Beach erosion is an aesthetic inconvenience and a ticking economic time bomb.

A key first step would be reigniting discussions between the necessary public and private stakeholders and appointing an independent body to drive actionable steps forward in coordination with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DOE). Given the high stakes for Cayman’s economy, especially its tourism sector and real estate, the sooner this stop is taken, the better.