Mary Joan on the Beach

My notes on these photos of Mary Joan Cilwa Engel, made a few years after they were taken, says this was the "aftermath of a hurricane". It also suggests they were taken in May of 1971. However, I can't find a suitable hurricane that would have caused this damage, other than 1964's Hurricane Dora. Dora definitely did cause the end of the pier to break off. Did a nor'easter or tropical storm in late 1970 expose the remnants? If I can find out, I will updte this page.