WAITING FOR THE WORST

It's nice to have a home or a business along the coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean. The views can be inspiring and spectacular. The weather, however, can be devastating.

It's a sure thing that bad weather will always be a problem along the coastline. Your home or your business has a 100% chance of being impacted by storms from the ocean. It's inevitable. Wind speeds and rising tides will always be a threat. And while insurance may cover some of the damage, the loss of property and personal effects will linger.

Building a home near the water, whether on the ocean shores or the river banks comes with tremendous risk. When America used rivers to get goods from one place to another, families built their homes along the river banks. Floods happened, water levels rose, and property damage resulted.

If you build a home near the ocean, the risk is the same. A hurricane is as inevitable as the mortgage payment.

So why do some people living near the water get so upset when their homes or business are clobbered by super storms? They had to have known that at somewhere along the line they'd be displaced and financially inconvenienced.

Humans are not going to be able to change the force of weather or alter its consequences. There’s no defense against the infinite power of nature. No seawall or storm barrier can withstand its assault. If you build near the water, the water will always win. Most of the damage from severe hurricanes is water damage. Water driven by wind goes inland and floods subway tunnels in New York.

It's silly to think we'd all choose to build inland rather than on the coast. Views of the water on a warm summer day can be relaxing and invigorating.  And for most of the time the waters present no threat.

But when the storms do come they bring with them the price tag of living where the worst is part of the deal. It's just a matter of waiting until it arrives.