This Home is High & Dry!

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By Mike Lightbourn

I'm sure we were all thankful we didn't experience the full brunt of Hurricane Sandy, especially after seeing the terrible devastation along the Eastern Seaboard.

The coastal damage locally was bad enough, especially out west and in a number of our out islands.

I have a seaside home in Abaco and so I know about the dangers of living on the coast. I even ended up with my neighbour's cottage in my yard after a hurricane a few years ago!

The deadliest part of a hurricane isn't the wind (unless there's a tornado) or the rain – it's the storm surge.

Over the years, the natural safeguards against rising water - the coastal wetlands (mangroves etc) and natural beach vegetation - have eroded because of population expansion and development.

If you're thinking about buying a coastal home, there are a number of things you should first look into.

Is the home in an area that's prone to storm surge? Talk to people who live in the area. Have they experienced flooding in the past?

There are many coastal homes that do fine or only suffer very minor damage in hurricanes. The land on which they're built may be elevated sufficiently or the homes themselves may be elevated on foundations or stilts.

The barrier cays off our islands provide a good source of protection to homes situated in their lee. Harbours and bays offer protection.

The depth of water controls the height of waves, so property on the shallow side offers far more protection than flat ocean front property.

You can live by the sea safely. Just make sure you do your homework, get the facts and consult with an insurance professional before committing to a purchase you may end up regretting.

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