The Power of Water

 If you fly over the Outer Banks in an airplane, you will be immediately impressed at how very frail are these barrier islands.  Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico Sound we are totally in the hands of the power of water.

The ocean brings us new sand with every storm overwash.  It also takes sand back when it decides to and moves sand around at a whim.

When there is rough water we hear the power and then we see the results at every turn.  A ride to the Sound side of the island on a windy day shows us the smacking of the waves in the wind.

One day recently Trish and I went out to the beach to look at where the Highway department had been doing repair work after a big recent overwash.  You can see several things here:  the Atlantic Ocean behind Trish, then you can see in the sand of the beach remnants of where the Highway used to be about thirty years ago before it was washed away and replaced by the present Highway, next comes the huge sandbags being used in an attempt to stabilize the dune and protect the present road, last comes Highway 12 as we know it now.  

It is obvious that this location of the Highway does not have long term permanence.  The ocean is gradually moving the island to the west and, the ocean will win!

One of the fascinating things about living here is that we are on very living land.  It changes and grows and reminds is that nature is in charge and nothing human is ultimately powerful and permanent.