Torn between the Coast or inland (Pinehurst area) user request (New Bern: home, earthquakes)

[marc515]

Wife and I are retiring in two years, and were trying to decide between New Bern area, Shallotte area, or Pinehurst area; Then I saw the numbers of hurricane hits the NC coast had, and am really concerned.

I wouldn't mind having to evacuate, and maybe having to do some repairs at this age, but I'm just thinking if I want to deal with evacuating and possible considerable losses when we're in or 80's.

The Shallotte area is in the "lowlands", and not sure how that compares with the New Bern area as far as possible serious flooding etc.

Anyway, just wondering how you guys made the decision to live on the coast area, VS inland area?

Thank you,.....marc

[LittleDolphin]

Kind of a 'no-brainer' for us. We love everything coastal..walking on the beach at sunset or kayaking with leaping dolphins and diving pelicans just can't be beat. And the visiting boaters from all over give our area a sense of adventure and excitement--you just never know who will be sailing or motoring into port!

But those inland areas you cited are pretty, too. Will you pay a visit to each area to see which one feels like home to you?

We moved here six years ago and haven't found the hurricanes very scary and they've done little to no damage to our home. Haven't had to evacuate. Lost power for a couple of days with Isabel..but we were prepared...and the locals taught us about hurricane parties to use up the freezer shrimp and such before they go bad...kind of fun, those hurricane parties.

And the local Piggly Wiggly runs on an emergency generator so we were still able to get cheese biscuits, even without power.

But those earthquakes we moved away from--getting jolted from our bed in the wee hours of the morning with no warning and feeling the very ground rippling beneath your feet--now that was scary.

Decisions, decisions, eh?

[Nebat]

Was just in New Bern the other day! Very nice little historic town. It is however on the banks of a river so I think flooding could be an issue. I have an aunt and uncle who live on Harkers Island for the past 8 years and prior to that lived in New Bern and they never complained about any hurricane. I'm absolutely sure power outage will happen and some trees blown over, but New Bern is inland just enough to not get the worst of it due to the barrier islands protection. Just a word of caution though, this is an extremely isolated area, it seemed that for any kind of significant shopping Moorhead City was the closest at about 30 minutes away.

[macjr82]

^^^^^^^^^^

that isolated comment is not true. MHC doesn't have much in shopping over New Bern, unless you count the best buy, but then again new bern has a target, and books-a-million which MHC lacks. neither place is a shopping destination but MHC os not leagues above NB in that department either. New Bern is also convenient to greenville and jacksonville.

If you think NB is isolated i hate to see your opinion of Pamlico