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Agree with Blueherons. I used to live 500' from the water on the Outer Banks in a 6 BR home (on an open space) with an excellent water view. Never really slept all that well thinking about storms, flooding etc. I had to rent my home out to afford the mortgage and the OBX is fairly susceptible to hurricanes.
I moved to Sunset Beach NC (near Myrtle Beach SC) and settled on a 3 BR condo. It's about 40' above ground level and also 2 miles back from the water. I have no mortgage, I don't have to rent, and insurance is much lower, especially since I don't have to have a pool to maintain (which was important to draw renters on the OBX).
Lots of places have sounds and beaches. The barrier islands here in NC are mostly pretty skinny. There is a public access in the middle of Topsail Island where there is beach and sound access that share a parking lot and it's only about 25 yards in either direction to the water in the sound or the dunes at the top of the beach.
I am a strong swimmer and will swim, paddle and sail in the sea, but on a lot of days the sound is a better choice. But I am also considering lakes that are fairly near the shore.
I've actually looked at some condos for sale (cheap) on Topsail online. The steps to the water end in the surf itself now, with sandbags all around. That's a little too close to the beach for comfort and why it's worrisome... For my very last home at the end of my life, I honestly wouldn't care (no one to leave the property to other than a charity anyway) -- being right in the sea would be divine -- but I'm not quite there yet.
Has anyone wondered if you're getting all you can out of your waterfront property in terms of actual use? It has occurred to me, since I'm not a particularly strong swimmer and am terrified of rip currents and sharks, that I would mostly just hang around the edge of the surf -- which I would love -- whereas, on a lake or even the bay, I would actually swim, kayak, paddleboard, fish, etc. I know the ocean is the penultimate in terms of majesty and mystery, but it has limited practical uses.
I know what you mean. I sometimes feel bad that I don't swim in the ocean, but the waves are strong, there are jellyfish and sharp shells, and my shoulders are shot, so not a good swimmer anymore. If I want to get in some protected water, there's the pool. But I am mostly satisfied to stroll along the sand and maybe get knee-deep. My ideal situation would be a place I could snorkel in protected water, like certain parts of Hawaii. My favorite tidepool just got filled in by lava---so very sad.
I miss kayaking on the CO River, but now I have this instead.
I lived on the Mississippi River. It was literally my back yard. Way up north in Minnesota where it was still pretty and clean. I used to swim in it with a tow rope around my waist so I could pull myself back in. The current was very strong!
I love all bodies of water from babbling brooks, creeks to rivers, lakes and oceans. I enjoy both watching and doing all water related activities: wading, swimming, fishing, rowing, kayaking, boating, wind surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving. So one of our home relocation search criteria was a house with waterfront or water view and near a body of water for my daily rowing.
While I enjoy the ocean views and always choose lodgings with such views while traveling, I would not want to own a beach front home. If I was to own such a home, I would probably be like walesssp
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Never really slept all that well thinking about storms, flooding etc
Several of my siblings share my love of bodies of water. One sister has always owned lake homes in different states. Two brothers also own lake homes and river/canal homes. My second oldest sister retired 6 years ago and bought a canal home with a swimming pool in Florida. My other sister and the two brothers followed her example and bought homes/condos on both fresh water and salt water canals. They all own boats and enjoy short rides to the oceans.
After searching for over two years for a relocation home in Washington and Idaho, we had pretty much given up hopes of finding a home with waterfront or waterview AND acreage within our budget. We lucked out last December and stumbled into a very nice home with 2.2A land and 250' of Snake River frontage in Sunnyslope wine region, Idaho.
We have thoroughly enjoyed living here. We feel like living in a permanent vacation home with fabulous view of the river (both upstream and downstream) and mountains from almost every room in the house. I don't even have to get out of my bed to see the river. The deck, living room and my bedroom also have spectacular sunset views (over the mountains and river).
We worked very hard the last 2 months to restore the trails to the riverbank and enlarging the beach/landing area. We just purchased a Sea Eagle Paddleski 435ps boat which came with a rowing deck. We can kayak, row, fish, motor or sail with this Paddleski. I also lucked out and ran into a fellow rower who lives just 1 mile upstream She let me try out two sculling shells last week (an Alden Star and an Edon TS515). I felt like being in a rower's heaven. Rowing on the Snake River is very reminiscent of my 15 years of rowing on the Hudson River with beautiful riverbank, incredible view of the mountains, the bridges and all kinds of birds hovering around (cormorants, geese, ducks, egrets, herons, sea gulls etc.) I will definitely purchase a sculling boat in a near future. My daughter is staying with us the last two weeks while her husband doing his Air National Guard duty in San Diego. She brought their Sea Eagle 330 kayak and we went out this morning exploring the nearby islands. It was so much fun and a great chance to get some exercise kayaking upstream coming back home.
The house riverfront location is also a birder's paradise. The spring migration of thousands of snow geese, pelicans and many species of ducks/water birds was spectacular. There are also many birds of preys in the area (bald eagles, ospreys, hawks etc). The house is surrounded with trees/shrubs so there are also many types of song birds. We have seen close to 100 species of birds.
The river also have quite a few beavers, muskrats and of course fishes. The big fishes like to splash around in the moon light and when it is cool. So far, we have spotted mule deer., white tail deer, rabbits, raccoons, snakes and a family of skunk with 8 babies. We have not seen any coyotes but hear them howling often at night.
I can not believe that we live in complete privacy surrounded by wild life and yet only 9-12 miles to shopping centers, healthcare facilities. We keep our plane at a nearby airport 10 miles away. We can row/kayak on the Snake River, nearby Lake Lowell (2 miles away) or Boise River. It is only 30 miles to Boise airport and my daughter's home.
We are just incredibly lucky. I would not trade my riverfront home for any oceanfront homes.
I've also found myself wondering if the view, albeit gorgeous, might become monotonous? If you were truly oceanfront with "just" the ocean, beach, dunes, and buildings. I've always enjoyed the entertaining wildlife and changing seasons where there are trees and/or smaller waterways.
Oceanfront has been my lifelong dream but, now that it's within reach, I'm just re-examining if it's still what I really want.
I've also found myself wondering if the view, albeit gorgeous, might become monotonous? If you were truly oceanfront with "just" the ocean, beach, dunes, and buildings. I've always enjoyed the entertaining wildlife and changing seasons where there are trees and/or smaller waterways.
Oceanfront has been my lifelong dream but, now that it's within reach, I'm just re-examining if it's still what I really want.
Must print out this entire thread and keep!
One of the reasons I am attracted to NE FL is that it's not a ridiculous distance to some hill country like N GA or Upstate SC if I want to see fall look like fall for a few days. NE FL does get some semblance of seasons and if I get more days in a row than I like of cooler weather it's not ridiculously far to where it is pretty much always warm. The latter is less likely but they do get stretches of jeans and sweat shirt weather in JAX where my sister lives. There are some canal communities on the St John's River that are interesting.
One of the reasons I am attracted to NE FL is that it's not a ridiculous distance to some hill country like N GA or Upstate SC if I want to see fall look like fall for a few days. NE FL does get some semblance of seasons and if I get more days in a row than I like of cooler weather it's not ridiculously far to where it is pretty much always warm. The latter is less likely but they do get stretches of jeans and sweat shirt weather in JAX where my sister lives. There are some canal communities on the St John's River that are interesting.
That brings out an interesting point. Though I absolutely love water scenes, (and no question, MMOBs view is fantastic), we are equally satisfied with a panorama that offers continuous change during the colorful seasons. Since we are also wildlife nuts, it presents random surprises that beach scenes generally don't. Flocks of turkeys walking through a spring explosion, deer grazing the meadows, snakes, badgers, foxes, an occasional eagle and/or bear. When we miss the water, wide sandy beaches are only minutes away. We even go to them with they are covered with snow and ice, not just in the 90 degree weather. This variation makes our environment seem complete.
I can't imagine the ocean being monotonous. It is always in motion, everchanging. We have soaring frigate birds, pelicans diving, white egrets stalking, para-sailers landing, horses going by, even the occasional motorcycle with an entire family on it. No boredom here.
We had deer in Utah but they were mostly a nuisance. Saw no other wildlife....
But if water bores you---you can live over a busy intersection, LOL.
I can't imagine the ocean being monotonous. It is always in motion, everchanging. We have soaring frigate birds, pelicans diving, white egrets stalking, para-sailers landing, horses going by, even the occasional motorcycle with an entire family on it. No boredom here.
We had deer in Utah but they were mostly a nuisance. Saw no other wildlife....
But if water bores you---you can live over a busy intersection, LOL.
Agreed, there are also storms, waterspouts, whales, dolphins, etc. You don't often get to enjoy seeing them, but they're there, and always fascinating. As I mentioned, I love water- and scenes beneath the waves even more that what's above.
I would remind us, though, that there is a reason the sound of crashing waves are put on some alarm clocks to put one to sleep...
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