that they have built structures intended to be permanent on barrier islands which by their very nature are fluid and in motion. I personally look forward to the day when I see that sort of destruction in Ocean City, MD.

Ocean City's inlet did not exist until a hurricane in the 60s opened it.

Now only 40 some years later, you can see how the undeveloped side of the inlet has migrated with the changes in wind and tide, while the developed side of the inlet has maintained due to a multi million dollar annual budget for beach replenishment.

But, all it would take would be a direct hit like NC just got and billions upon billions of dollars worth of real estate would be lost. And no, I have not sympathy for them. They have no business building permanent structures on a barrier island.