What If Your Home Was Slipping Into the Ocean? | National Geographic

what is the Outer Banks home a place

what is the Outer Banks home a place that in some ways is divorced from the

that in some ways is divorced from the

that in some ways is divorced from the rest of the country but in other ways

rest of the country but in other ways

rest of the country but in other ways perhaps more real because you’re so

perhaps more real because you’re so

perhaps more real because you’re so intertwined with nature

it’s so unfortunate that bear ions are

it’s so unfortunate that bear ions are beautiful if only they could be ugly and

beautiful if only they could be ugly and

beautiful if only they could be ugly and we’d have no problem but the outer banks

we’d have no problem but the outer banks

we’d have no problem but the outer banks are immensely fragile from the

are immensely fragile from the

are immensely fragile from the standpoint of people who have buildings

standpoint of people who have buildings

standpoint of people who have buildings on them from the standpoint of a natural

on them from the standpoint of a natural

on them from the standpoint of a natural system they’re extremely dynamic very

system they’re extremely dynamic very

system they’re extremely dynamic very very tough and resilient and they will

very tough and resilient and they will

very tough and resilient and they will migrate up the upper land as the sea

migrate up the upper land as the sea

migrate up the upper land as the sea level rises if they were left alone but

level rises if they were left alone but

level rises if they were left alone but of course are not being left alone

[Music]

[Music] where the people have not done anything

where the people have not done anything

where the people have not done anything the islands of magnet guidance that have

the islands of magnet guidance that have

the islands of magnet guidance that have people on them they’re standing

people on them they’re standing

people on them they’re standing perfectly still and we’re beating our

perfectly still and we’re beating our

perfectly still and we’re beating our head against the wall trying to hold

head against the wall trying to hold

head against the wall trying to hold those shorelines in place

when I was a child there was at least a

when I was a child there was at least a thousand feet of beach I was born in

thousand feet of beach I was born in

thousand feet of beach I was born in 1928 there was 600 feet in 1952 and now

1928 there was 600 feet in 1952 and now

1928 there was 600 feet in 1952 and now we’re washing away if we don’t get the

we’re washing away if we don’t get the

we’re washing away if we don’t get the help we won’t be here next year

when you have two or three or four

when you have two or three or four generations of your family buried in

generations of your family buried in

generations of your family buried in your backyard you don’t just pick up and

your backyard you don’t just pick up and

your backyard you don’t just pick up and sell what the heck I think I’ll move to

sell what the heck I think I’ll move to

sell what the heck I think I’ll move to the suburbs somewhere

the suburbs somewhere

the suburbs somewhere folks that live here are not interested

folks that live here are not interested

folks that live here are not interested in urban or suburban living otherwise

in urban or suburban living otherwise

in urban or suburban living otherwise that’s where they would be

it’s quite simple you know we’re three

it’s quite simple you know we’re three feet above sea level here three foot sea

feet above sea level here three foot sea

feet above sea level here three foot sea level rises all over and if it goes up

level rises all over and if it goes up

level rises all over and if it goes up and as it goes up there you’ll have to

and as it goes up there you’ll have to

and as it goes up there you’ll have to adjust and sooner or later businesses

adjust and sooner or later businesses

adjust and sooner or later businesses that are functioning will no longer

that are functioning will no longer

that are functioning will no longer function and the life that we know here

function and the life that we know here

function and the life that we know here on this island will no longer be viable

the most likely sea level right is about

the most likely sea level right is about three feet by the year 2100 that’s a lot

three feet by the year 2100 that’s a lot

three feet by the year 2100 that’s a lot of sea level rise the immediate cause of

of sea level rise the immediate cause of

of sea level rise the immediate cause of buildings falling into the sea is

buildings falling into the sea is

buildings falling into the sea is shoreline erosion which is all part of

shoreline erosion which is all part of

shoreline erosion which is all part of the island migration process the erosion

the island migration process the erosion

the island migration process the erosion rate is impacted by sea level rise which

rate is impacted by sea level rise which

rate is impacted by sea level rise which means the erosion problem will be

means the erosion problem will be

means the erosion problem will be greater but I think will do will respond

greater but I think will do will respond

greater but I think will do will respond to a major catastrophe or a series of

to a major catastrophe or a series of

to a major catastrophe or a series of major catastrophe we’ll get out of the

major catastrophe we’ll get out of the

major catastrophe we’ll get out of the way in a rush I don’t think we’re going

way in a rush I don’t think we’re going

way in a rush I don’t think we’re going to do this sensibly

my family cemetery down behind the the

my family cemetery down behind the the home that I grew up in is one in which

home that I grew up in is one in which

home that I grew up in is one in which my grandfather and my father mother and

my grandfather and my father mother and

my grandfather and my father mother and uncle Knights are buried and I will be

uncle Knights are buried and I will be

uncle Knights are buried and I will be buried there as well

buried there as well

buried there as well and when the island washes away you know

and when the island washes away you know

and when the island washes away you know I just go with it

I guess I have taken from nature is

I guess I have taken from nature is fishing and I guess I should just be

fishing and I guess I should just be

fishing and I guess I should just be really suckers with everything else yeah

really suckers with everything else yeah

really suckers with everything else yeah it’s pretty much it I’m pretty sure I

it’s pretty much it I’m pretty sure I

it’s pretty much it I’m pretty sure I don’t deserving a you any more purpose

don’t deserving a you any more purpose

don’t deserving a you any more purpose that no you need other creatures that

that no you need other creatures that

that no you need other creatures that live here