Hatteras Island, North Carolina, is battling unprecedented coastal erosion, with numerous homes collapsing into the Atlantic. Local house mover Barry Crum and his team are relocating entire buildings further inland, as residents confront a rapidly shrinking coastline and the looming threat of sea-level rise.
Hatteras Island, a slender hook of land off North Carolina's coast, is facing severe and rapid coastal erosion, forcing residents to literally move their homes to escape the encroaching Atlantic Ocean. Since September, 19 homes have been lost, and 31 since 2020, with some collapsing like dominoes at astonishing rates. Lifelong resident Barry Crum and his crew have become essential, lifting entire houses onto wheels or raising them on stilts, often hundreds of feet back from the waves, in projects costing up to $300,000. This desperate measure reflects the community's deep connection to the island despite the immense challenges. While coastal erosion is natural on the Outer Banks, the recent pace has shocked even long-time locals, wiping out beaches and dunes in towns like Buxton. Experts view the Outer Banks as a 'canary in the coalmine' for other low-lying East Coast communities facing accelerated sea-level rise due to the climate crisis. Ironically, human-made sand dunes built in the 1930s to stabilize beaches have worsened erosion by preventing the natural progression of sand, leading to 'coastal squeeze.' The National Park Service is left to clean up the debris, including septic tanks and swimming pools, from collapsed structures. Proposed solutions like beach nourishment and rebuilding groins offer only temporary relief, as they often just redistribute the problem. Ultimately, experts suggest that a 'managed retreat' away from the coast, though emotionally difficult, may be unavoidable. Despite the grim outlook, residents like Lat Williams, who moved his home 600 feet back, exemplify the resilience and ingenuity required to live on this dynamic landscape, clinging to their homes and community as long as possible against the relentless power of the ocean.
