The ocean always wins

I’ve stood on the cliffs overlooking Waimea Bay as 40-foot waves slammed into the hillside and made the land shake. A sea wall as a combination big swell and king tide made the bunker-thick reinforced concrete vibrate. Seen waves erode seaside structures from below, and watched them collapse like Jenga towers. In recent days it’s been Long Beach and Newport Beach with unprecedented coastal flooding, with video of people amusing themselves paddling watercraft in the streets. The storm surge in Florida combined with hurricane force winds makes the video from there far less funny. Those whose job it is to ensure local coastal resiliency agree on one thing: the ocean always wins. Property rights and cherished views and monetizable experiences are irrelevant. Plan for managed retreat, or have the ocean force unmanaged retreat upon you.