[shygirl]

would this put you off from living close to the waters edge?
http://www.theislandreview.com/lost-villages/

[Bionic]

I would quite like to be near the coast, but not that close 

[Fleecewife]

I grew up in Norfolk where footpaths, roads, caravan parks and peoples houses and farms were forever going over the edge.  My parents lived about 15 or 20 miles inland, so that farm should be safe for our lifetimes, and a few generations to come.
 
It's a difficult call, because it's lovely by the sea, but if you're on an east coast clifftop your house is worthless as it's destined to become a pile of rubble washed away in the sea.  If you live lower down in a bay then with rising sea levels you'll be drowned out gently, or there might be another tsunami in which case you'll be drowned out all in a rush.   On the west coast you're bound to get washed away by waves in a storm, and in between times you will be too sleepy to do any work, as the west coast de-vigorates (or whatever the opposite of invigorates is  ) compared to the east coast.
We (OH and I) opted to live on a hill as far inland as we could get, so no floods, or other fast water rushing past other than from the sky - and there's plenty of that.  We could get blown away though......  Life's choices are a conundrum     

[shygirl]

you will be too sleepy to do any work, as the west coast de-vigorates (or whatever the opposite of invigorates is  ) compared to the east coast.

does that really happen?
i used to live right by the beach in eastern australia and i was sure the water was the reason why i was lethargic all the time. now i live near the beach on east scotland and never had a problem, and positively love the beach. i never heard anyone mention this before so id be interested if this was true!