UPDATE MONDAY 1/18: The house made it and the move continues today. You can read a Comment below from the movers who talk about what type of winds & waves it could have safely sustained.

UPDATE SUNDAY 1/17: Oregon Inlet (the nearest coastal weather station, just to the north) gusted to 36 knots (40 mph) this morning around 10 AM as pressure plummets with the Nor'easter beginning to take shape to the north. The house appears to be doing fine on the webcam and there is no overwash at this time, as winds are from the South and will be turning towards the west soon (winds were from the east early this morning) during high tide but I wasn't awake to see if there was any overwash on the webcam).

Tides are higher than usual today at Oregon Inlet but less than half a foot.

ORIGINAL POST: They're finally moving "Serendipity", the house from the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" that has been threatening to crash into the ocean as waves have rolled into it - and under it - since the dunes were moved behind it years ago. I've watched the live webcam during many Nor'easters and Hurricanes expecting it to give, but it hasn't, though it has not been rentable in a while; it was condemned for a while in 2008. The house was built in 1988.

Unfortunately the move ran into some logistical snags and the house is sitting on the edge of the road not far from its original location today; the local paper has a story, photos and video. Here's a look at the live webcam this Saturday afternoon:

They're going to resume work on Monday, but because we're expecting a Nor'easter tomorrow I'm a little worried about them leaving it there over the weekend. I pulled some maps to see what they're in for. The storm will be moving off the coast at Norfolk so it probably won't have the high winds from the sea that previous Nor'easters have there. The NMM computer forecast model says the most favorable on-shore winds that could pile up high waves are Sunday morning:

And the Wave Model says 9-foot waves will approach shore Sunday evening, but by then the wind will be off the land.

The orientation of the geography there makes damage hard to predict. I am a little concerned about the truck (with house on its back) being under flooding ocean water, I mean what if the tires sink on one side or something? And what kind of winds can it stand perched on the back of the truck like that? We're predicting wind gusts above 30 mph Sunday night on AccuWeather.com.

These guys aren't amateurs -- they are the same moving company that did the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1999 -- so I'll give them benefit of the doubt and assume they have thought of these potential issues. Maybe anyone who is actually there can tell me what the situation is -- maybe it's safer than it looks on the webcam. In any case, it will be interesting to watch how this plays out tomorrow.

Here's a video from the move thus far:

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Comments (2): Stephen:

Thanks for the update Jesse...I know the house well. I took pictures of it several years before it was even in the movie...Steve

Posted by Stephen | January 18, 2010 8:27 AM jim matyiko:

Man,

you have some really good information, I should have had this link when I started this job. 30 miles an hour winds will be a concern. It will take 60+ to upset the load. The 9 foot waves is a bigger concern.. we piled a lot of sand, but it will not last long with the ocean pounding against it...

Wish the owner the best on this move...

Posted by jim matyiko | January 17, 2010 8:27 PM

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