I love to check out oceanfront real estate. Not that I’m in the market, mind you, but it sure is fun to window shop while strolling along the shore. Around these parts, the most desirable oceanfront real estate sits on barrier islands, protected (to varying degrees) by sand dunes. But what happens after the storm hits? Aaron Brown’s Newsnight got my attention tonight …

“Sandcastle” has taken on a new meaning.

With Tropical Storm Katrina bearing down on southeastern Florida, it’s clear once again that humans can’t own oceanfront real estate permanently, never mind the price. Vast stretches of sand belongs to the ocean. We’re only allowed to live on the shore until that one big storm and the ocean takes it back.

Unless someone comes up with the coin to rebuild and start the cycle over again.

At some point in the eighties, the federal government decided that folks should avoid building houses on sand bars that were likely to get washed away. Building a sandcastle on a chunk of temporarily oceanfront real estate wasn’t a good idea. They weren’t going to stand for it anymore. And more importantly, they (ie: us, through our tax dollars) weren’t going to pay to rebuild houses built in dangerous zones.

Or so they said.

A view of the ocean doesn’t come cheap. Prices, while still exorbitant, drop quickly the further a house is from the beach. While it’s impossible to find a piece of oceanfront real estate until you get well into seven figures, you can’t find a scraper on a beach block for less than half a million.

We always joke half-heartedly that the real estate values will drop right after the big one hits.

Okay, so the Mega Millions lottery is up to $97 million this Friday. Maybe I’ll plunk down five bucks and take a chance … and if I win, I’ll buy the biggest baddest piece of oceanfront real estate I can find and throw a big shindig for east coast Gnomies.

If you’re looking for me on Thursday, I’ll be thumb-typing on the beach (while I’m not boogie-boarding, that is) …