Ocean Adventures, Part 2: The Tsunami Evacuation Route

This is my second New Year's Resolution ocean adventure this year. My plan is to go to the ocean at least once a month and go to a different beach, harbor or port each time. Although most of the beaches will look alike, this one is different from the last one.

The beach got hit with snow, hail, torrents of rain and wind storms all last week so it's pretty beat up with logs, litter, and dead things. Water all the way up to the dunes. It can get very dangerous out there in bad weather. I remember once on my way to the ocean stopping in to see my grandparents. My grandmother was frantic, "Stay away from the water! The logs will get you!" She had just seen it on the news. Every now and then someone gets killed by flying logs being tossed about by the waves.

Still, beautiful and surprisingly sunny, although those blue skies are deceiving. It's very cold.

I tried out my new beach boots today. The water was so cold I couldn't tell if my feet were wet or just freezing. 

Lots of sea shells scattered over the sand, mostly from scallops and clams. My favorite are the sand dollars. They make me feel rich. Years ago before all the environmental legislation, it was rare to find whole sand dollars on the beach due to the water pollution. Now if I walk long enough I can fill a whole bucket. I bring them home, wash them, dry them, empty the sand out of them, and display them in bowls and planters.  I love sand dollars. I remember coloring the flower patterns as a kid.

One of the best memories I have from childhood is camping at the ocean. I loved the dunes. We'd pretend we were on safari, or crossing a desert, or we were wild horses on an island running through the trails. Great fun.

I love how being at the ocean peaks your senses: the salty smell of sea life, the crackle of shells under your feet, the constant roar of the waves.

These tsunami signs always make me laugh, although I know they are NOT funny. This one means turn around and run like hell!  See, that's me in the picture running very fast up a mountain. I know as loud as those ocean waves are, if they get quiet that's your cue to start running, but would I really be able to outrun a 200 foot wave? Not likely. And how much warning do you get? That's why I laugh because it seems so absurd. I suppose if I were already in my vehicle maybe I'd make it, but I think I'd need to see the water approaching to know what's happening and by that time it's probably too late. I see these signs all over and although my town actually does tsunami drills using horns as warnings, we all just stop what we are doing, look puzzled and think what the hell is that? I've never really taken the time to learn what I should do and where I should go. I figured I'd just head for the hills. Or my roof. I am a very bad citizen! Doomed for sure.

On the way back from the beach, another tsunami evacuation sign caught my eye. Maybe it's time to be a good citizen?  Why now? Heck, maybe the universe is giving me a warning. I've learned NOT to ignore warnings from the universe. So I followed it...

Initially, it took me parallel along the beach for about a mile. This doesn't seem like a very good plan if I'm not going away from the wave. Then another sign instructed turn right and off I went away from the beach.  I continued down the road and ended up in the cranberry fields of poison. Not sure if this is a safer plan.

Over the river, through the fields to Assembly Area Lucky Number 13 we go. Hmmm...maybe not such a lucky plan, but the view is spectacular:

I guess it's better than no plan. Can you see the ocean in the distance? Beautiful. (Pretend those cranberries aren't toxic....).