I grew up on the gulf coast of Florida where the water is warm and the waves gentle. My only knowledge of California beaches was from TV and movies and these apparently featured southern California beaches.
When I moved to Northern California and visited my first beach there, I was shocked. Not only was it cold and windy, but there were signs stating that it was unsafe to be anywhere near the water. What?! I could see from the crashing waves that swimming wouldn’t be a good idea, but surely there was no danger in walking along the shoreline.
I dismissed these dire warnings as the work of a lawsuit-adverse public agency until I began reading about people being swept off the sandy shore and even nearby cliffs by rogue waves. The outcome was never good and those who attempted rescues often became victims, too. I began to fear the water and my trips to the beach became less frequent. I rarely took my young son to the beach even though it was my favorite place as a child.
As a child, I was never afraid of the water. As an adult, I heed the warning signs, watch for riptides and swim directly in front of the lifeguard tower. I may be safer, but I’m certainly not happier.
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