Natural Selection

Here's some New Year's candidates for the Darwin Awards. I never cease to be amazed at the extreme ignorance of people when it comes to the sheer power of the elements.

The West coast has just been pounded by some of the worst weather in decades. Winter over the North Pacific involves massive Siberian blasts which churn up long-moment swells which travel for thousands of miles. Until they encounter the coasts and beaches of North America and various Pacific Islands. A single storm generated swell can, with the random timing of nature, synchronize with the normal pattern of coastal waves to generate a sudden, suprizing monster of incredible force.

A man and a teenager died Sunday off the Mendocino coast after a large wave swept them into the sea.

Michael Blank Junior, 14, and Philip Joe Smith, 56 both from South Lake Tahoe, were part of a group attending a boys basketball tournament in Mendocino.

Blank and other members of the basketball team visiting from St. Theresa's Catholic School were observing tide pools on rocky outcrops near the surf line when a large wave swept two of them into the ocean. Smith and one of the team's chaperones swam to the boys and were able to help them to a rock. A second wave then struck, washing Smith and Blank off the rock. Emergency personnel found Smith and Blank floating face down in the water.

The North Shore of Oahu is famous for images of surfers riding the huge, massive waves that those swells generate as they roll onto the perfectly sloped undersea approach to that beach.

Yet here, ignorant adults let unknowing kids play in the tidal pools of one of the most treacherous coasts in the world. While having great sympathies for the grief of their families and friends, I have very little feeling for their individual loss. They put themselves in that situation, be it willfully, ignorantly or arrogantly. I've no argument that the loss is tragic. The needless aspect though borders on the criminal, and nature is a cruel judge, indeed.

Even as a kid, I had the sense to know what those hairs standing up at the back of my neck meant. And yes, I used to surf in San Diego where I grew up, and have swam in deep Pacific waters while fishing far offshore. And I've waded in tidal pools from Monterrey to La Jolla. Even in summer, you're wise to take care to not visit the pools at the active waveline. And you'd better be prepared to be swamped if you do.

This story, to me, just reinforces the axiom. Those who profess to love the outdoors from the vantage of their La Z Boy have very little actual knowledge thereof.

And Ma Nature will eat 'em for breakfast, any time she gets the chance.

Comments

[Katherine G.]

I am fourteen years old and I was a classmate of Michael Blank Junior who died on the afternoon of January, 11 off the Mendocino coast. I am not one to argue that it is not Micheal's fault that he died that day but I strongly believe that it could have been prevented. I know of previous deaths off of that same coast and I wonder, if this has occured before why don't people make it a point to place signs warning, "Unpredictable Waves." If umpresuming people who haven't grown up on the ocean, suddenly decide to take a school trip how are they supposed to know never to turn their backs on the ocean, especially on a calm day. Not everyone grows up with the knowledge of the ocean's dangers because not everyone grows up learning how to surf or the safety procedures of that environment. Michael died because of lack of knowledge and the mistake of the people of Mendocino for NOT making their coastlines safe. I miss him horribly and will never forget his beautiful personality and exploding smile.

[Blanca Aguirre]

This comment goes out to Jim. I really don't mean to be rude, but in your article you say what i call lies. Michael was a very close friend of mine and Phil was too. I reall doubt that they knew about the waves because if they did know, i know for a fact that they wouldnt've gone on the cliff.But it really isn't their fault. They might've put themselves on that position but they didn't know. I am pretty sure that Michael really didn't want to die neither did Phil. And not everyone lived near the beach, I mean The team didn't live in Mendicino. You might know about the waves but they didn't. The words that you said affected many people like me.