Reply #27: NEVER turn your back to the ocean.

[Xithras]

My parents taught me that the first time we visited the beach, and drilled it in until I was old enough to move out.

In the late 80's I was tidepooling at Natural Bridges near Santa Cruz Ca, at low tide when a huge wave came out of nowhere and swept over all the rocks, slamming into the base of the cliffs above. I held on because I saw it coming. Three people weren't watching and were pulled into the water. None drowned, but one of the guys was rescued more than a half mile offshore. The only difference between them and I was the fact that I was watching the sea in the background.