I guess we’ve all done some dumb things in our lives.
Still, it’s hard to feel sorry for the folks along the Maine coast who found out too late why park rangers kept begging them to back away from the gigantic waves formed by Hurricane Bill.
At Acadia National Park, a huge wave washed over a group of close-in gawkers and swept about 20 of them back into the frigid, churning waters.
A 7-year-old girl drowned. Several others got broken bones from being slammed onto rocks by subsequent waves. (Ouch.) Two daredevils couldn’t get back to shore on their own and had to be rescued (a risky thing for the crews involved).
At another site in Maine, the resort town of Old Orchard Beach, 22 people had to be rescued after repeatedly failing to heed warnings to back away from the heavy surf.
Jeez. I guess there is something thrilling about watching enormous waves break over the beach. But it would also be fascinating to watch a tiger up close or wonder what it’s like to wander through a minefield.
Apparently, some people think they’re bulletproof. Or they want to impress someone by “getting close.” Or they’re stupid.
Whatever. In the end, it’s just Nature’s way of thinning the gene pool.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Daring death
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2 comments:
Tom, Mother Nature is, like, you know, our Mother / Matrix / Mater Thingness, and the park rangers were simply being all President Bush meanies about demanding that The People not be allowed to embrace Mother Nature's ethereal otherness beingness, and, like, you know, stuff. Except that they let that poor child drown and need to be sued.
-- Poncy Tworbst, MA, Grief Counselor and Youth Minister and Bongos Drums Spiritual Healer
Too bad Medal of Freedom winner and champion swimmer / diver Ted Kennedy wasn't there to save the girl.
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