Want to feel old?

[Arch]

Original Speed Racer, Gigantor, 8-Man, Hobo Kelly ?

Jonny Quest!! Only, I've watched the first few episodes lately, and they're pretty terrible. Not even mediocre. Yes, I had great taste as a youngster.

[V M]

Jonny Quest!.... that's the other one I was trying to remember

[Cindy]

Leave it to Beaver.

Bet they wouldn't use that title nowadays.

45 foot waves, time to get the Lilo out

Cindy

[tekla]

Well, we have very nice cliffs that we can watch from.

And you could not find a better bit of coastline to watch that from.  These are from where I'll most likely wind up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/photomato/3568719368/#sizes/l/

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_landscape_county&enlarge=1351+3151+4003+0065

Thinking of taking Quadrophenia out to use as the soundtrack.  Love Reign O're Me should work out perfectly.

[Cindy]

Looks beautiful.

I reckon the rocks could do a bit of damage to the Lilo though


Cindy

[tekla]

Yeah, I figure that comin' in at 45 feet they are going to do a lot of damage, but the harbor at Bodega is protected, so the boats ought to be fine.  But since this is Cali, and crazy is a national sport here, I'm guessing that some fool is going to go down to the beach, or think they can surf it or something. 

The Coast Guard at Bodega Bay will have two full crews on duty next week for its two 47-foot, motor lifeboats, along with its most experienced drivers certified for big surf, said Chief Petty Officer Erik Watson.

The boats are rated for 20-foot surf and 30-foot swells, conditions that will get the adrenaline going, Watson said.

"It always does," Watson said. "There is a little bit of uneasiness and higher awareness. If we do go out there, it will be a challenge if we are out in extreme conditions. But that is our job, what we are trained to do."

If the seas are any bigger, Watson said the Coast Guard will have to rely on helicopters and C-130 Hercules planes for rescues.

[Cindy]

Kat,

As ever one of the saddest and most admirable human attributes go together. The fools who go out, and are not big wave experts. And the very brave and committed heroes who go out to save them.

I've always admired the lifeboat service. Coming from Liverpool UK, these incredible human beings would go out in the face of hell; in my youth, with oars and guts in an open boat, to rescue a ships crew.

They are no less heroes in the modern 'unsinkable' boats and engines. It still takes outstanding courage and humanity to do what they do. As is the case in many many emergency service crews.

Enjoy the view and take some pics, the biggest waves I have surfed were about 10 foot. Seemed like monsters. The force of a 20-45 ft must be incredible. I think I'll need to put a fin on the Lilo.  I vividly remember sail boarding (which I was very good at) and having a freak shore break hit me. Trapped under a sail in six inches of water. No way I could lift a 30 sq ft sail with water over it off my back. I started to drown, so easy to happen. I was pulled out by other surfers. I would have drowned if by myself.

Yuk Bad memories

Cindy

[Chaunte]

How many remember "Hey Kids! What time is it?"

Goddess am I showing my age.
Janet

I was more into Fireball XL-5.

I guess you can tell the nerds early!

@Kara - I turned 52 at the end of December.  It's more than estradiol.  Isn't it amazing what being happy & comfortable in your own skin can due to your appearance!

[tekla]

Yeah, even in 'unsinkable' boats (and if you looked at that coastline, if you got the most unsinkable boat ever up against those rocks in seas like that the thousand pieces it winds up in might not sink, but...) what amazes me is the guys who will jump off of them and into the water. 

People who are not used to the ocean don't know the power of even a five foot wave, we were out watching 12 footers roll in the other day and it was the power and the glory.  45 feet, is going to be like the hand of god smacking the cliffs.  We will be feeling the earth move under our feet.


Seemingly unrelated, but perfectly on topic I can highly suggest the book:
Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean, which is the story of the kids (and at my age, they are kids, early 20s, no more) who jump out of airplanes and into the huge raging forest fires out West.  Pretty much like the lifeguards and Coast Guard guys.  And the running essay within the book about how such huge fires (and I know you get them in Aussieland too) behave is some damn fine science writing.

[Chaunte]

45' waves...!  That's a 4 story building sized wall of water crashing on shore.  The force is beyond what my mind can get around.

I hope you take some photos & post them.

[tekla]

I'll do my best, it's going to be (obviously) pouring rain and very windy.  Last time something like this happened it was in conjunction with the highest recorded tidal levels and that was going to happen at like 2am, we went out to one of the favorite spots (Land's End/Sutro Baths) figuring how many morons like us could there be?  There were hundreds of people out there.  This will be in daytime, I I bet there will be a lot of people to keep me company.

[Julie Marie]

I've single handed a 45 footer in 12 foot seas and 25-30 knot winds (Lake Michigan).  It's something when you're standing on deck with five foot of freeboard and can't see over the waves.  But 45' waves?  No thanks!  I have no idea how those guys do it.  You'd think somewhere in their heads they'd be thinking about the people who they are sent out to save, "If they are stupid enough to go out in that, they deserve what they get."

[tekla]

They downgraded them to 25-30, but at that there is a ton of beach erosion, and we're going to lose that Pacifica apartment building at long last.