Blog-IT-o ergo sum

	8/8/2005

Danger - Wrightsville Beach dead ahead

Just back from a post-CAFTA vacation of sun and body surfing at the NC shore. Great time, just wish someone had told me about the mysterious perils of Wrightsville surf this year before I had a wave grind off part of my forehead into the sand.

It was just an average wave like many before - only 30 feet from the waters edge . But suddenly, just at the start of my ride within a second I was flipped and driven almost vertically into the sand bottom. I remember my first thought was, "Damn, I don't think I ever hit my head that hard...But, I still seem to be able to move everything and my brain is working so I must be OK."

Of course, I could have been suspicious over the red danger flags they had posted on the lifeguard tower I was swimming in front of. But, I have been body surfing for over 30 years and never had a mishap - let alone one in puny 3 foot waves on a clear blue sky day. The beach and ocean were full of fellow bathers. I figured the red flag was a either a lazy carryover from the storm of two days previous or the end result of some ridiculous, overprotective government policy.

Explaining my misfortune to a curious friend in Winston Salem today, I learned that the Winston-Salem Journal just a week ago tried to get the word out that body surfing at Wrightsville Beach this year could be a life ending event. The Gulf of Mexico has its sharks and Wrightsville Beach appears be having a run with Satanically possesed waves.

After reading about the year's wave of paralysis events at Wrightsville, I guess I should count myself fortunate that I walked away with just a scrapped head and a crick in my neck.

Note to my two or three fans out there: I am not one of those bloggers that announces to the entire planet, "Hey, everybody. I won't be blogging while on vacation and there won't be anybody in my house for the next week."

10:51:08 PM

comment []