A bit of background on this story: part of this article takes place in the ruins of the Sutro Baths on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco. There is a cave in the ruins that was part of the original baths, and if you walk inside you start to hear deep rumblings that shake the ground. The path drops, and it becomes apparent there are ocean "sneaker waves" flowing inside the cave. It is dark, and can be quite scary. There are "Danger" warning signs all round, including the trails that cover the large abandoned cliffs. To visit these ruins is a very challenging and exciting adventure - but not without the danger of being washed away to sea. When I was last there, the entire area was fenced off, but there seemed to be a major attraction for visitors and city residents needing to "get away" to an authentic part of a bygone era. Trying to keep people out of the historic ruins was clearly futile...
I haven't been in San Francisco for many years and knew vaguely of Sutro Baths when I was. Certainly Twin Peaks and a huge tower there felt very notable when I visited on official business (consultant for NIMH engaged in site visits for research and training applications). Sutro Tower too and I drove down Lombard Street once and the incline did cause me fear. But like operating heavy machines on a Wisconsin farm when a youth, I told myself to just do it--trust the body, don't panic.
Also notable life events took place in that city: death of a brother, courting of and marriage to my present wife.
I felt about Robert's narrative that he was young and alone and had a very dangerous incident even as he was adventurously exploring. I'm glad that wave didn't grab him so that we have him now! Still adventurous, inquiring, gently probing for more stories and inhabiting other memories in our joint futures.
Thanks for the comment! Your farm skills served you well, even on Lombard Street. In my experience, when an ocean wave tries to carry a person away, your advice of "just do it--trust the body, don't panic" is essential to survival. I am always surprised when the ocean is not satisfied to simply spray water all around, splashing and dousing, but it seems to want to "own" people and objects, carrying them away and hiding them in the depths. One time I was on Grey Whale Cove beach, and had saved my wallet and watch high up on a rock cliff so they would not get wet. Sure enough a wave came in, crawled slowly up the rock cliff and carried everything away. No amount of effort on my part could retrieve it.
A bit of background on this story: part of this article takes place in the ruins of the Sutro Baths on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco. There is a cave in the ruins that was part of the original baths, and if you walk inside you start to hear deep rumblings that shake the ground. The path drops, and it becomes apparent there are ocean "sneaker waves" flowing inside the cave. It is dark, and can be quite scary. There are "Danger" warning signs all round, including the trails that cover the large abandoned cliffs. To visit these ruins is a very challenging and exciting adventure - but not without the danger of being washed away to sea. When I was last there, the entire area was fenced off, but there seemed to be a major attraction for visitors and city residents needing to "get away" to an authentic part of a bygone era. Trying to keep people out of the historic ruins was clearly futile...
I haven't been in San Francisco for many years and knew vaguely of Sutro Baths when I was. Certainly Twin Peaks and a huge tower there felt very notable when I visited on official business (consultant for NIMH engaged in site visits for research and training applications). Sutro Tower too and I drove down Lombard Street once and the incline did cause me fear. But like operating heavy machines on a Wisconsin farm when a youth, I told myself to just do it--trust the body, don't panic.
Also notable life events took place in that city: death of a brother, courting of and marriage to my present wife.
I felt about Robert's narrative that he was young and alone and had a very dangerous incident even as he was adventurously exploring. I'm glad that wave didn't grab him so that we have him now! Still adventurous, inquiring, gently probing for more stories and inhabiting other memories in our joint futures.
Thanks for the comment! Your farm skills served you well, even on Lombard Street. In my experience, when an ocean wave tries to carry a person away, your advice of "just do it--trust the body, don't panic" is essential to survival. I am always surprised when the ocean is not satisfied to simply spray water all around, splashing and dousing, but it seems to want to "own" people and objects, carrying them away and hiding them in the depths. One time I was on Grey Whale Cove beach, and had saved my wallet and watch high up on a rock cliff so they would not get wet. Sure enough a wave came in, crawled slowly up the rock cliff and carried everything away. No amount of effort on my part could retrieve it.