Red Flag Days

Everyday, the beach lifeguards secure their flags so that us ocean lovers know to #1: throw ourselves into the waves and really yuck it up, or to #2: hang back and basically spend more time on the sand than in the sea. Such was the case this weekend... fierce riptides all along our watery playground left Bob and I to suck eggs under our beach umbrellas with books neither one of us was reading.

Riptides are sneaky. They look like a river in the ocean, and you really need a trained eye to spot them. (Bob has become very good at this.) Most people caught in a riptide don't know it until they are way out and everyone on land looks real small. I know; I have personal experience.

I was carried out by one last summer. I was just having a great time, the waves were pretty sizable and decided to take my board and venture out to the "Big Boys", maybe 100 yards out. Within just a couple minutes, I had ended up and over the waves and could not make any headway getting back. I knew I was way out when I looked over to the palapas and spotted a tiny Bob at the water's edge. I imagine he was a little distressed.

Our friend, Carlos, immediately ran down the sand full-speed from his mother's seafood stand, dove in, and began the long, tiring swim towards me. I didn't know until several minutes later that two life guards also joined the party.

It was a strange feeling being out there all alone. It was real quiet. I wasn't really afraid or panicked. I knew that I was having great difficulty making any progress towards the shore, but I really was just kinda mellow, and I had my board which kept me afloat.

My big worry was sharks. I'd been told they lurk just beyond the big breakers. Also, I suppose just having watched the week-long series, "Shark Week" on Discovery Channel didn't help much.

Well, Carlos made it out to me before the lifeguards did. He actually towed me back, although, we had a hell of a time trying to position ourselves just right to catch the big waves that would send us crashing into the safe zone. My hero, Carlos.

I have a healthy respect for the ocean now; I am overly-cautious, maybe. I tend to watch the water when we have weekend visitors. Both Bob and I can spot a swimmer in potential danger immediately. We've witnessed many a rescue, and one Saturday, five family members were saved one by one as all had been taken out to the sea in one swoop. Many drowning deaths occur every year here, I'm told. This is open ocean, folks. We live at "EL HOGAR DE LA OLA VERDE."

Here's a photo of this weekend's hero. We call him "THE BIG KAHUNA." He was called to duty this Saturday when he rescued one of the workers here for Carnaval.

Big weekend here. Carnaval in Cuyutlan. More to follow next post.
Bye for now.