Tsunami

What if they threw a Tsunami and it didn't show up?

Last week there was an earthquake in Chile. Maybe you heard about it? It was on the news.

There were warnings that we were under a Tsunami watch. Everyone was to stay away from the beaches and marinas. Being I live in a marina, it was a bit hard to stay away. About five years ago, there was another warning. It was the first time that I could remember such a warning. I got a text message from my older son Ed saying that a Tsunami warning was in effect. It was twilight and we, my then wife and neighbors, stood around the dock wondering what to do. Should we literally head for the hills, or just stick around and take our chances. Nosy bastard that I am, I elected to stick it out and see what happens. Nothing happened.

Fast forward to last week. The news mavens were predicting the big one to hit Newport Beach at 11:47. Long Beach at 11:54 and LA Harbor at 12:10.

At high noon, beer in hand, I causally strolled down to the end of the gangway to watch. There was another boat owner standing there looking around. We both were waiting to see the big event. After the last warning, I did a little homework. I read that being there was a realitivally shallow (300-500 foot) shelf extending out 10 miles from Long Beach before the bottom falls off, any very large wave energy will dissipate before pounding the crap out of LB. Very good news if you live in Long Beach. No so good news if you want to take a tsunami right on the chin. But hey, who doesn't?

Anyway, I thought maybe we would see a one or two foot wave, as predicted, roll past the LB Yacht Club.

Once again, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Null.

Probably if we ever get another warning and I say that I've been there, I'll end up going from LB to West Covina in six seconds.

Epilog.

I talked to an old friend Steve Murphy this afternoon. Steve had flown to Maui for his birthday last Saturday and the island was under a Tsunami alert when they landed. Everyone was to seek higher ground. Not only did nothing happen, but horror of horrors, when did finally get to his hotel, he couldn't occupy his room for another day and a half because all of the housekeepers were sitting the Tsunami out up on the Pali.