Rogue Wave, Half Moon Bay, CA

[Gary]

So apparently a rogue wave hit the beaches of Half Moon Bay CA sending people feeling.  Some people were injured, and there was no warning.  Surfing anyone???  Yeah right!  Check out the video at the link below.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/rogue-wave-victim-like-a-tsunami-18152255   :o

[PPI Karl]

It's pretty dramatic footage.  Thanks for the link.  It's a shame people were injured.  As usual, the reporting is lame and didactic.  Journalists never simply report the news anymore; they always seem to think they have to make you learn something, as though rogue waves were some sort of consumer safety issue:  "What people need to remember is that it doesn't take a tsunami or a wall of water to get you in trouble.  Even a relatively small wave can pack enough punch [reporter punches hand dramatically; pause for effect] to knock you down" (Reporter Laura Marquez).  Yeah, and . . .?  ::|  It doesn't take a cliff to make you fall, either.  Even a small stone can turn your ankle and drop you to a head-splitting death. But why is that "need to know" information?  ::|  (Sorry.  I get gripy about bad journalism.)

[PPI Tracy]

and a nasty gnat that flies into your window while you are driving could blind you and thereby causing you to crash. 

Doom and gloom, boys and girls.  The world is out to get us, armed with rogue waves and all.

What was interesting about that clip was it looked like the wave was coming in almost backward.  I guess it is out on a tip of land?  Not sure of the geographics of the area.

[Shellshock]

Oh thats horrible!  All those people  

[PPI Tracy]

Oh thats horrible!  All those people  

Just minor injuries.  A person or two had some broken bones but no deaths.

[TAPS Jen]

Not to sound callous because I am sorry people got hurt - but wasn't it at a monster wave surfing competition? The whole point of the thing is freakish out-of-control enormous waves! Why they placed the stands where they did is beyond me. Did they expect the waves to politely step around that area?

[PPI Tracy]

Not to sound callous because I am sorry people got hurt - but wasn't it at a monster wave surfing competition? The whole point of the thing is freakish out-of-control enormous waves! Why they placed the stands where they did is beyond me. Did they expect the waves to politely step around that area?

Oh, Jen....you're just so...so....so callous!   (

[PPI Tim]

"We were sailing along...On Half Moon Bay".
Just here singing a song....On Half Moon BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH :o

[Shellshock]

Its true, the crowed shouldn't have been so close.  

Did you see that woman's leg . >_<  

[ljiljanac]

"We were sailing along...On Half Moon Bay".
Just here singing a song....On Half Moon BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH :o

Tim, I just absolutely love it.  lol lol   In all seriousness, as a surfer myself, I agree 100% with Karl's take on the journalism....whatever. 

Honestly, those people and tents were right where they should have been and always are for a surf contest, big or small.  Mavericks is a big-wave surf spot, and they wouldn't be posted there if this was a usual occurrence.  This was a freak scenario of a rogue wave (or two) hitting shore where no expected it to.  It really was an anomoly, and I don't blame any of them for being there.  And hindsight is always 20/20, but I absolutely do respect the opinion that they should not have been where they were.  Maybe the city needs to reconsider the location of the sea wall.     

I personally am sketchy about paddling out right now because of my fears of the ocean and rogue waves.  I'm having a mental issue with this whole scenario and am going to have to fight fear of a rogue wave at shore.  I'm kinda bummed about it, but oh well....face your fears.   

[TAPS Jen]

Lillie - you surf?!?!  You, me and Tracy will have to go together sometime!

[ljiljanac]

Oh heck yeah!  I'd go with you guys, for sure!!!      I'm a longboarder, though.  What do you ride?

[TAPS Jen]

Longboard! I'm not great by any means - but I make up for it with lots of enthusiasm!   

[ljiljanac]

Me too, my friend!  It's a plan!!!  Double not super great....double enthusiasm!!!