I feel soory for NO ONE who ignore beach warning flags

[Downdraft]

Come on guys and girls! Are you telling me you've never done something so stupid you either could have gotten in real trouble or perhaps did? I work with Fire/Rescue and sometimes I think our name should be changed to "Idiots are Us." If stupidity was a crime we would never have enough prisons would we? Part of it is stupidity the real part is ignorance. Ignorance of dangerous rip currents, ignorance of storm surge, ignorance of over development of tidal marsh lands, ignorance of the danger of building million dollar homes 100 feet from the ocean or gulf. Personally I'd take plain stupid over blissfully ignorant any day of the week.

[orion]

As far as I'm concerned, the local surfers get a pass when it comes to red flags. Heck, there's actually a surfer exemption in my county's 'double red flags mean the beach is totally closed' ordinance that lets them in the water pretty much whenever they want to go. The local surfers know and respect the different water conditions, provide their own flotation devices, and save hundreds of lives in areas not covered by lifeguards. You never hear of surfers drownings in these parts.

I've seen surfers pull several people out of the water here too. I may be sort of biased here, because I am a surfer... but I think most surfers know and respect the incredible power of the ocean. They are usually very familiar with their particular area, where rips form, etc. In fact we often use rips to help us get out (sure beats paddling yourself to death) and for that reason, don't panic if we get in one like most people would. Also, from what I have seen around here in North Carolina, they know their own limits and stay out when the waves and or current exceeds them.

When the nice swells were coming in from Ophelia when she was offshore, surfers were everywhere, but once she got closer and the water looked more like a washing machine, the surfers were gone and the only people I saw in the water were tourists thinking they were in total control if they were in only up to their waist.

[nicdeedoop]

yzerfan - absolutly!! Local surfers are credited numerous times for getting people to safety (and from sharks ) If I recall correctly surfers assisted in the referenced Miramar Beach incident...I know for sure the Deputy said they were unable to even take the wave runners out into the water due to the conditions.

And for the record I'm not for on spot tickets but if you've been warned once....