I think of the sign I sometimes see on Northern California beaches, which have rip tides, sleeper waves, and no lifeguards, and where unsuspecting people are sometimes swept away. It says NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE OCEAN. That sign always puts me in my place. It reminds me that the beach is not an amenity for humans—that I can be there, but I’d better learn the laws of the ocean if I want to stay alive.
