These signs are all around where I am now staying. They are a little worrisome, as the land directly inland slopes down from the ocean and is very flat. On the other hand, when I was a kid and living here, there were no signs or directions, so I guess this is a step up.
Long, long ago I attended kindergarden a small block northeast from the beach. At some point in that year, my teacher wisely thought that she should educate us little ones about tsunamis. I don't remember what we learned, but I have vivid memories of the nightmares. Boy, was my Mom pissed at that teacher!
In my nightmare (the same most nights), the tsunami came and my family was swept away from our house and away from each other. It being a little kid's nightmare, there was none of the harsh reality of an actual tsunami. There were no trees or parts of houses to injure us, and mostly what I remember was all of us bobbing along the top of a giant wave until I woke up. Still, it was pretty scary to a five year old.
Now I know a lot more about tsunamis and the early warning system that exists. I know what to do in case of an earthquake and I respect the power of the ocean. I don't have nightmares about tsunamis anymore, but I am still pretty happy anytime I see this sign:
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