A Breezy Point tragedy

This following news item was carried in the NewYork Times’ Metro Briefing section yesterday:

QUEENS: BODY OF MISSING MAN RECOVERED IN OCEAN The body of a man who was swept off a jetty in the Rockaways last week was found in the water yesterday not far from where he disappeared, the police said. The man, Karl Heinzen, 21, had been fishing with his father at Breezy Point last Sunday when he was struck by high waves that carried him into the ocean in his waders, said his father, Jerome Heinzen. (Reported by Michael Wilson)

It’s not an earth shaking news. But to the family that lost their love one, a dynamical 21 year old, on a supposedly pleasant weekend excursion, it’s a sad major tragedy. Of course the part that drew my attention is that the young man was “struck by high waves that carried him into the ocean in his waders.” That can happen to anybody, at any time and any place including the beautiful beach area.









Breezy Point is that terminus of the Rockaway peninsula shown on the right hand side of the above picture, which consist dune/beach shoreline terrain that extends outward into the Atlantic Ocean. A natural, charming, scenic spot no one should expect something terrible can be lurking around. Unfortunately it did. The high wave that struck the young man must be some kind of nearshore freaque waves no one has any notion about it at this time. It’s unknown, uncertain, and unpredictable. We don't know much about the deep ocean freaque waves. We know even less about the nearshore freaque waves. Our science and technology have come a long, long way, but in no way that can anticipate and prevent this kind of tragedy yet. Our heartfelt prayer goes to the young man, may he rest in peace, and his family.