I can cover all three in one story! In 1967 my husband and I were living in
Honolulu. He and a friend decided (dumb men) to go to this "great collecting
place" but wouldn't tell me where, and no, I couldn't go..........I
suspected a floating card game, but said nothing. Well, where did these
titans of the pacific go? THE BLOWHOLE! For thoses who don't know, this is
an area of the Oahu coast pocketed with sea caves formed out of old lava
flows. The water wears away the roof of the cave making a hole which spouts
a geyser everytime a wave rolls in. Needless to say, it takes rather violent
water to produce a spout 15-20 feet high, which is what the 'hole is known
for. And where did they go? Within feet of the hole! Yutz #1 (mine) decided
to "work the rocks"- flat, slippery, wet rocks. Bubba#2 was supposed to
"count waves" and let the Yutz know when a big one was coming. Do I have to
tell you what happened? 5minutes tops and both were in the water caught
between step rocks and coral below and had to be rescued by the local
rescue volunteers. Two weeks later, when mine (do I have to claim him?) got
out of the hospital, he was still talking about all the great shells he had
before his "little accident" the place sounded a lot like shell heaven.
Well, I wouldn't let him go back, so I'll never know for sure, but he sure
had hard luck in a dangerous place, and I have a collection of hard luck
stories from that day!
-----Original Message-----
From: ferreter <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, December 17, 1999 5:03 PM
Subject: Well, it will be a long weekend,


>Well, it will be a long weekend conch-Lers so why don't all us "L"heads
brew
>up a lively topic to chase around ,,,,,
>
>topic "A"       anyone have a real hard luck story concerning shells?
>topic "B"      the most dangerous place you found a shell
>topic "C"      the one that got away
>
>while i think about these anyone want to start,,,and it doesn't start with
>"My name is Mark , and i collect shells "
>
>
>Peta & Mark Bethke
>Hollywood , Florida
>"I have friends who tell me how much it cost to keep me in poverty" Mahatma
>Gandhi 1946