Lack Of Common Sense?

Here is the inlet that allegedly my late sister sat in – with her back to the sea – and said;

“You know, If a big wave came right now it could drag me out to sea and I would drown!”

How do we know Christine Rosamond Presco said such a thing? Well, our younger sister, Vicki Presco, was standing next to our sister, close enough to hear this utterance above the sound of the waves. Drew must have heard this foreboding and famous death prediction, too. Did Drew and Vicki also turn their back to the sea? Drew is taken in by the wave, also.

In the video below, you see this inlet on the lower left corner. A wave hits a ten foot wall at the end of this inlet, throwing a twenty foot plume of water into the air. Anyone sitting there, would have gotten wet, and, would have seen this plume while hiking down there. Not only were they warned there was danger here, but, one could no sit here. To top it off, there are no tide-pools down here! Here is Tom Snyder’s hit.

“It is not quite ten-thirty in the morning and Vicki asks about the
tide. Christine says it is low, based on her frequent excursions to
Point Lobos with Drew. The ocean seems calm, ordinary. Vicki remains
at the limit of the ice plant on the hill, while Christine and Drew
sit down on the rock with her back to the sea, fully aware that she
is violating a cardinal rule.”

Tom has moved Vicki further away. How did she hear the death-prediction? Where is the concern of these two mothers about the safety of a eight year old child?

From ‘When You Close Your Eyes’ by Tom Snyder. Do you see any sand?

Here is my nephew, Shamus Dundon

“Only 4 people were at the beach house. Me, mom, Christine, and Drew. All four of us went for a walk. We started near the water where
there cliff ended (sand meeting water) and worked our way back up the cliffs.

I seperated from them early on after not seeing any sea urchins etc  (I
was hoping for tidal pool type stuff) I went find lizards after
running around  the cliffs for about 15 minutes I gave up and went back to the house to read.

Only 3 people were in the bowl when christine was taken.
Mom, Drew and Christine. After going to the house , then a little later, I
think I  hear something (it’s windy so I think I’m hearing something). Then
I’m pretty sure I hear something so I get off the couch and look out the door.
The next thing I saw were Mom and Drew running up the hill mom crying and
saying to call 911. My whereabouts where in the guesthouse . You know
exactly where I was now. there not 4 people in the bowl.

I talked to the 911 dispatch who listened to the call. She told me dispatch asked the woman on the phone to go back and see if Christine is “still clinging to the rocks”. She must have been told my sister was hanging on to the rocks. Why didn’t Vicki send Drew running up that hill to call 911, or, alert her cousin? How could Vicki turn her back on our sister – and run away?

How close did Shamus get to the water to see there were no sea urchins?

“not seeing any sea urchins etc ”

Vicki, Drew, and Christine saw what Shamus saw. Why then did they stay in that inlet for so long? Shamus says he ran around looking for lizards – for fifteen minutes – before he quit wanting to be with his kinfolk, and went back up to the house? How long did it take for him to climb up that steep slope? I would say ten minutes.

“After going to the house , then a little later, I  think I  hear something.”

Shamus has grown bored. And he came such a long way to see his people. He was based in Oklahoma City. He feels – cheated! He came all that way to see sea urchins, Now, he is sulking up in the house, his head buried in a book. How long is a “little later”. Shall we say another ten minutes?

Let’s add it up!  15+10+10=35. How long did it take Vicki to run up that steep slope. Let’s give her seven minutes. 35-7=28. Christine was in that inlet for twenty-eight minutes, and all she was wearing was a t-shirt and a light suede jacket. She has no desire to leave this dangerous area. My kindred are problably getting soaked by the plume of water spraying high into the air, because there are large waves. How do I know this? Shamus told me!

“I  hear something (it’s windy so I think I’m hearing something). Then
I’m pretty sure I hear something so I get off the couch and look out the door.”

There goes the arty death prediction – out the door! Gone with the wind! Christine had lived in the Carmel area for over fifteen years. She has watched tragic news accounts of outsiders being taken to their death by large waves. She had probably dined at the Rocky Point restaurant – more than once. She had looked down on the angry waves breaking on the rocks. Did she ever see a mother taking her child down to the sea to look for urchins? Did she make a mental note – to never take Drew down there? Why didn’t Shamus use his common sense and sound a warning?

“You know. This place does not look safe to me. Let’s get out of here!”

Did Shamus have a sixth sense that told him he should leave?

Jon Presco

Copyright 2017

common sense

good sense and sound judgment in practical matters.

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