Thank you, bakers!
Sympathies, anon. Don't let guilt attack you. We all make our own choices. So sorry for your loss.
Anons, hang in there. Remember, there is always hope. No matter how dark the valley, there is light on the other side.
RED FLAGS
The most serious of all beach warning flags, red flags warn swimmers of serious hazards in the water. One red flag means that the surf is high or there are dangerous currents, or both. Though you can still swim if there is a red flag, you should use extreme caution and go in the water only if you’re a strong swimmer. Two red flags, however, means that the water is closed to swimming, as conditions are too dangerous for even the strongest swimmers. In some communities, red flags feature the symbol of a swimmer with a white line through it, indicating that swimming is prohibited.
https://perdidokeylive.com/4689-2/
Though you can still swim if there is a red flag, you should use extreme caution and go in the water only if you’re a strong swimmer.
For emphasis.
FLAGS OUT. WATCH THE WATER
Hazardous conditions ahead. If you are going to play in the sea, make sure you're an expert swimmer.
Right. Do follow you, anon. Worth pondering. Also potentially worth noting that a red flag was pirate code for "no mercy."
However, the context of it being on a beach is a compelling argument that it refers to rough water.
As a PNW anon, I'm really hoping to avoid a Cascadia subduction zone megaquake in the near term.
I live right by the Columbia River somewhere along the stretch that runs due North on the WA side. Geological evidence shows the 1701 quake did nasty stuff–like blocking the river entirely for a while and radically changing its course in places.