Seiichi Kato living in his tent on the beach

Getting over 'the Wave', and article in the Washington Times features locals from the Heavy Current Surfing Club.

With their knowledge of the ocean the club members were able to recognize the withdrawing tide, knew it was a tsunami and head to higher ground. Seiichi Kato explains We didn t lose any members, because we respect and fear the ocean. But other Japanese forgot about nature, and they could not escape it.

While many are still afraid to return to the ocean the club members have set up camp and are enjoying nature. Opting out of noisy and cramped evacuation centers, Kato and his friends are sleeping under the stars away from the destroyed city.

We were amazed that the beach looks exactly the same as before the tsunami. It destroyed everything man-made, but nature is almost the same.

Another surfer, Yoshimitsu, describes his thoughts on the tsunami after-math;

This is still the most beautiful place in Japan, and we don t want to move away, even if another tsunami is going to come, he said.

If we respect and fear the ocean, as we should, not so many people will die next time.