[Intro]
I go swimming
[Female Vocals]
[Flute solo]
Stoke, stroke, stroke
[Instrumental]
[Bubbling]
[Bubbles]
[Water]
[Break]
Stroke
[Break]
Stroke
[Break]
Stroke
[Break]
Sink or swim
Chances, slim
Dim
Dive in
[Verse 1]
There’s a warning in the wind, a message in the tide,
As the waters rise, coastline hides, no one resides
Facing a reality one cannot deny,
As the sea levels climb, I’ve got to decide.
[Chorus]
Learn to swim, in the rising tide,
Adapt or sink, we can’t run and hide.
From violent rain to the ocean’s roar,
Learn to swim
Sink or swim
Chances slim
Dim
Dive in
[Break]
Swim
[Break]
The oceans roar, oar
… or drown in ignore.
Arrive at dive!
[Break]
[Verse 2]
The ice will melt, the cards, Beast dealt
Two seventy’s the number dealt
Living low, low, low… a dangerous game,
As the tides rise, dry land’s insane.
[Chorus]
Learn to swim, in the rising tide,
Adapt or sink, we can’t run and hide.
From violent rain to the ocean’s roar,
Learn to swim
[Break]
Swim
[Break]
The oceans roar, oar
… or drown in ignore.
Arrive at dive!
[Bridge]
The Reign of Violent Rain, he’s on the rise,
Bloodying streets, reach for the skies.
From hurricanes to wildfires’ blaze,
The world’s transforming in myriad ways.
[Break]
I go swimming
[Chorus]
Learn to swim, in the rising tide,
Adapt or sink, we can’t run and hide.
From violent rain to the ocean’s roar,
Learn to swim
[Break]
Swim
[Break]
The oceans roar, oar
… or drown in ignore.
Arrive at dive!
[Outro]
As the sea meets the sky, and the rivers rage,
We’ll swim together in this new age.
On resilience and hope, we’ll float away,
In the face of change, we’ll flow all day.
[End]
[Silence]
A SCIENCE LESSON
There will be enough ice melt to raise sea levels 220 feet. We estimate 270 feet to be “the minimum safe” elevation to live. High-tides, waves, coastal flooding, storm surge, grade of shoreline, etc. would make the lowest elevations for living space to be at least 270 feet above pre-industrial sea levels. This would be the minimum elevation. Personally, I would not want to live that low. As the water submerges sewage treatment plants, landfills, chickens, cows, and all sorts of other bio-hazards, the waters will become toxic. In addition, much of the land will experience salinization making it unfit for plant life. Another concern for elevations under 800 feet is living on an island. Many locations at lower elevations will become isolated. Living on an island has many problems including fresh water, food, shelter, and healthcare. Security from pirates pilfering, raping, and plundering will likely be the overriding concern. Of course, I don’t expect that to happen for millennia, but I hope government planners do plan for it now. If you look at Florida as an example, parts of the coastline have seen sea levels rise over 14-20 feet in the last decade. Although the storm surge was only for hours, you wouldn’t want to live there during those hours. Not to mention, the frequency of these extreme weather events will rise exponentially. Thus, our recommendation to evacuate Florida now (i.e. Managed Retreat). The billions of dollars spent to rebuild after Hurricane Ida will all be for naught. Allowing building there will needlessly endanger property and lives. Parts of the world have already seen storm surges of 40 feet. I expect most North American coastlines will see sea levels rise, if only temporarily, by 20-40 feet this century. As far as long run sea level rise, much will depend on location, gravity, isostatic adjustment, and thermal expansion. If the ocean temperatures get warm enough (thermal expansion), parts of the world may see sea levels rise to 270 feet for long periods of times. Other parts of the world, like Greenland, may actually see sea levels decline. In any event, the Earth crossed tipping points this decade which make extreme sea level rise inevitable and irreversible in our lifetimes. Planners should plan on it.
Sidd reiterated, “That 270 feet will take a long time. I would be more careful about the violent rain than the ice melt.” Expect to see increasing intensity and/or frequency in a wide variety of violent rain events including: downpours, flooding, hurricanes, cyclones, monsoons, coastal flooding, storm surges, lightning and wildfires, hail, extreme wind, and concurrent extremes. The reign of violent rain has already begun. More hillsides and shorelines are collapsing. Atmospheric rivers are dramatically increasing flash flooding in the Northeastern USA. Worldwide, stormwater systems are becoming overwhelmed. Ironically, the streets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE, flooded days before the COP28 Climate Conference. Nowhere is safe from violent rain, not even in the desert preparing for a UN meeting on the climate crisis. As a result of increasing violent rain, new drainage culverts are forming. Eventually, the culverts will transform into recurring streams, carving new canyons, creating new landscapes and islands. In addition, extreme weather events are increasing the frequency of lightning storms and wildfires. After wildfires, rain deluges cause massive landslides transforming the topography. At the same time as the violent rain makes its way to the sea, the sea is rising to meet the violent rain.