Signs aimed at French-Canadian tourists along the New Hampshire seacoast are being replaced because they didn't quite say what the state intended.
The signs were part of the state's $14.5 million redevelopment project at Hampton Beach, which is known to attract French-Canadian visitors. One sign warning French speakers about rip currents was supposed to say, "If you're in trouble, wave for assistance," but instead read, "If you need help, ocean wave."
State and local tourism officials say it was an honest mistake that prompted few if any complaints. But Richard Fortin, a former member of the state American and Canadian French Cultural Exchange Commission, called the signs offensive and embarrassing.
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