Sneaker Waves on the Oregon Coast



Back in 1998, a man took his girlfriend to Neskowin beach. His plan was to ask his girlfriend to marry him. The couple was walking on the beach towards Proposal Rock when suddenly a sneaker wave grabbed the young lady and pulled her into the ocean. The young lady was briefly lifted above water by the waves one last time, and then she was never seen again. As this very sad true story illustrates, sneaker waves on the Oregon Coast are extremely dangerous and should be taken very seriously.

Although Tsunamis can be known ahead of time because they are usually the result of earthquakes, sneaker waves can not be predicted.

A sneaker wave may also be called a sleeper wave, a rogue wave, a Little Tsunami, or simply a big wave. Anyway, a sneaker wave is basically a big out of proportion wave that gets mixed in with smaller pattern looking waves. It is called a sneaker wave because it can sneak up at anytime. There are no warnings or a set of rules when it will happen. Just all of a sudden out of nowhere a sneaker wave will appear. These sneaker waves happen at various degrees every day regardless of whether or how rough the sea is and even during little surf.

The waves come fast, the water is ice cold and can take you way off shore in a very short amount of time. It can also move heavy logs with very little water, or push you off a cliff or rock close to water.

So, when you are enjoying the beach, please take these precautions to avoid a disaster:

Always keep a sharp eye on the ocean.
Never turn your back on the ocean.
Stay away from large drift wood. (especially in wet sand)
Stay clear of rocks and cliffs.
Always watch and be within reach of your children.

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