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Oregon Coast Safety Tips: Spotting Dangerous Waves |
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Covering 180 miles of Oregon coast travel: Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Rockaway, Garibaldi, Tillamook, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport, Yachats & Florence.
07/17/08
Secrets of the Season |
Oregon Coast Safety Tips: Spotting Dangerous Waves
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| Yachats |
(Seaside, Oregon) - They kill, injure or maim indiscriminately. They come without warning, and surprise most everyone caught in their deadly path.
They are sneaker waves of the Oregon coast - the biggest possible curse to tourism officials in the state, and the scourge of those too young to be aware of their surroundings or those simply not paying attention on Oregon's beaches.
But here's the weird hidden secret about sneaker
waves: you may have a way to watch out for them.
Tom Horning, a geologist living in Seaside, said these surges will threaten
anyone who strays too close to the ocean under the wrong circumstances.
Horning pointed to a rather significant event in 1999 that created massive
ocean surges.
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| Manzanita: this scene is more common in winter and spring, but sneaker waves are a worry even during summer |
"There were expected tides and historically high waves from March 2 to 3, 1999, when historically unprecedented beach erosion took place along the coasts of Oregon and Washington," Horning said. "The peak of the waves coincided perfectly with the high tide of that night, and this magnified the storm surge to near-catastrophic proportions."
Horning said sneaker waves are a likelihood on low-lying beaches or rocky ledges during much of the winter. So it’s best to stay clear of these kinds of beaches during these conditions - period.
But if you must dare to hit the sands in wild states, there are ways to keep a look out.
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| Near Depoe Bay |
“Sneaker waves sneak up on you and can carry away the unprepared,” Horning said. “Sneaker waves are formed by at least two wave trains that are moving at slightly different speeds and that are out of phase. As a result, they produce a complex wave train that can double the heights of the waves every few minutes, with smaller waves happening in between.”
What’s surprising is that there are conditions to look out for when a sneaker wave may be coming, but you have to be paying close attention to the tide.
"The clue that a sneaker wave is coming is a large withdrawal of the ocean after a period of smaller waves," Horning said. "The withdrawal represents a magnified trough preceding a magnified peak - a big wave - that is following. If the ocean pulls out an abnormal distance, keep an eye on it and plan your escape route - if you are in an area that can be flooded by the coming big surge."
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| Foamy scene in Newport |
Horning said it’s best to watch the ocean for 10 to 20 minutes to get an idea of whether or not sneaker waves are likely. But if in doubt, simply stay away from the beach – period. If you see waves reaching up close to cliffs or foredunes, stay off it and watch the beach from above.
"Another trick to estimating if a site is safe is to stay on dry ground, as that site should not get swamped by waves," Horning said. "But this only works if the weather is dry. If it has been raining, you have to study the site to see if it has foam or bits of debris from waves. You should also keep in mind when the tide will peak. A site can be dry early in the tidal cycle, but can be hit by waves as the tide rises. Caution and a close eye on the ocean is needed.
“Foolishness has killed not only the fools, but those who try to rescue them.”
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