Bae Cadotte, a 47-year-old [1] fisherwoman, survived being swept into the Pacific Ocean by a sudden sneaker wave at Pacifica Beach [4].
The incident highlights the extreme danger of shore-break waves that arrive without warning, posing a lethal risk to beachgoers and anglers in California.
Cadotte was fishing on Tuesday, June 16, 2024 [4], when a powerful wave struck. She said, "It just swallowed me."
The surge dragged the woman approximately 30 feet [2] into the ocean. Cadotte remained underwater for roughly seven minutes [3] before she was able to survive the encounter.
Following the event, Cadotte spoke about the experience and the precarious nature of the coast. "I'm lucky to be alive," she said.
Sneaker waves are characterized as sudden, powerful waves that can appear without warning [5]. Because they often arrive between smaller waves, they can catch people off guard, pulling them from the shore into deep water rapidly.
Cadotte is now using her experience to call for greater public awareness. She said others should exercise extreme caution when visiting the coast to avoid similar accidents [5].
“"It just swallowed me."”
This incident underscores the unpredictable nature of the California coastline, where sneaker waves can turn a routine activity into a life-threatening emergency in seconds. The survivor's account serves as a critical public safety reminder that coastal geography and wave patterns can change rapidly, necessitating constant vigilance regardless of perceived water safety.
