Tourists aiming to capture a memorable photo on Oregon’s Lost Boy Beach found themselves in need of rescue, facilitated by the local fire department. Last week, on September 16, three unidentified visitors became stranded for five hours after rising tides cut off their route back to the mainland at the secluded Tillamook County cove.
The group faced an additional challenge when they lost cell phone service at the bottom of the steep cliff. However, they managed to contact 911 using an emergency satellite feature, according to The Oregonian.
The Netarts-Oceanside Fire District responded to the call. They discovered the tourists stranded on a shrinking patch of beach, with the tide rolling in, and captured footage of them spelling out an SOS message with sticks using a drone.
Lost Boy Beach is accessible only by scrambling over rocky terrain and passing through a sea cave that is open at both ends.
During low tide, the small beach may seem inviting, yet rising waters quickly block the only exit. “When people are stranded there, we may not be able to get to them,” NOFD Chief Jeff McBrayer stated.
The rescue crew initially considered waiting for the tide to recede, but rough surf, the presence of sneaker waves, and the tourists being cold and wet prompted a more immediate response.
Rescue workers navigated dangerous conditions by staying along the remaining shoreline. They used ropes to avoid wading into the unpredictable water. Once they reached the stranded tourists, they provided life vests, secured the group to safety ropes, and guided them through the surf to a safer area where they could walk out.
The tourists emerged from their ordeal with minor bumps and bruises. Following the rescue, Chief McBrayer highlighted the deceptive dangers of exploring isolated coves.
“You have to ask a local or check a tide app on a phone for tide information,” he advised visitors.
Lost Boy Beach, located on the northern Oregon coast near a towering basalt cliff, carries a name derived from a century-old local legend. The secluded spot is named after a young boy who was allegedly trapped and drowned by an incoming tide. Although there’s no historical verification, the name has warned visitors of the cove’s unpredictable dangers for nearly a hundred years.
Accessing this hidden stretch of sand is notoriously treacherous, situated between Short Beach to the north and Tunnel Beach to the south. Unlike its neighbor, Short Beach, which received a community-built “stairway of 100 steps” to improve safety, Lost Boy Beach lacks safe overland access.
Navigating to the beach is exceptionally risky, with entry possible during rare, extreme low-tide events occurring only a few times each year.
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