356:" are examples of such common beliefs that have wide circulation and have entered popular culture through music, literature, and art. These ideas have some scientific merit, due to the occurrence of wave groups at sea, but there is no explicit evidence for this specific phenomenon, or that these wave groups are related to sneaker waves. The saying is likely derived more from a cultural fascination with certain numbers, and it may also be designed to educate shore-dwellers about the necessity of remaining vigilant when near the ocean.
340:, breaking down the doors of a dining hall, knocking several people off their feet, moderately to severely damaging the dining hall, the Outrigger Bar and Grill, the chapel, and the Tradewinds Theater, and leaving parts of the island, including the automotive complex, underwater. The flooding of the dining hall was filmed. The wave or waves penetrated 300 feet (100 m) inland and probably were between 29 and 40 feet (8.8 and 12.2 m) tall amid a significant wave height of 10 feet (3 m) to 15 feet (5 m).
368:
65:, and little or no scientific evidence has been gathered to identify, describe, or define sneaker waves. Although the term "rogue wave" — meaning an unusually tall or steep wave in mid-ocean — is sometimes used as a synonym for "sneaker wave," one American oceanographer distinguishes "rogue waves" as occurring on the ocean and "sneaker waves" as occurring at the shore, while the
100:
can surge more than 150 feet (50 m) beyond the foam line, rushing up a beach with great force. In addition to containing a large volume of rapidly surging water, a sneaker wave also tends to carry a large amount of sand and gravel with it. It can be strong enough to break over rocks and float or roll large, waterlogged logs lying on the beach weighing several hundred
22:
69:
loosely defines rogue waves as offshore waves that are at least twice the height of surrounding waves and sneaker waves as waves near shore that are unexpectedly and significantly larger than other waves reaching shore at the time. Scientists do not yet understand what causes sneaker waves, and their
99:
Sneaker waves appear suddenly on a coastline and without warning; generally, it is not obvious that they are larger than other waves until they break and suddenly surge up a beach. A sneaker wave can occur following a period of 10 to 20 minutes of gentle, lapping waves. Upon arriving, a sneaker wave
77:
researchers wrote that sneaker waves form in offshore storms that transfer wind energy to the ocean surface. The resulting waves then arrive along a coastline during periods of calm weather, and the greater amount of energy they contain compared to the regular waves that preceded them causes them to
121:
and wash them into the sea. The force of a sneaker wave's surge and the large volume of water rushing far up a beach is enough to suddenly submerge people thigh- or waist-deep, knock them off their feet, and drag them into the ocean or trap them against rocks. Many coastlines more prone to sneaker
134:
that weighs a person down as he or she is swept up a beach and then back into the sea, increasing the chances of drowning. Floating and rolling logs in a sneaker wave also pose a danger, as they can badly injure people as well as pin people down when they come to rest, and it can be difficult or
90:
as favorable for sneaker waves when an offshore storm generates waves with a particularly long period — perhaps longer than 15 seconds — between swells, allowing the swells to build considerable force before reaching shore, where they might appear either as conventional large waves or as sneaker
56:
The term "sneaker wave" is popular rather than scientific, derived from the observation that such a wave can "sneak up" on an unwary beachgoer. There is no scientific coverage of the phenomenon as a distinct sort of wave with respect to height or predictability as there is on other extreme wave
112:
The unpredictability of sneaker waves and their tendency to arrive suddenly after lengthy periods of gentle, lapping waves makes it easy for them to surprise unwary or inexperienced beachgoers; because they are much larger than preceding waves, sneaker waves can catch inattentive
242:, sneaker waves kill more people than all other weather hazards combined. In Oregon, 21 deaths were attributed to sneaker waves from 1990 through March 2021, most of the deaths occurring between October and April, although sneaker waves also occurred at other times of year.
104:, moving them up the beach during the landward surge and then back down toward the ocean as the wave retreats. Sneaker waves appear to be more common along steep coastlines than in areas with broader, more gently sloped beaches.
917:
479:
Anonymous, "Parents of boy swept to sea didn’t know about the hidden dangers of
California’s sneaker waves," Nexstar Media Inc. via the Associated Press, May 4, 2021 Accessed 4 December 2021
948:
223:, and warning signs were erected at Reynisfjara and Kirkjufjara beaches, following three unrelated tourist deaths at those beaches over several years, the third of them in January 2017. In
325:
478:
66:
925:
842:
1029:
468:
Tomlinson, Jessica, "What You Don’t Know About Oregon Coast
Sneaker Waves Could Kill You," That Oregon Life, April 1, 2021 Accessed 4 December 2021
452:
Johnson, Craig, and Jason Hanna, "Waves that injured surf audience were sneaky, but not 'rogue'," CNN, February 15, 2010 Accessed 4 December 2021
135:
impossible to move such a log before a person pinned by it drowns as later waves arrive and fill the person's lungs with water and sediment.
490:"Caution Urged on Oregon Coast: Sneaker Wave Dangers This Weekend," Oregon Coast Beach Connection, October 1, 2021 Accessed 4 December 2021
467:
532:
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A sneaker wave incident gained worldwide media attention when two large waves suddenly and unexpectedly struck a crowd watching the
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predicts that out of a certain number of waves, one will be much larger than the rest. "Every seventh wave" or "every
280:
313:
waves. It also is a steep beach and a
December 2023 news film shows the whole beach being cleared by a sneaker wave.
1085:
894:
Blackstone, John, "Surfing
Spectators Struck by 50-Foot Wave," CBS News, February 14, 2021 Accessed 4 December 2021
276:
on an otherwise calm, sunny day, penetrating well inland, flooding parts of the island and swamping coastal roads.
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48:, is a disproportionately large coastal wave that can sometimes appear in a wave train without warning.
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waves lie in colder parts of the world where beachgoers tend to wear heavier clothing; the amount of
520:"Sneaker/High Waves and Log Rolls Can Be Deadly," National Weather Service Accessed 4 December 2021
246:
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26:
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203:, especially the province's southern coast, because they commonly occur on the west coast of
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Sneaker waves are mainly referred to in warnings and reports of incidents for the coasts of
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269:
451:
353:
298:
197:
114:
905:
ketchdust, "Mavericks
February 13 2010 Rogue Wave," Youtube, Accessed 31 December 2023
261:
onto a narrow beach and injuring at least 13 people. The incident was caught on film.
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373:
189:
170:
155:
83:
401:
367:
291:, injuring seven people. One restaurant patron was swept out to sea but rescued by
288:
101:
681:
519:
637:
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in a sneaker wave can quickly fill such clothing and footwear such as boots with
396:
166:
843:""Terrible situation" at Iceland's Reynisfjara beach - security to be improved"
561:"Teen Swept Away by 'Rogue' Wave / Boy was at Baker Beach posing for a picture"
1079:
904:
587:"Sneaker wave danger at Bay Area beaches: 'Never turn your back to the ocean'"
386:
363:
317:
284:
151:
62:
949:"Several people injured after wave crashes into a restaurant at Marina Beach"
279:
On
September 18, 2023, a sneaker wave smashed into a beachside restaurant at
795:
426:
381:
329:
292:
265:
224:
41:
227:, where they are known as "king waves," sneaker waves occur especially in
21:
349:
232:
212:
131:
975:"Massive waves slammed a U.S. Army base. How it happened is mysterious"
774:
391:
258:
220:
174:
58:
612:"Sleeper waves have led to other drownings in Humboldt County beaches"
306:
208:
200:
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127:
78:
travel far higher up the shore than the other waves. As of 2021, the
118:
20:
1001:
Wind Waves: Their
Generation and Propagation on the Ocean Surface
123:
70:
relationship to rogue waves, if any, has not been established.
918:"Within Decades, Floods May Render Many Islands Uninhabitable"
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
423:"What Makes 'Sneaker Waves' so Sneaky -- and Dangerous"
219:). Sneaker waves are common on the southern coast of
818:"Giant wave crashes into Tofino resort's oceanfront"
257:, California, on February 13, 2010, breaking over a
660:"Dangerous Sneaker waves possible on Central Coast"
463:
461:
459:
1055:. Singapore: World Scientific. pp. 192–200.
1053:Ocean surface waves: their physics and prediction
533:"California's deadliest beach is in the Bay Area"
326:Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site
235:, where they can be a hazard for rock fishermen.
1081:Sneaker wave south of Coos Bay: Caught on camera
682:"Sneaker/High Waves and Log Rolls Can Be Deadly"
559:Malcolm Glover and Dan Levy (23 December 2000).
117:, waders, and other people on beaches and ocean
67:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1088:- Video of a sneaker wave off the Oregon coast
869:"King wave almost claims more at Salmon Holes"
447:
445:
443:
8:
309:experiences sneaker waves, known locally as
1030:"Debating Globalization and the Ninth Wave"
316:On 20 January 2024, one or more sneaker or
192:. Sneaker waves also occur on the coast of
1028:Pennington, Rosemary (15 January 2015).
707:"Safety Issues Associated with Beaches"
413:
264:In March 2014, a massive wave struck
16:Disproportionately large coastal wave
7:
1051:Massel, Stanislaw R. (1996). "4.6".
973:Matthew Cappucci (25 January 2024).
947:Ngema, Thobeka (18 September 2023).
754:"Cape Scott Provincial Park: Hiking"
725:"New Residents: Welcome to Newport"
916:Greshko, Michael (25 April 2018).
531:Ted Andersen (28 September 2018).
348:In many parts of the world, local
86:viewed ocean conditions along the
14:
421:Miller, Craig (22 October 2013).
734:Police Department. 17 April 2018
366:
1:
585:Amy Graff (21 January 2020).
247:Mavericks surfing competition
662:. KION5/46. 26 December 2019
775:"Hiking and Outdoor Safety"
1123:
217:Cape Scott Provincial Park
169:, and those that face the
796:"Dangerous Sneaker Waves"
922:National Geographic News
686:National Weather Service
638:"Rogue or Sneaker Waves"
240:United States West Coast
88:United States West Coast
80:National Weather Service
999:Kinsman, Blair (1984).
616:San Francisco Chronicle
591:San Francisco Chronicle
565:San Francisco Chronicle
538:San Francisco Chronicle
295:. The wave was filmed.
161:'s beaches, especially
139:Geographic distribution
75:Oregon State University
29:
711:National Park Service
181:border), Oregon, and
24:
1040:on 29 November 2019.
873:ABC News (Australia)
255:Princeton-by-the-Sea
979:The Washington Post
27:Bolinas, California
1034:Indiana University
1005:Dover Publications
322:United States Army
238:Along much of the
177:to the California–
36:, also known as a
30:
928:on 25 August 2019
849:. 12 January 2017
823:. 18 January 2018
618:. 24 October 2006
229:Western Australia
73:In a 2018 paper,
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1036:. Archived from
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274:Marshall Islands
205:Vancouver Island
194:British Columbia
25:Sneaker wave at
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334:Kwajalein Atoll
303:Barra de Tijuca
270:Kwajalein Atoll
154:(including the
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95:Characteristics
57:events such as
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402:Meteotsunami
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344:Seventh wave
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289:South Africa
281:Marina Beach
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173:, e.g. from
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38:sleeper wave
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34:sneaker wave
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1102:Water waves
397:Megatsunami
320:struck the
318:rogue waves
207:(including
167:Baker Beach
163:Ocean Beach
63:rogue waves
52:Terminology
1096:Categories
984:26 January
958:24 October
408:References
387:Rogue wave
354:ninth wave
293:lifeguards
285:Southbroom
183:Washington
152:California
932:25 August
596:10 August
570:10 August
544:10 August
382:Wind wave
330:Roi-Namur
305:beach in
266:Roi-Namur
251:Mavericks
225:Australia
46:king wave
42:Australia
666:1 August
644:1 August
622:1 August
360:See also
350:folklore
233:Tasmania
213:Ucluelet
159:Bay Area
149:Northern
132:sediment
115:swimmers
59:tsunamis
40:, or in
1086:YouTube
879:13 July
853:13 July
827:13 July
821:(video)
802:20 July
780:16 July
759:28 July
738:13 July
691:13 July
432:13 July
392:Tsunami
336:in the
311:ressaca
272:in the
259:seawall
221:Iceland
198:Western
187:Western
185:in the
175:Big Sur
145:Central
119:jetties
108:Hazards
91:waves.
82:in the
1059:
1011:
307:Brazil
215:, and
209:Tofino
201:Canada
179:Oregon
128:gravel
102:pounds
728:(PDF)
283:near
44:as a
1057:ISBN
1009:ISBN
986:2024
960:2023
934:2019
881:2020
855:2020
829:2020
804:2020
782:2020
761:2020
740:2020
693:2020
668:2020
646:2020
624:2020
598:2020
572:2020
546:2020
434:2020
427:KQED
231:and
147:and
126:and
124:sand
1084:on
953:IOL
332:in
328:on
324:′s
301:'s
268:in
253:in
249:at
196:in
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