Holding true to its name, a sneaker wave caught beach-goers off guard at Coos Bay, Oregon. You can see in the video the camera operator and a child with a small dog just narrowly escape the sudden surge.
Sneaker waves can be a constant threat along the Oregon coast. According to the National Weather Service, a sneaker wave is an unexpectedly large wave that is higher, stronger, and reaches farther up the beach to beyond normal levels. This can occur when two waves converge to make a large one. The NWS warns beach-goers to never turn their back to the ocean and avoid slippery rocks.