Published January 28, 2026
BY OLIVIA FORT
As calm winter mornings give way to sudden surges of powerful surf, the recent deaths of three people swept out along the Big Sur-Monterey shoreline underscore what lifeguards and researchers describe as a uniquely volatile stretch of coast shaped by long-period sneaker waves, shifting rip currents and sparse year-round staffing.
A coastline with too few lifeguards
Strong waves slam into shoreline rocks as winter swell intensifies across Monterey Bay. Photo by LINNAEA MALLETTE
Unlike Santa Cruz and Southern California, Monterey County relies almost entirely on California State Parks lifeguards, leaving long stretches of shoreline unguarded for most of the year.
“We cover everything from Moss Landing to Garrapata,” explains State Parks lifeguard Nate Elmore, who has worked local beaches for nearly 15 years. “In the offseason, there might be only a handful of us working.”
Lifeguards have made a clear difference at Monastery Beach, which was once known locally as “Mortuary Beach.” Before a lifeguard tower was installed five years ago, the beach saw at least one drowning every year. Since the tower went up there have been none.
“Signs can only do so much,” Elmore says. “The best way to keep people safe is to have a lifeguard on the beach.”
Rip currents, the hidden threat
Rip currents remain the most common and most underestimated hazard along the Central Coast. Winter storms in the North Pacific send powerful swells toward the Central Coast, creating stronger, faster-moving rips. The farther north–toward Seaside, Marina and Moss Landing–the stronger they become. These currents can form and disappear quickly.
Monastery Beach’s steep shoreline and strong surf have earned it a reputation as one of Monterey County’s most hazardous beaches. Photo by OLIVIA FORT
“Rip currents can form any long stretch of sandy beach where waves arrive at some angle to the shoreline,” explains Dr. Gary Griggs, a coastal geologist at University of California, Santa Cruz, who has studied Central Coast ocean dynamics for decades. “The discolored rip current water may flow offshore hundreds of feet, taking swimmers or surfers out with it.”
The U.S. Coast Guard handles many of the region’s most complex water rescues, especially when rip currents or heavy surf make it unsafe for lifeguards to reach victims from shore. Petty Officer Bowman, a search-and-rescue crew member at Coast Guard Station Monterey, says those calls unfold fast and involve multiple agencies at once.
“When someone calls 911, that information goes out to every maritime responder–State Parks lifeguards, Monterey Fire Department’s boat crew and us,” Bowman explains. “We’re all getting the same alert at the same time, and we launch as quickly as possible.”
Once under way, Coast Guard crews often face rapidly changing conditions. Rip-current rescues can be especially challenging because victims can drift far offshore before responders arrive.
Sneaker waves and their illusion of calm
The Monterey Submarine Canyon’s abrupt drop‑off allows powerful swells to reach the coast with little warning, intensifying both rip currents and surf height. Courtesy of NOAA
Monterey Bay’s shape and underwater topography contribute to this unpredictability. The steep drop-off of the Monterey Submarine Canyon allows large amounts of wave energy to reach the shoreline with little warning, intensifying both rip currents and surf height.
“Monterey Submarine Canyon alters waves as they approach the shoreline through wave refraction or bending,” Griggs says. “Wave energy is much lower directly onshore from the canyon head at Moss Landing and higher on either side.”
These long-period swells are what create the sudden, powerful surges known as sneaker waves, the kind that have swept multiple visitors off Central Coast beaches this winter. Unlike typical surf, sneaker waves can travel much farther up the sand than expected, catching people who believe they are standing at a safe distance.
“People don’t realize there are big waves out there,” Elmore explains. “They’re just not here because the period is so long at times.”
Where the danger is greatest
Different beaches along the Monterey Peninsula pose different risks. Garrapata and much of the Big Sur coastline are fully exposed to open-ocean swell, making them especially vulnerable to large surf and sudden surges. Around Pacific Grove, visitors often get into trouble on rocky outcrops where waves can knock people off balance.
Farther inside the bay–at Del Monte, Seaside, Marina and Moss Landing–the danger shifts to rip currents. These long, sandy beaches funnel water offshore quickly, especially during winter swells.
But there are steps the public can take to stay safe. Distance and awareness matter more than anything. Staying well back from the waterline, avoiding rocks during high surf and taking time to observe the ocean before approaching it can dramatically reduce risk.
