EDITOR’S NOTE: January 1, 2026 marks the beginning of a New Year, and this year, coincides with “King Tides” – astronomically high tides due to the full moon. These tides can cause large waves, tidal flooding and dangerous beach conditions. Withe the New Year holiday, our coastal communities were filled to summer-time levels and numerous incidents of unsafe beach and ocean safety were “recorded.” From a family with several small children standing on a log while ocean waves rushed around them in Rockaway Beach to this situation in Netarts Bay, people aren’t getting the messages. Or, they are choosing to ignore them. King Tides and the power of the ocean aren’t to be taken lightly – please use some common sense, WEAR LIFE JACKETS, stay off logs on the beach during King Tides (and maybe warn people instead of just videotaping.) Yes, we do want to scare you, yes we do want you to be able to come back and visit our amazing beaches again. We don’t want our first responders to have to risk their lives to save your ass, or for our communities holidays to include the drone of helicopter searching for someone out at sea …
From Netarts-Oceanside Fire District social media 1/1/26:
We received a call for a boat in distress near the ‘mouth’ of Netarts Bay/bar crossing. Our drone operator had eyes on the boat within minutes, and the boat was clearly struggling in the outgoing tide.
We had a 9 foot tidal exchange due to King Tides, and as Chief Carpenter always said, “the tide comes in like a river, and goes out like a raging river.”
Our boat crew found 4 young males in a very small, overloaded, under powered boat not wearing life vests. The visitors were able to make their way back to dock.
This was the same scenario we had a few years ago when a similar size boat capsized in outgoing tide and two boaters, not wearing life vests perished.
Thank you Netarts-Oceanside Fire District Volunteers for risking their safety for others. Thank you U.S. Coast Guard Northwest, U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay, Garibaldi Fire & Rescue and Tillamook County Emergency Communications District – Tillamook 911 for their support!
The comments section included mentions of multiple lives lost through the years under similar conditions. These young men were very lucky, and the heroes here are our first responders – volunteers that ensured that this situation had a positive outcome.
King Tides continue through the weekend. Be smart! Stay off of beaches during high tides, never turn your back on the ocean.