Pacifica Fisherwoman Survives Seven Terrifying Minutes in the Ocean After Sneaker Wave Drags Her Out to Sea, Says Bystanders Saved Her Life
A lifelong fisherwoman is recovering in the hospital after being swept out to sea by a series of powerful sneaker waves Tuesday morning off Pacifica Beach in California. She spent seven minutes fighting to survive in the surf before a group of quick-thinking bystanders managed to pull her to safety.
A Routine Fishing Trip Turns Into a Fight for Survival
Bae Cadotte, a Pacifica resident, had been fishing directly from the beach as part of a new routine after the recent closure of the Pacifica Municipal Pier. She said she was standing in just ankle-deep water when a massive wave suddenly appeared out of nowhere and dragged her into the ocean.
“I knew at that moment it was going to take me,” Cadotte said from her hospital bed. “It took me and swallowed me up very easily.”
Quick Thinking in the Water
Once she was tumbling in the surf roughly 30 feet from the shoreline, Cadotte’s instincts immediately kicked in. She managed to shed her heavy fishing waders, gear that can quickly fill with water and pull a person under if not removed in time. That split-second decision is likely part of what kept her alive in those critical first moments.
Fellow Fishermen Risked Their Own Lives to Save Her
A nearby fisherman, who asked to remain anonymous, witnessed the entire incident unfold and made the decision to risk his own life to pull her from the surf. He was one of several anglers who rallied together and used a rope to bring Cadotte safely back to shore.
“We as fishermen, we stick together,” the rescuer said, reflecting on how the gravity of the near-fatal situation only hit him afterward. “I could have died, but I saved a life.”
Emergency Response and Cadotte’s Condition
Emergency responders arrived on scene within minutes of the rescue. Cadotte was treated for what she described as “ocean whiplash” and is currently wearing a sling, though CT scans thankfully revealed no major internal injuries.
A Pier Closure That May Have Made the Beach More Dangerous
This incident has highlighted a growing safety concern among local anglers following last week’s closure of the Pacifica Municipal Pier. Officials shut down the structure entirely and demolished the adjacent Chit Chat Café after discovering a widening structural crack in the pier itself.
With the pier no longer an option, many local fishermen like Cadotte have been forced to fish directly from the beach, putting them in far closer contact with the kind of sudden, unpredictable sneaker waves that nearly took her life.
She Was Advocating to Save the Pier Just One Day Earlier
In a striking twist, just one day before the accident, Cadotte and several local officials had been actively advocating for funding to repair the pier.
“The pier saves lives,” Cadotte said. “The ocean is not our friend. She is not merciful.”
She Has No Plans to Stop Fishing
Despite the terrifying ordeal, Cadotte made clear she has no intention of giving up fishing. For many locals in the area, fishing is not simply a hobby, it is a critical way to put food on the table.
“This is our life,” she said. “We do this for food. This is for survival.”
What Comes Next
Cadotte expects to be fully recovered in about five days and plans to return to fishing immediately afterward. This time, however, she says she will be taking one important precaution that may have changed the outcome entirely if she had been wearing it Tuesday: a life vest.
Want more trending stories and the news everyone’s talking about? Visit Bktoday.org for daily updates and never miss a story that has the internet buzzing.