Though it’s well known for its breathtaking coastline and variety of beaches, swimmers should beware of hidden hazards in California.
The majority of beaches provide a fun and safe environment, but one in particular has gained the notoriety of being the “most dangerous” beach because of its hazardous surroundings.
For anyone considering a trip to this beach, this post will examine the causes of its unsettling reputation and offer crucial safety advice.
This California Beach Has a Dark Reputation
It makes sense that Carmel is home to several gorgeous beaches, one of which is Monastery Beach.
Gold beaches and turquoise waters can be found next to the Carmelite Monastery, which is the residence of the Carmelite Nuns. It’s also a well-liked diving location. Nevertheless, Monastery Beach also goes by the less honorific name of Mortuary Beach.
There’s a disturbing explanation behind this, much like with other beaches with terrifying nicknames and those thought to be the most deadly in the country: Several people have died here.
Over 30 people had perished at Monastery Beach, most of them from drowning, according to a 2019 Monterey Herald article. However, why have so many people died?
Jim Bilz, the superintendent of California State Parks-Monterey District, told KSBW in 2015 that the undersea geology of the beach was the cause. He clarified, “What makes this particularly dangerous is the contour.”
He continued, “It’s probably 30 feet that it very sharply goes down at an angle. The contour is created by the deep shelf off the coast here.”
This can then result in errant waves. It comes as no surprise that swimming is not advised here. As a result, Monastery Beach has gained notoriety for killing both unsuspecting beachgoers and divers.
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Deaths at Mortuary Beach, also known as Monastery Beach
A 22-year-old University of California, Santa Cruz student named Correy Randall Fedor perished in 2009 while scuba diving at Monastery Beach. It seems clear that Fedor had dived before, even though the details of his death are unclear.
But Monastery Beach has also claimed the lives of others who were on the beach.
When a wave dragged Linda June of Illinois and another person into the water in 2015, she and the other were enjoying a stroll by the sea with her family. June did not survive the event; she had scheduled the California vacation for the anniversary of her father’s death.
Laura and Scott Arredondo, her children, blasted Monastery Beach’s lack of safety precautions in an interview with the Monterey Herald. Laura said to the newspaper that she did not notice any red flags.
Haotian Wu, a 9-year-old from Southern California, lost his life in 2017 at Monastery Beach after being dragged into the water by a wave. At the time of his death, the waves were between eight and twelve feet high, according to KSBW. It should be noted that at the time of these deaths at Monastery Beach, there were no lifeguards on duty, despite the risks.
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The safety measures at Monastery Beach
In 2008, in response to the startling number of drownings, Monterey County installed distinctive signage at Monastery Beach, each of which had an article detailing a prior beach death.
“We wanted to really get people’s attention,” Loren Rex, from the Department of Parks and Recreation Monterey District stated. “We also wanted to be able to provide divers with warnings about the specific skills required at that beach.”
A red flag is also displayed next to the notice at Monastery Beach, according to a Tripadvisor review.
This suggests that there is risk and that swimming is not advised. Sean James, the State Parks Monterey District’s public safety superintendent, pushed for the erection of a lifeguard tower following Wu’s passing, and one was put in place in 2019.
Lifeguard Jonah Gomes said in an interview with KSBW, “The reason that they assigned me to this tower specifically is to keep people from the water’s edge.”
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