LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — Under a brilliant autumn sun with barely a whisper of wind, locals and visitors gathered Tuesday along the Oregon coast to watch the Pacific’s dramatic display at high tide.

But the beauty masked a deadly undercurrent: Sneaker waves that claimed the life of a Corvallis woman over the weekend, serving as a stark reminder for beachgoers to keep their distance.

The National Weather Service’s high surf advisory, which blanketed much of the coast through Monday, lingers in southern stretches like the South Central Oregon Coast and Curry County into early Wednesday, with breaking waves up to 24 feet and rip currents posing life-threatening risks. In central areas like Lincoln City, forecasters warn of continued sneaker wave potential, where sets twice the size of typical surf can surge ashore without warning, eroding beaches and sweeping away the unwary.

Sunday’s tragedy underscored the peril. Caroline Moses, 43, of Corvallis, was pulled into the ocean by a sneaker wave while walking near Siletz Bay, authorities said. Her body was recovered about 4 miles south later that afternoon. Beachgoers interviewed Tuesday expressed a mix of shock, sadness and somber familiarity.

“It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again,” a man from Salem said of Moses’ death, watching the surf with his wife at D River Wayside. “Saddens you, but it makes everyone aware of sneaker waves. You’d be surprised how many don’t know about them.”

Valerie Phoenix, visiting from Kansas with partner Peter Harley, an Army brat raised in the Pacific Northwest, was watching the waves at Nelscott Beach. The couple’s 5-year-old dog, Copper (described as easygoing and prone to napping through the day) narrowly escaped trouble earlier when a rogue wave caught them off guard. Water surged to Harley’s knees as he and Copper retreated; the pup bolted up the beach stairs, shaking off the saltwater.

“She was done for the day right there,” Harley said.

At Canyon Drive Park, the high tide around noon transformed the beach into a mere sliver near the access ramp, waves coming up to the edges. A retired North Lincoln Fire & Rescue water rescue specialist, who declined to give his name, spotted a woman standing ankle-deep near the rocks and guided her to safety while also educating her about beach hazards.

“Do you know what sneaker waves can do?” he said to her, urging her to get off the beach.

At Nelscott Beach access, by the statue of Joe the Sea Lion, one woman attributed the unrest to cosmic reckoning. “It’s Mother Earth’s payback,” she said, gazing at the horizon. “We’ve been abusing her too long.”

Corinne and Kim, from Northern California vacationing at the Worldmark Resort in nearby Depoe Bay, skipped the beach altogether after staff handed them a tide chart and sneaker wave briefing.

“Something feels off with the ocean,” Corinne said. “And we’re not the only ones noticing.”

Some pointed to La Niña’s emerging influence, the climate pattern forecasted to ramp up Pacific storms this winter, alongside unruly systems barreling down from Alaska.

Another Salem couple shared a cautionary tale from years past. Their young son, perched smugly on a rock, declared the ocean couldn’t touch him. A single wave doused him alone, courtesy of Poseidon, they joked — a lesson in humility the family still laughs about.

Even though most were on high-alert, people still commented about the perfect weather and how much fun they were having.

Jim and Ellen Weider, who called Depoe Bay home for two decades before relocating to Salem, drove down to catch the breakers — and maybe a gray whale glimpse.

As the tide ebbed, with most families watching from the ramparts, the Pacific Ocean reminded beachgoers of its dual nature: awe-inspiring power and endless beauty.