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Acadia National Park Tourist Swept Away Off Rocky Ledge While Watching Waves

A terrifying situation occurred over the weekend for an Acadia National Park tourist who was watching waves from a rocky ledge during high tide when she was pulling into the water. 

The State reports that the 20-year-old was hundreds of yards away from the popular Maine rocky inlet, Thunder Hole, at the Acadia National Park. Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday (September 10th), the woman was swept away due to the high waves. Luckily, she was rescued nearly 30 minutes later but the U.S. Coast Guard. She was discovered about 400 yards from the short. Following her rescue, the woman was taken to the hospital to be evaluated. 

It was reported that at the time, the Maine coastline saw high surf from Hurricane Earl. The storm brought a long period of swell and seas up to 5 feet. The National Weather Service did issue a warning to stay away from crashing waves. 

Hurricane Earl Sent Rough Surf Conditions to Maine’s Acadia National Park Over the Weekend 

Prior to the incident with the 20-year-old woman, Hurricane Earl reportedly began sending dangerous surf to Maine, with high seas across the state’s beaches on the weekend of September 10th and 11th. 

According to News Center Maine, there was a high surf advisory for the entire state’s coast last weekend. It was noted there were 4 to 6 feet large breaking waves, making it dangerous for swimming. Rip currents were also a concern as well. 

Luckily, the wind field from Hurricane Earl is expected to stay far east of Maine and Acadia National Park. However, the National Weather Service reported that waves up to seven feet are forecasted just offshore. News Center Maine also released a warning about the weather. “The swells will create a rip current risk, and swimmers are advised to take caution. With summer unofficially ending last weekend, lifeguards will be sparse despite the warm temps at the beaches.”

Meanwhile, the Miami Herald revealed over the weekend that Hurricane Earl was expected to change status. The storm previously entered its post-tropical cyclone phase and a disturbance is forecast to move off the coast of Africa this week. Hurricane Early has also become a hurricane-force extratropical low. It was about 215 miles south of Cape Race Newfoundland over the weekend. 

The Category 1 storm moved north-northeast at 10 mph but saw a significant reduction in forward speed. Its maximum sustained winds dropped to 85 mph after holding at nearly 90mph with higher gusts. Its winds also extended outward up to 90 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds spread up to 485 miles. 

Despite Hurricane Earl calming down, large swells generated by the storm will impact Bermuda, and portions of the U.S. East Coast. This includes parts of Florida, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland.