Tree-topped sea stack, Second Beach
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Shipwreck vs. shoelaces
The treacherous coastal waters of northwestern Washington are marked by many sea stacks, including this tree-topped ridge resembling the bow of a beached boat. Here on Second Beach, it's an apt marker: In the midst of World War II, this regionally popular recreation spot was the site of a daring, MacGyver-esque rescue. In 1943, when a Russian freighter wrecked off Teahwhit Head at the beach's southern edge, the United States Coast Guard scrambled through dense forest to reach the survivors. Tossing the crew a string of tethered shoelaces from the cliffs above, they retrieved a heavier rope from the ship and anchored it to dry land, pulling more than 50 sailors to safety over churning seas.
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