Long Shot: Where are these beach rocks?
October 4, 2018 2:21 PM Subscribe
Do you recognize the beach rock formation in this photo? I know this is a long shot, but it may be a lead to finding a friend who is missing and at great risk to himself. Likely location is southern California.
My friend posted this photo to his Facebook the day before he posted his suicide note and then went missing. His phone is off and not responding to pings. A Missing Person report has been filed. Authorities are working on it.
I believe my friend was in southern California on the days he made these posts. I believe he took this picture because it's not coming up with a match on Google Images. I believe this is a picture of a beach somewhere in southern California. Any chance you recognize the rock formation and can give me an idea of where it is located?
I know this is a long shot, but what's AskMe for if not long shots like these?
It probably isn't going to make a difference in locating him because he likely moved on after taking this photo. But it would be nice for me to know where it was taken. A lead, so to speak. It's a straw, and I'm grasping at it.
My friend posted this photo to his Facebook the day before he posted his suicide note and then went missing. His phone is off and not responding to pings. A Missing Person report has been filed. Authorities are working on it.
I believe my friend was in southern California on the days he made these posts. I believe he took this picture because it's not coming up with a match on Google Images. I believe this is a picture of a beach somewhere in southern California. Any chance you recognize the rock formation and can give me an idea of where it is located?
I know this is a long shot, but what's AskMe for if not long shots like these?
It probably isn't going to make a difference in locating him because he likely moved on after taking this photo. But it would be nice for me to know where it was taken. A lead, so to speak. It's a straw, and I'm grasping at it.
I'm really sorry for your loss.
Do you know what time of day and date this photo was taken?
It looks like the tide was out here and the rock formation itself is quite distinctive; the water wraps around it and there's a bit of a dropoff on both sides. This doesn't seem like a beach people would go for a swim in. This doesn't look like a surfing beach to me either but depending on the tides, I could be wrong about that! There is an ocean shelf visible out there, but there is no surf happening there on that day.
Knowing the date/time could be helpful for looking at some tide charts to help rule out various SoCal beaches and possibly narrow the search.
I hope you find the information and the peace you are seeking.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:48 PM on October 4, 2018
Do you know what time of day and date this photo was taken?
It looks like the tide was out here and the rock formation itself is quite distinctive; the water wraps around it and there's a bit of a dropoff on both sides. This doesn't seem like a beach people would go for a swim in. This doesn't look like a surfing beach to me either but depending on the tides, I could be wrong about that! There is an ocean shelf visible out there, but there is no surf happening there on that day.
Knowing the date/time could be helpful for looking at some tide charts to help rule out various SoCal beaches and possibly narrow the search.
I hope you find the information and the peace you are seeking.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:48 PM on October 4, 2018
I am so sorry. This might be in La Jolla or Torrey Pines. Let me take a gander at some of the shoreline photos I've seen around that area. Is it possible he could have come down that far?
posted by Hermione Granger at 2:56 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by Hermione Granger at 2:56 PM on October 4, 2018
I am scanning the satellite view of San Diego's coast on Google Maps to see if I can find a similar formation.
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:00 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:00 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm so sorry about your friend.
I thought maybe Windansea, but that doesn't appear to be it.
Also not La Jolla Cove, or La Jolla Shores, Ventura beach, Monterey Bay, Treasure Island beach, or Avila beach.
posted by Squeak Attack at 3:00 PM on October 4, 2018
I thought maybe Windansea, but that doesn't appear to be it.
Also not La Jolla Cove, or La Jolla Shores, Ventura beach, Monterey Bay, Treasure Island beach, or Avila beach.
posted by Squeak Attack at 3:00 PM on October 4, 2018
Response by poster: It was posted on Monday, October 1 at 3:22PM Pacific time. However, he posted a couple of pictures in the week before this, pictures that were taken at least a week before they were posted.
Now that I'm looking at the photo, the sun looks like it's lower in the sky than midday, and the way the shadows fall it looks like maybe this beach isn't facing full west. Is that possible? I am not an expert.
He absolutely could have been anywhere along the west coast when he took this.
posted by aabbbiee at 3:01 PM on October 4, 2018
Now that I'm looking at the photo, the sun looks like it's lower in the sky than midday, and the way the shadows fall it looks like maybe this beach isn't facing full west. Is that possible? I am not an expert.
He absolutely could have been anywhere along the west coast when he took this.
posted by aabbbiee at 3:01 PM on October 4, 2018
Response by poster: He did have a connection to LA, though- he lived there 20 years ago before he moved to the midwest.
posted by aabbbiee at 3:05 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by aabbbiee at 3:05 PM on October 4, 2018
Was your friend spiritual at all? If so, there are a few beaches that are near specific spiritual centers that could be scanned.
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:08 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:08 PM on October 4, 2018
Response by poster: I wouldn't have described him as spiritual, but it's possible he was more into that when he lived in LA back in the day. And certainly we all contain multitudes and don't always share ourselves with everyone. So I don't know.
posted by aabbbiee at 3:13 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by aabbbiee at 3:13 PM on October 4, 2018
FYI, if anyone else finds this helpful:
how I'm using Google Map's 3D topographical view
This is letting me go up and down the coast and see outcroppings that may be difficult to discern from regular satellite view. You can control the tilt of the view using CTRL plus your mouse and arrow key.
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:13 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
how I'm using Google Map's 3D topographical view
This is letting me go up and down the coast and see outcroppings that may be difficult to discern from regular satellite view. You can control the tilt of the view using CTRL plus your mouse and arrow key.
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:13 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
10/1, 3:22pm would have been about 80 minutes after high tide. The water level would have been about +4.5 feet.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 3:19 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 3:19 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Could it be Table Rock Beach, as seen in the third photo here?
posted by pipeski at 3:59 PM on October 4, 2018 [10 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 3:59 PM on October 4, 2018 [10 favorites]
Definitely looks like Table Rock - that’s a really distinctive formation, and Laguna Beach is solidly SoCal.
Best to you aabbbiee.
posted by freya_lamb at 4:15 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best to you aabbbiee.
posted by freya_lamb at 4:15 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Yes, I think that’s it. Wow, pipeski and AskMe have done it again. Amazing.
Thank you so much!
posted by aabbbiee at 4:18 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Thank you so much!
posted by aabbbiee at 4:18 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
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posted by St. Hubbins at 2:45 PM on October 4, 2018