We have two sets of swept-away people in Maine -- one set were taken off of Thunder Hole in Bar Harbor, which is a very dangerous spot in re surf on any day of the year. The ocean is Even More Unpredictable there than usual. There's a story there, somewhere...

The second set were at Old Orchard Beach, ref the link, and they were swimming, apparently in the belief that they would be "safe" at low tide, with a hurricane influencing the water.