In a remarkable act of bravery and quick thinking, a woman walking her dogs on a picturesque Oregon beach became an unexpected hero for a stranded marine creature. Colleen Dunn was enjoying a stroll with her pets near Manzanita when she made an astonishing discovery that would lead to a dramatic wildlife rescue.
A Startling Discovery on the Shoreline
While walking along the coastline near Nehalem Bay State Park, Dunn spotted something unusual struggling in a shallow tidepool. Upon closer inspection, she realised it was a 3-foot (1-metre) shark that had become trapped as the tide receded. The creature, later identified as a salmon shark, was suffocating in the low-oxygen environment.
"I was essentially nervous about touching it at all," Dunn admitted in a text message. "I have three kids so I didn't wanna put myself in a dangerous position." Her initial concern led her to believe it might be a baby great white shark, adding to her apprehension about intervening directly.
The Tense Rescue Operation
With her dogs waiting patiently nearby, Dunn attempted to call her husband who worked at an office within Nehalem Bay State Park. When she received no answer, she knew immediate action was necessary to save the struggling creature. Demonstrating remarkable courage, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Grabbing her phone to document the unusual encounter, Dunn carefully took hold of the shark by its tail and quickly rushed it toward deeper water. The entire rescue was captured on video, creating a striking visual record of this unusual human-wildlife interaction.
A Successful Return to the Ocean
The outcome proved immediately successful as the shark began to push water through its gills once reaching adequate depth, a vital process for its breathing. After a moment of recovery, the creature swam strongly away from the shoreline and disappeared from view into the deeper ocean.
Dunn later shared that she had posted about the experience in a local social media group the previous month, and nobody reported the shark washing back up on shore, indicating the rescue had been completely successful. The former Hawaii resident, who recently moved her family to Manzanita, Oregon, described the ocean and its inhabitants as giving her a profound sense of belonging.
"I've lived in other places across the Pacific, and the ocean has always been my grounding place," Dunn reflected. "Being engaged with it, watching the tides, noticing the wildlife, even stepping in when a creature needs help keeps me present and humble."
