Rachel Rhodes and her boyfriend, Jason Rolle, had planned a leisurely afternoon exploring tide pools at Stump Beach in Sonoma County, California on February 1, 1998. They were expected to return home early in the evening, but they never did. Their families reported them missing the next day. Authorities found Rolle's red Mazda in the beach parking lot with personal belongings still inside.

Despite a three-day search of the ocean, there was no trace of the couple or their bodies. Authorities suspect that they were swept out to sea and drowned. One month after their disappearance, their families held memorial services for Rhodes and Rolle.

Rhodes was a resident of Guerneville, California and was studying nursing at Santa Rosa Junior College at the time of her disappearance. She volunteered at a local hospital and also worked full-time at a school supply store. Rolle was studying biology and chemistry at the same college, and the couple had been dating for about two years.

Despite extensive efforts, the fate of Rhodes and Rolle remains a mystery, and their bodies have never been recovered. The incident serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable and dangerous nature of the ocean.