Owners of a campervan parked on a sandy beach raised the alarm when their mobile home was stuck, leaving them helpless as the tide came in.
Eyewitnesses say the beach was packed with sunbathers when the people inside suddenly realised the sea was creeping closer to the van.
When they tried to move, the wheels spun helplessly leaving them to ask for help from those nearby.
When a 4x4 could not help, a tractor was called for to haul it from the waves lapping at its tyres.
People at the scene said the people in the vehicle were shocked at what had happened.
North Wales Live reported one person saying: "They realised the tide was coming in and tried to move the camper but it was stuck fast.
"Attempts were made to pull it out before the water got to it but that didn't work.
“I don't know how it never floated away before the tractor arrived and succeeded in pulling it free."
The incident happened at Black Rock Sands, an open, wide beach about three miles long.
At low-tide, caves and rock pools appear which are rich in marine life.
Unusually it is one of the handful of beaches on which vehicles can be driven onto.
It is a popular spot for families and also for those with boats and personal water craft which have a special zone designated for their launch.
A spokesperson for Gwynedd Council, who operate a seasonal warden service at the beach, said: "Whilst signs are in position along the beach indicating various hazards, we advise motorists accessing and parking on the beach do not leave their vehicles unattended during the incoming tide.
"The tide at Morfa Bychan ebbs a considerable distance seawards. Due to the geographical nature of the beach, the incoming tide does rise relatively rapidly along this shallow shelving beach and therefore it is always advisable to park above the high water mark and not to drive to the edge of the water.
“Soft sand along the beach and close to the water’s edge can cause a vehicle to become stuck.”
It is not the first time vehicles have been caught out by the tide at the popular beach. The last reported incident of a trapped vehicle at the site happened last July 2021 when a stuck 4x4 driver was said to have ignored warnings from wardens .
One witness said: “He was told to move but left it too late.
"Then he was advised to abandon it but he took it upon himself to try and get across but it didn't work.”
