This photo taken by Cal Fire CZU, shows the scene of the rescue of a kite surfer on a beach under a cliff off the coast near Santa Cruz, Calif. Sunday, June 9, 2024. The surfer was spotted by rescue crews after they spelled out the word "help" on the beach using rocks. (Cal Fire CZU via AP)
Davenport, June 12, 2024 – A kite surfer was rescued from a remote Northern California beach after using rocks to spell out the word “HELP” when he became stranded last weekend, authorities said.
The kite surfer got stuck on Sunday on a narrow beach at the base of towering bluffs with the tide coming in, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Santa Cruz unit. His “HELP” sign was spotted by a private helicopter, which alerted authorities.
A rescue helicopter hoisted the kite surfer to safety, with assistance from the Santa Cruz County Fire Department and the State Parks Department. The man, whose name was not released, did not require medical attention, Cal Fire said.
“It is an extremely beautiful place to work and live,” Cal Fire Capt. Skylar Merritt told NBC Bay Area. “That being said, it can lull people into a false sense of security around those cliffs. Those beaches are notorious for strong winds, rip tides, and cold water.”
The stretch of coast is about 65 miles south of San Francisco.
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