Four People Rescued from OB Surf Today

I was out there surfing not a j but at b. Heard and saw the life guards and several fire trucks head down to j. The Ocean Beach Bulletin has the best cover story. Hope everyone was alright. Right around that time there was a outside set that rolled through that was a lot larger than the rest. it was 4 feet out there today maybe 5.

Uhoh, I think I saw the family as I was getting out of the water. The two kids were playing in the surf up to their knees in the water. I almost walked over to the guy who I assumed to be their dad who was standing on the shore to tell him about rip tides.
Decided it was a small day and I did not want to meddle.
I saw all the firetrucks etc head to the beach as I was driving home. Now I wish I would have said something.

I was in the ER yesterday when they brought the victims in. The Dr. tending to my son said that a surfer(s) pulled them to safety! Way to go whoever it was!

I have to say it... What were they thinking. Parents and their 2 kids.

What were they thinking? How about the 'normal' things...."It's summer YAY! OOOH There's the OCEAN YAY! Golly it's so hot in (Iowa/where the f ever that is not here but still cornfed) now! Let's SWIM AND ENJOY OUR VACATION". OBB story ensues :(

I was just starting a run on the beach when I saw 2 people swimming quite far out and I was thinking that's not too smart when I noticed a woman crying hysterically on the beach and shouting my son is out there. It was obvious they were caught in a rip and I hesitated before going in knowing how dangerous OB can be. Turned out there was another guy who waded out to help and got himself in trouble also. I got to the boy pretty quickly and tried to get him to calm down, I also told the other guy to try to follow me parallel to the beach away from the rip but he was really struggling to swim. I was trying to drag the boy backwards but he kept turning over onto his front making his situation worse, he was having a hard time keeping his head above water. Eventually I got the boy onto one of the inner sand bars where he could stand. At this time the other guy who was also trying to rescue them got into serious trouble in the rip and was asking me for help I kept telling him to swim across the rip to where I was and I almost managed to reach across to him but he wasn't strong enough to make it those few feet. In the meantime the kid that I had thought was safe seemed to have followed me and stepped off the sandbar and back into the rip. It was at that stage that I was reluctant to go back out after them because they were pulled out really quickly. I got caught myself but managed to swim across the rip back to the sandbar and while deciding what to do I heard the beach patrol approaching. I decided I had done as much I could without putting myself in any more danger and decided to leave it to the trained rescue personnel. The 2 lifeguards got out there pretty quick on their boards and got those guys in safely. They were in bad shape once they got them to the beach. I seriously thought they were done for once they got caught in the rip the second time as I could see how terrified and exhausted they were. I managed to get myself out fine and did not need any rescue.

You know I just recently asked myself what would I do if I found myself in such a situation at OB. I've previously done a lot of long distance open water swimming and am familiar with OB but being put in such a tense situation is really terrifying. I think I was more concerned that one of them might drag me down with them than anything as I felt confident enough to make my way back in and not to panic. I don't think I will ever forget their faces or the mother on the beach freaking out. Even though I was reluctant to go in initially I don't think I would ever have forgiven myself if I didn't try to do something to help the mother and her kid. In the end it was the lifeguards that did the rescuing and for the record it was the mothers boyfriend and son who got into difficulty with another guy trying to help and also getting into trouble, I was safely out of the water by the time the lifeguards went in.

Incidentally this is the second time I've had to help rescue someone, last time was easy I just put the guy on my board and caught a wave in where the lifeguard (idiot) showed up screaming and shouting at the poor guy (this was in Brazil).

Those guys are seriously lucky to be alive today.

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu dude...nice.

madraz = hero of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and for president if he wants it

Thanks Madraz, you took a tremndous risk. This could have have been another tragedy.
My next wave is yours...

Good work Madraz. Thank you for the detailed report. I'm happy everybody got their feet back on land.

Hey, Madraz, we'd love to talk with you to improve our story about what happened Wednesday. Please call us at 415-742-1622 or email tom@oceanbeachbulletin.com

Thanks for the kind words, surfermax, but the big boys beat us to it yesterday. All we did was summarize the reporting other people did.

- Tom Prete

Oh my god. Madraz. You have done your good deed for life. literally.

well done!

Seems astonishing how (most) of the drownings occur in the summer with chickenshit surf. Then you read madraz's post and realize how it (almost) happens, over and over again. Ignorance is a killer. Like madraz wrote, with rescues half the issue is not having the victim take you down, or trying to help but getting overwhelmed. What's the mantra - reach, row, throw, go. There's a reason go is last. Glad you handled it madraz.

Paddlleout you're right it was chickenshit surf and because of that they were lucky considering how lame the surf has been lately. The only heroes were the beach patrol guys, they were the ones that saved their asses in the end. I'm a little bummed out thinking about it today as I had that kid almost in only to lose him again. I was very aware of the risk I was taking and I'm not ashamed to admit self-preservation was my highest priority.

Madraz, brah.....big time champion. Champione!

Viva la Champione® !!!

I am "the other guy" that Madraz talked about in his post. I would like to thank him for his efforts and cool head in the situation.

What happened is that I was running, I had just completed about 3.5 miles (######->######-> almost back to ######) when I heard a woman screaming hysterically "Save my son! Save My baby!" Without much thought I threw down my keys and Ipod and went in to look for a young child. There was a teen and an adult already out there, I assumed they were looking for the child. I waded out, then at some point realized that there was no small child, the two I could see were the ones that were in trouble. By this time Madraz was also swimming out to the two people in trouble. I was still fine at this point, Madraz had the teen, I was looking for the adult. Madraz had gotten the teen a lot closer to the shore, it seemed everyone would be fine.

Then I got sucked out. I still can't believe how fast it happened! I was no longer standing on sand and I felt myself being pulled outward. Now that I was no longer standing, I began to tire extremely fast. At this point I told Madraz "I need help too", but I was pretty far away from him. He instructed me to swim North, but I was too tired and the waves were too strong. I hate to admit it, but I began to panic. I thought I might actually drown, I was terrified. I tried floating on my back and backstroking, but water kept going into my mouth and nose, I really didn't know what to do, I wasn't sure how long I could hold on. Thankfully someone had called 911, because I saw the lifeguards on the beach. I knew then that I just had to stay afloat for a few more minutes and felt capable of doing so.

I remember a surfer paddling over to help us before the lifeguards got to us, but my memory is a bit fuzzy from then on. The thing I remember most was getting to a point where the water was only about two feet deep and feeling unable to stand due to my extreme fatigue. When I finally did stand my legs were barely able to walk, I was that tired. I fell over in the sand and was taken to the hospital. They kept me there for about 3 hours until my temperature rose to normal.

I feel that I made two big mistakes. The first mistake was not getting all of the information before acting. When she said "my baby" I assumed that it was a small child and went out to help look for the child. If I had known there was a teen and an adult stuck out there, I may have reconsidered entering the water. I'm a competent but not great swimmer, if they were in trouble, then I would probably be in trouble too (which was indeed the case). Obviously my second mistake was going in while so tired from running. If I had not already been so tired the situation may have turned out differently, I may not have been in so much danger.

It was funny at the hospital they kept saying I was a hero, I tried to tell them I was just someone who tried to help but then needed to be rescued myself. They said I was being modest, but seriously, I helped very little and became a part of the problem. Madraz and the lifeguards are the people who helped the most, I really appreciate their efforts.

By the way, I'm the one under all the blankets in the picture.

Just Awesome other dude!

Glad you're okay theotherguy. Did you ever get your keys and cellphone back?

Madzar might be a little bit more of a successful hero than theotherguy but they are both heroes. They both put yourselves in harms way to come to the aid of complete strangers in distress, their actions were courageous and selfless, they are both heroes.

@otherguy: after being so hot from running, your body is in the mode of cooling off, your blood is near the surface of your body, capillaries etc wide open, and then to run into that freezing-ass water will instantly chill you to the core. once your core temperature drops, your body can't recover the heat, and you become hypothermic, leading to weakness, nausea, loss of motor skills, etc. You took quite a risk and thankfully, you were near to help. Both of you were really brave, but it sounds like you were also very lucky, and it's great to hear that everyone walked away. i'm sure this family will never ever forget either of you for your actions.

well done theotherguy!

alright otherguy....you did the right thing, and put others before your own safety. Anyway...hey, not to make light of the situation too much....but can we call you E.T. from now on? :)

Helped rescue a guy stuck in a rip once. He was screaming for help. I thought it was somebody bodysurfing when I first saw the him that far out. I was bodyboarding.

Some tips and observations:
I didn't want a panicking person to grab me so I told him "grab my board" And pushed the board out to him. (I had never seen that look terror on someones face before) He had enough strength to hang on.
Another surfer on a shortboard came over, he had done this before, he had the guy grab his leg ang hold on, while he paddled him back to shore, lying bodyboard too. I swam behind the guy and tried to push.

We didn't notice we were still in the rip. It took 10 minutes or more to get back in, on a chest high-ish day. Only got one push from white water and that separated victim from shortboarder.

I might not try it if I had no wetsuit or flotation device. At least get a board or something for victims have something grab onto and rest.

Medical attention is needed. Hypothermia makes one lose cognitive skills too, you won't be thinking straight when.

theotherguy - Its good to hear you are doing okay, I remember you were so effing exhausted when you were back on the beach but so happy to be alive. Kudos to you for helping that woman, yeah that was no baby in the water more like an overfed teenager. I was worried about you too and felt bad that I left you in that rip the second time. I could see how scared you were and I noticed that I was also getting pulled off the sandbar back into the current. I was hoping you would just relax and try not to fight it until the rescue teams got there. Anyway I hope you went home and had a nice stiff drink after you were checked out, I know I sure did.

It's not too soon if everyone survived....so with that....

You guys are seriously badasses and representative of true heroism in my book. I have on countless occaisions when surfing, walking, ect approached families and people playing in OB, baker ect and told them tobe very careful and stay closer to shore as they obsiously have little knowledge of rips, bars and the overall danger of the ocean. I am not always recieved nicely as some people get defensive but I'd rather that than reading about pullign bodies out of the ocean.
Great job again to all involved.

I'm with antman on the kudos to all involved.... and kindly warnings provided. I've also mentioned to some S. Sloooat / Funstton area visitors that hey those cliffs are made of sand so you might NOT want junior 50 feet up there digging away.

Buried alive....drowning. It's all bad.

Totally....There are too many hazards that are hidden...I've chimed in and said my peace with many a cornfeds too. One time at the p1er. This guy was letting his 6yr old play near the water even after seeing me go no more than 4 ft and have complete drop off. Whiskey tango foxtrot.

Glad everyone made it back OK. Watch out! There is a big ocean over there!

Re: a drowning person pulling you down; a neighbor and I took a water rescue course and we were told to dive or drop under the water if a panicking person kept trying to grab onto you. The person in trouble will likely let go. I'd never thought of this before but it makes sense. This prevents two people from drowning and at least gives you another chance to approach and help float the person in trouble.

Shoutout to all you rescuers, glad you're okay!

Wow - What a great & informative thread! So primo to have a forum like this to get the real, inside details on a potential OB tragedy Averted due to local heroes! Thanks for sharing!

fleetmo: I agree, nice to get news from the people