A surfer found unconscious in the water near rocks was taken to a hospital after first responders arrived Saturday morning, 10News reported. His injuries were not known.
Benita Karo told 10News she saw the surfer face down in the water after a wave struck him against the rocks. She called to nearby beachgoers for help and searched near the shoreline.
Karo said the experience left her traumatized and that she did not want to go into the water herself, according to the report.
Hurricane Swells Turning San Diego's Coast Treacherous
The frightening scene unfolded as elevated surf and strong rip tides tied to Hurricane Polo battered the northern coastline of San Diego County, per the outlet's report. Hurricanes Odalys and Polo have been driving dangerous surf conditions along the entire San Diego County coastline, creating hazardous swimming conditions well beyond the site of Saturday's rescue.
National Weather Service meteorologist Chandler Price advised beachgoers to stay off rock walls and jetties and to take precautions given the conditions. The National Weather Service expects warnings along the coastline to remain in effect through Wednesday, giving beachgoers little relief in the days ahead.
A separate high-surf event in June 2026 brought four-to-seven-foot surf, with sets up to nine feet, hazardous swimming conditions and a high rip-current risk along the San Diego County coast, FOX 5 San Diego reported. Those hazards were expected through Thursday. In that event, two people were rescued at Oceanside's North Jetty on a Tuesday evening. Separately, waves forecast up to 7 feet and increased rip currents were creating safety concerns across San Diego beaches more broadly, as reported by NBC San Diego.
Two Storms, One Dangerous Coastline
Hurricane Odalys, classified as a Category 1 storm, and Hurricane Polo, a Category 3 storm, were expected to influence coastal conditions through the following week, the station's report noted. Neither storm was expected to make landfall in California, but their swells could still reach Southern California beaches, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The combination of hurricane swells and bimonthly astronomical high tides was expected to raise the likelihood of coastal erosion and flooding, the Times reported. In fact, forecasters said a major swell from Hurricane Polo might combine with large high tides to cause flooding in northern San Diego County on Monday and Tuesday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The dangers aren't limited to swimmers and surfers caught in the water. A bluff collapsed at Grandview Beach in Encinitas, and access stairs at the beach remained temporarily closed, per NBC San Diego's report. Further north, days of intense waves fueled by Hurricane Marie had already damaged beachfront homes, chewed away coastline and caused a massive sinkhole at a Malibu residence, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A Pattern of Close Calls Along the Jetties
A separate Oceanside Harbor incident took place March 15 during a Western Surfing Association contest. The Orange County Register reported that surf coach Lucas Taub helped a father and daughter in distress reach nearby rocks.
In another incident, reported June 10, 2026, FOX 5 San Diego said two people were injured in a Tuesday-evening rescue at Oceanside's North Jetty. A large wave swept one person into the ocean, and another entered the water to help. San Diego lifeguards have performed about 8,000 rescues this year.
Lifeguard coverage and emergency calls
The City of Oceanside says its Lifeguard Service safeguards 3.7 miles of beach, from the Harbor entrance to the south city limits, and that people can contact and dispatch lifeguards in an emergency by calling 911, according to the City of Oceanside Fire Department.
For now, officials' message to beachgoers remains simple: stay off the rocks, stay alert, and respect the water. As Karo's ordeal showed, the line between a walk on the beach and a life-or-death rescue can be a single wave.
