Massive waves pounded the Northern California coast over the weekend, drawing crowds of spectators to beaches in Half Moon Bay and Pacifica — while creating life-threatening conditions along the shoreline.
A high surf warning was in effect, with waves exceeding 30 feet in some areas. At the famed Mavericks surf break in Half Moon Bay, some waves were estimated to reach as high as 50 feet at certain breaking points.
The powerful surf created a dramatic spectacle, but several sneaker waves caught beachgoers off guard, sending people scrambling for safety.
Tom King and his wife traveled from San Jose to Mavericks Beach on Saturday morning to watch the massive swell. They found a spot on a small hillside with dozens of other spectators, believing they were high enough to safely take in the view.
But cellphone video captured a police officer warning people to move farther up the hillside as a massive wave approached.
The couple was among those caught in the surge.
“These waves are far bigger than anything we’ve seen,” King said.
He described the frightening moment when the water rushed over them.
“Gigantic waves. We were almost washed away by one of them,” he said. “We got blasted. We got blasted by the wave.”
The couple escaped without injury, but the experience left them shaken.
“The wave kind of went over us. It hit me. And I just couldn’t imagine it be that high,” King said.
In Pacifica, waves were also surging onto the shoreline near the Taco Bell Cantina. One sneaker wave rushed all the way into the parking lot, catching people by surprise and sending them running. Everyone managed to get out of the way.
Pacifica residents Ali Godsoe and Jared Larson witnessed another sneaker wave while being interviewed by CBS News Bay Area near the Pacifica Beach parking lot.
“Oh look, oh my gosh. Watch out. Run,” they shouted as the water approached.
The couple and longtime Pacifica residents said they had not seen waves this large in years and urged people to respect the ocean’s power.
“It’s been years since we’ve seen waves like this. You’ve got to be respectful of mother nature, because when the waves get like this, they get very dangerous,” they said.
The surf also battered the Pacifica Pier, sending towering plumes of water into the air as waves crashed against the structure.
Near Rockaway Beach, crowds gathered along the street to watch the spectacle. But large waves repeatedly crashed over the seawall, splashing onto the street and sending spectators running.
Eric Skyta, who traveled from San Francisco, described the experience as both entertaining and unforgettable. As he talked about how big the waves were during an interview with CBS News Bay Area, a large wave drenched people standing on Rockaway Beach Avenue.
“It’s been quite an entertaining day out here. Oh boy, look at that, look at that. Soaked, soaked, absolutely soaked. You don’t get to see this every day,” Skyta said.
He estimated the waves were between 20 and 30 feet tall.
“These are probably some of the biggest waves that I have seen in my entire life,” he said.
The dangerous conditions come after a 24-year-old woman was swept out to sea last weekend at Panther State Beach in Santa Cruz.
Despite his close call, King said he did not regret visiting Mavericks, although the experience gave him a new appreciation for the ocean’s power.
“I don’t regret it. But it was a little dangerous, I’ll admit,” he said.
First responders urged beachgoers to stay well back from the water, watch for unpredictable sneaker waves and never turn their backs on the ocean.