Swells on North Coast attract surfers and bystanders

DEL NORTE COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM)- The National Weather Service issued hazardous seas warnings to all of Northwest California Coastal waters Friday, into Saturday Morning.

The large swells attracted visitors to area beaches.

Bill Long is a Crescent City Resident, and couldn’t help but stop to look at the large waves.

“I was over on the other side of the harbor and I could see big swells,” he said. “So, I thought I’d come over here, and see.”

Long wasn’t the only one who noticed big swells along the coast.

Jennifer Card and her partner Josh, were passing through – on their way to Washington State.

“The waves were cresting up, it was nice and white,” Card said. “He likes to put his feet in the water.”

Surfers flocked to the area beaches to take advantage of the waves fueled by gale force wind. 

Jahsiah Demuth, is surfer from from Cave Junction, Oregon.

“I came for the big swells, I heard they were supposed to be about seven to even like 12-feet,” he said.  “It’s rare that we get that big out here, so I came out here to catch them.”

The National Weather Service urged the public to avoid jetties or climbing on rocks near the surf.

Michael Roberts came all the way from Surfer from Monterey County, California to experience the swells.  

“You go out on the rocks, next thing you know a big set will come in, sweep you off the rock, if you do get in that situation act like a limp, I tell my daughter, and just hug the rocks and lay as flat as you can,” said Roberts.

Tabor Bratten says, surfing in these conditions should be left to experienced surfers.

 “Right now they are a little intimidating and steep, so, I don’t know if I would head out there if I am just now learning,” he said.

For now, Bratten hopes he’ll get another chance at these impressive waves again, soon.

“It was great, the waves were bigger than expected, a little choppy, hard to get, but once we are on them, they were great.”

Rough seas are expected to linger through the weekend with persisting seas 13 to 17-feet and Northerly winds 15 to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service.