A county helicopter makes a hoist rescue of a surfer in distress along the Isla Vista cliffs Wednesday morning. It was one of five water rescues, before noon, due to high surf. 
Water rescue teams use personal watercraft to help surfers in distress Wednesday morning. 
The large waves Wednesday morning make it difficult for the rescue teams to drop off the rescued parties and head back out to the water. 
A county helicopter circles above a Goleta Beach water rescue of a surfer in distress Wednesday morning, who had been swept to the area from Campus Point. 
A Santa Barbara County Fire Department rescue swimmer helps a surfer caught in large waves Wednesday morning.
Wednesday morning's High Surf Advisory didn't deter all the surfers and the Santa Barbara County Fire Department rescued multiple people from the ocean near Isla Vista and Goleta beaches.
There were three rescues in Isla Vista, including one hoist rescue with a helicopter, for surfers who paddled out into the waves and then got stuck against the cliffs due to high tide, fire spokesman Mike Eliason said.
Water rescuers also used personal watercraft and rescue swimmers to help surfers and swimmers to shore.
One surfer in distress had gone into the water near Campus Point and was swept east to Goleta Beach, where he was rescued, County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni said.
The rescue count was at five as of 11:45 a.m., he said. The first four were young men and the fifth was a man in his 60s who was complaining of hypothermia, Zaniboni said.
“Inexperienced surfers should not be in the water today,” he said.
There were many people watching the high waves at the Goleta Beach County Park Wednesday morning, and Eliason said some waves were hitting the western parking lot.
The National Weather Service issued a High Surf Advisory through 8 p.m. Thursday for the Santa Barbara County South Coast, warning of high tides, rip currents and minor coastal flooding.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
