# El Niño-powered waves unleash hell on California, flipping jet ski and stranding surfers

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/el-nino-powered-waves-unleash-hell-on-california-flipping-jet-ski-and-stranding-surfers/
- Published: 2026-11-15T20:32:17+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T21:26:07+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/15/us-news/el-nino-powered-waves-unleash-hell-on-california-flipping-jet-ski-and-stranding-surfers/
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Three people were rescued amid powerful surf near Santa Cruz.
- A rescue jet ski overturned but the surfer was brought to safety.
- A bluff crack above a busy Dana Point trail may face further erosion.

## Summary

Powerful waves off Santa Cruz County led to three rescues on Saturday, including a surfer stranded on rocks after his board leash snapped. A rescue worker’s jet ski overturned in a large wave during the operation, but the rescuer righted it and brought the surfer to safety; officials said no major structural damage had occurred along the coastline.

Separately, a new crack has appeared in a coastal bluff below the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, above a busy trail used by beachgoers and surfers. Officials have not confirmed the crack’s depth or whether the resort faces an immediate structural risk, while approaching rain, strong surf and forecast King Tides from 22 to 27 November could worsen erosion. The article also notes recent coastal damage elsewhere in Orange County and Long Beach.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.