SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A heroic rescue is caught on camera in La Jolla that happened during last Friday’s storm. San Diego lifeguards jump into the ocean to save a group of spearfishermen who got caught up in the heavy surf.
“I think having a healthy fear of the ocean is what makes lifeguards such great watermen, is that we know, and we see what the ocean can do to us,” Patrick McVan, San Diego Lifeguard, said.
McVan was one of the two lifeguards who sprang into action to help those caught in the water near Coast Boulevard at around 4:45 p.m. on Friday.
“The surf went from about 4 to 6 ft to about 6 to 8 ft over the course of about 3.5 hours,” McVan said. “We saw a group of 3 people getting ready to enter the water and me and my partner Austin, we came down and decided to have a conversation with them. We said, ‘hey guys, today’s probably just not the day for it.’”
McVan told ABC 10News one of the spearfishermen heeded their warning; the other two decided to jump in and test the turbulent oceans. They went to where the men entered the ocean to make sure everything would be okay, considering they weren’t equipped for a nighttime dive.
“They took a couple of waves right on the head. It really yard sailed all their gear,” McVan said.
McVan told ABC 10News he and his partner, Austin, sprang into action to save them. Luckily, one of the men got out on his own.
“The one that was on the north end of the rock ended up getting slammed against the rocks and washed back into the water. That's when me and Austin both swam in to grab him,” McVan Said. “Asked if he was all right, tried to make sure that he understood what was going on. He was really kind of disoriented, had been shaken up by the whole ordeal. So, we started waving our arms to try and start to get medics going. He was pretty injured, so we put the can underneath of his arms, and you can see in the video that I take a couple of waves on the head.”
McVan and his partner were able to get the man to safety and checked out by medics. He said the ordeal lasted around 45 minutes, wrapping up at around 5:30 last Friday night.
“The friend that was able to get out of the water walked up to me, and he said to me, I know that this probably isn't what you want to hear, but I'm so sorry. We should have listened to you,” McVan said.
He told ABC 10News that when he spoke to the diver, he emphasized that it’s not his place to say, "I told you so" or anything along those lines.
“But at the end of the day, when the lifeguards come up to you and have that conversation, it’s not because, like I said earlier, we’re trying to be the fun police, it’s just because we have been watching the conditions,” McVan said. “If we’re saying to you, ‘hey, today's probably not the day,’ We're being very serious.”
McVan said he wouldn’t characterize the moment as heroic, but something anyone in the lifeguard tower would step up and do for anyone in need.
When it comes to a piece of advice for others who may want to venture into rough seas with another round of storms in our area, the message from McVan is: if you’re ever in doubt, don’t go out.
“But if you are unsure, come check in with us. We’re always happy to have the conversation,” McVan said.
