The waves at the so-called Wedge in Newport Beach, California are notorious for their ferocity so close to shore. Giant waves some 20-feet tall crash into just a few feet of water, even inches deep some times, creating one of the most treacherous waves imaginable.
Normally, thrill seekers challenge the Wedge on bodyboards or just body surfing without a board. Recently a couple on a jet ski ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time and got just pummeled by a 20-foot wave.
The incident was captured on video and subsequently went viral on Youtube and social media. It shows the waverunner trying to outrun a breaking wave but with little luck as the white water engulfs the two riders. Next you see the personal watercraft get washed up on the rocks.
Thanks to some fast action by lifeguards, the couple was rescued without harm. But it was certainly a scary situation.
“It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen,” Newport lifeguard Rob Marienthal told the Orange County Register. “Everyone who saw it couldn’t believe their eyes, it was unbelievable.”
The couple reportedly rented the jet ski and somehow found themselves in harms way.
“Apparently, they were just kind of lost or something, He just drove straight in,” Newport Beach Marine Safety Capt. Skeeter Leeper told the Register. “They rented a jet ski and they were at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Photo credit: Youtube
