High Surf — Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, California

2024-05-01 · Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, California

Event narrative

A 55-year old man was last seen with a surfboard around 10AM at Drakes Beach off of Point Reyes National Seashore. His surfboard was found washed ashore at Drakes Beach at approximately 1:00PM with 9-1-1 first called at approximately 2:36PM. First responders shortly began the search and a Search and Rescue Team was dispatched. A search and rescue spot forecast was requested at 5:15PM and completed at approximately 5:28PM. Search and Rescue teams located the body at 5:33PM in the ocean approximately 2.5 miles northwest of the Drakes Beach Parking Area. The surfer was pronounced deceased at 5:35PM and identified. Local buoy data from Buoy 46013 reported sustained winds between 20-25 knots and gusts between 30-40 knots between 9AM to 5PM on 1 May. Wave heights were reported to be between 9 to 10 feet.

Wider weather episode

A 55-year old male was found dead off Point Reyes on May 1. The deceased was last seen with a surfboard around 10AM at Drakes Beach off of Point Reyes National Seashore. His surfboard was found washed ashore at Drakes Beach at approximately 1:00PM with 9-1-1 first called at approximately 2:36PM. First responders shortly began the search and a Search and Rescue Team was dispatched. A search and rescue spot forecast was requested at 5:15PM and completed at approximately 5:28PM. Search and Rescue teams located the body at 5:33PM in the ocean approximately 2.5 miles northwest of the Drakes Beach Parking Area. The surfer was pronounced deceased at 5:35PM and identified. Local buoy data from Buoy 46013 reported sustained winds between 20-25 knots and gusts between 30-40 knots between 9AM to 5PM on 1 May. Wave heights were reported to be between 9 to 10 feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1166180. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.