Photo: Santa Barbara Fire Department // X
A Santa Barbara surfer was rescued after losing his board and clinging to a lobster trap for life. Luckily, responders were able to retrieve the surfer and bring him back to shore unharmed.
The 26-year-old and his friend were night surfing at Haskell’s Beach in Goleta when things went awry, according to the LA Times. Around 6:30 p.m., the man lost his board and was swept out to sea by high surf.
Thankfully, the surfer’s friend reported him missing immediately. Rescuers promptly found the board on the beach and began to scan the nearby ocean using drones with infrared cameras. They eventually found him a quarter mile offshore, clinging to a lobster trap for dear life. Rescue swimmers promptly brought him safely back to land, where he was found to not be in need of medical attention and released on scene.
“Grateful for the quick-thinking friend, our dedicated SBC Fire teams, and life-saving drone tech,” wrote Santa Barbara firefighters on X.
Here’s the full edited video of last night’s water rescue at Haskell’s Beach. A 26 y/o surfer got swept out by high surf after losing his board, but his friend reported it immediately and he clung to a lobster trap buoy until help arrived.
SB County Fire’s shore search found the… pic.twitter.com/e9ZXdxcmzg— Santa Barbara County Fire Department (@SBCFireInfo) February 7, 2026
