Central Fire Chief Nigel Miller said most of the people paddling out were highly skilled, but the mix of large waves and pleasant weather drew an unusually large number of surfers and spectators to the water's edge.

In one of the incidents, a member of the aquatic response team was dispatched on a jet ski to help a surfer who had tried to climb onto rocks to get out of the water. The surfer's leash broke and his board floated away, Miller said.

The rescue swimmer was attempting to carry the surfer to a spot where he could safely exit when a wave struck the jet ski and flipped it, according to Miller. The swimmer managed to right the craft, get back underway with the surfer aboard and deliver him to another location where he was able to leave the water.

Miller said no homes or foundations have been lost to the high surf, and the wharfs in the Santa Cruz area remain intact.

The rescues underscore the risks that come with major swells along the county's notoriously exposed shoreline, where rocks, reefs and shifting sand can turn a routine exit from the water into an emergency. Officials have repeatedly urged surfers and beachgoers to keep a safe distance from the waterline during high-surf events and to avoid turning out to watch the waves from low-lying areas.

No further injuries were reported.