Santa Cruz Surfers Rescue Capsized Boat in Huge Waves: ‘It Was Chaos’ (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Feb 12, 2026 6:23 PM ET

On Saturday, amidst a substantial wintertime swell hitting the California coast, a boat careened through the lineup at Santa Cruz’s famed surf spot, Steamer Lane.

What followed was a shocking scene. The boat, which was carrying two adults and four children, was clipped by a large wave while attempting to outrun the heavy surf. It capsized right there in the lineup, with surfers in the direct vicinity, dodging the vessel.

And one of those surfers was longtime Santa Cruz surf legend, Darryl “Flea” Virostko. After the incident, the surfers – who were the first to help the family to safety after the crash – were honored for their heroism. Relive the hectic moment below.

Speaking about what went down, Flea explained:

“I knew right away the wave was gonna get him. And when it hit him, we all just kind of kicked into action. We had to find these guys. It was chaos. People were popping up all over. The kids were popping up. The parents were further inside. The boat was capsized. Fishing line everywhere, fishing bait…it was a full yard sale.”

Another surfer in the lineup at the time, was 14-year-old Ian Anderson. After the boat flipped, he saw one of the children who was onboard, bobbing in the water. And so, he plopped the child on his board to help them to safety. Anderson recounted:

“I looked over and I saw a boat in the water. I saw a kid floating in the water yelling for help. So, I just was wondering what was happening. “The surfing community is a pretty tight-knit community. When someone’s in trouble, we always come together to help that person.”

Santa Cruz Fire Chief Rob Oatey praised the surfers for their actions:

“It’s not common or everyday that people want to get involved,” he said. “So, it’s huge that we have people in the community who are willing to take that step and become involved in an emergency situation.”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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