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| Surge surfer recalls rescue drama | Surge surfer recalls rescue drama |
| (2 days later) | |
| A surfer who was hauled up a cliff face after being beaten by strong waves during a North Sea tidal surge has spoken of his dramatic rescue. | A surfer who was hauled up a cliff face after being beaten by strong waves during a North Sea tidal surge has spoken of his dramatic rescue. |
| Dan Hill, 33, of Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, was one of three surfers left trapped on rocks at Joss Bay, Broadstairs. | Dan Hill, 33, of Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, was one of three surfers left trapped on rocks at Joss Bay, Broadstairs. |
| He and another man were winched to safety by rescuers on Friday morning while a third made it through the rough waters to a nearby beach. | He and another man were winched to safety by rescuers on Friday morning while a third made it through the rough waters to a nearby beach. |
| "I knew the tide was dropping but we just had to sit it out," Mr Hill said. | "I knew the tide was dropping but we just had to sit it out," Mr Hill said. |
| He became trapped on a ledge with a man from London during force six winds. | He became trapped on a ledge with a man from London during force six winds. |
| "The guy that was next to me, he was pretty cold," he said. | "The guy that was next to me, he was pretty cold," he said. |
| "We were just sat there and he was a bit panicky and nervous, so I calmed him down." | "We were just sat there and he was a bit panicky and nervous, so I calmed him down." |
| Dan Hill is a regular surfer at Joss Bay in Broadstairs | Dan Hill is a regular surfer at Joss Bay in Broadstairs |
| A Dover Coastguard spokesman said on Friday that the surfers had not necessarily been "irresponsible" for going out in the stormy conditions. | A Dover Coastguard spokesman said on Friday that the surfers had not necessarily been "irresponsible" for going out in the stormy conditions. |
| But he added: "No matter how good these people are, they still would have found the conditions more severe than they were expecting." | But he added: "No matter how good these people are, they still would have found the conditions more severe than they were expecting." |
| And Mr Hill reflected: "I just got caught out by the rip and I had to go with it and try to save myself." | And Mr Hill reflected: "I just got caught out by the rip and I had to go with it and try to save myself." |
| But despite the drama, he was back surfing at Joss Bay on Saturday and pledging to become a regular donor to the coastguard. | |
| Rescuer Keith Silcock said: "We're trained to carry out cliff rescues and it obviously comes naturally because you've been doing it for so long. | Rescuer Keith Silcock said: "We're trained to carry out cliff rescues and it obviously comes naturally because you've been doing it for so long. |
| "The only difference was that the tide was so high there was a possibility of the surfers being swept away further along the coast, and that could have created a larger problem." | "The only difference was that the tide was so high there was a possibility of the surfers being swept away further along the coast, and that could have created a larger problem." |
| There were three flood warnings and five flood watches as the North Sea surge made its way past the Kent coast on Friday morning. | There were three flood warnings and five flood watches as the North Sea surge made its way past the Kent coast on Friday morning. |
| The Environment Agency said storm defences prevented any major incidents, although there was localised flooding in places like Sandwich, Broadstairs and Deal. | The Environment Agency said storm defences prevented any major incidents, although there was localised flooding in places like Sandwich, Broadstairs and Deal. |