Couple Stranded in High Tide with a Nearly Dead Phone is Rescued
A night for San Francisco, California residents watching the sunset at Battery Cranston took an unexpected turn.
Two people were saved from the cliff late Sep. 9 after becoming stuck. According to the San Francisco Fire Department, that night, the department received a call from a Californian claiming that the tide rose, leaving them with no way to safely leave.
To make matters worse, the caller’s phone was only at 4%.
Shortly after receiving the call, a cliff rescue response team responded to the scene. After locating the couple, the firefighters used a “rope system” to lift the stranded residents to safety within an hour.
In a video and photo posted to the San Francisco Fire Department’s X page, viewers see the rope system and first responders in action.
***Cliff rescue***
SFFD received a 911 call from a person stuck on a cliffs edge at Battery Cranston. 2 people claimed the ride had risen and they had no way to get out as needed to be rescued and their cell phone only had 4% battery life left. A Cliff rescue response was… pic.twitter.com/YK6ADcy3do
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) September 10, 2026
Dangers of Tides
Tide encounters can turn into a life-threatening situation quickly.
When a tide crashes against a coastal cliff, it typically blocks off the only exit to land, leaving visitors with nowhere to turn.
Additionally, tides usually start flooding suddenly so there’s not always time to respond.
Californians can expect to see more high tides in coming months.
High California Tides
According to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), alongside the El Niño, the state will see its highest tides, or king tides in 18 years this winter and fall.
King tides are high tides that happen during a full moon or new moon.
.According to PPIC’s report, “low-lying coastal areas” and streets could flood when this occurs.
Battery Cranston cliff stands hundreds of feet tall, but as it’s located directly above the shoreline and Pacific Ocean, visitors could meet tides as they go down the trail.
Luckily, beach (or cliff) visitors can track tides before hitting the road.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a map on its website to track tides nationwide. Users can click type in their city or zip code to see water levels, alongside tide and rip current predictions.
Safety Tips
If you’re on a cliff, and trapped in by a tide, there are several steps you can take to stay safe.
It sounds hard, but stay calm. If you panic, you’ll likely run out of energy faster, and it’ll be harder to get to safety.
Move as far away from rising water as you can, but do not try to climb crumbling coastal rock.
Additionally, call 911 as soon as you realize you’re trapped. As the battery Cranston case demonstrated, there are first responders who specialize in cliff rescues. After calling for help, turn on your phone flashlight so officials can find you faster.
