Hawaii County firefighters rescued a man trapped in a watery cave by high surf Saturday.

The man’s wife told firefighters he tried to get out of the ocean along the rocky coast, but was pushed back in the water by waves and ended up in a cave pocket at the bottom of a cliff.

The incident happened just after 5 p.m. at the end of Alii Drive along a rocky coast known as the End of the World shoreline.

Firefighters said the high waves generated by the south swell and the unfamiliar rocky coastline kept the man from being able to get out of the ocean.

Three firefighters on a rescue boat reached the man and were able to bring him to shore.

An ambulance took him to the hospital in stable condition, firefighters said.