Three people were washed into the water in distress at Shark’s Cove today but were able to get back to shore safely, officials said.

The three people refused transport by Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, said EMS and Ocean Safety spokeswoman Shayne Enright.

The incident came as surf was rising on north and west shores. Ocean Safety reported surf heights at 6-10 feet on the North Shore and 3-5 on the west shore this afternoon.

Ocean Safety performed 13 rescues on the North Shore, most at Waimea Bay, and 1,900 preventative actions. They did 11 rescues on the west shore, mostly at Makaha Beach, and 570 preventative actions.

“We are a couple of days away from a new year, after a very long year, and we want for nothing else than our residents and visitors to heed our warnings. Please stay off the rocky coastline, stay back from the shoreline when there is high surf and listen to the warnings given by lifeguards. Those warnings are meant to save your life,” Enright said in a news release.