Stranded Big Sur residents get help during resupply mission

People stranded in Big Sur are getting some much-needed help on Friday. A helicopter brought over pounds of food, fuel and other supplies.

Conditions were perfect flying Friday morning, allowing deliveries of much needed food, fuel and other supplies to people in remote areas of Big Sur, to those who have been isolated for weeks.

“Light winds, sunny skies, it’s as about as good as you can get here on the coast,” said Scott Sinton, chief pilot for Sinton Helicopters.

While there may be more than 400 people stranded, only 58 families ordered some 10,000 pounds of food and pet supplies and 1,000 gallons of fuel. Books and homework were also delivered.

“This is a dire situation and I really worry that people don’t understand how severe this really is,” said Monterey County Supervisor Mary Adams.

The goods are supposed to last two to three weeks – that’s how long it’s expected to take crews to clear out the mess south of Big Sur. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is currently closed because of significant damage and may take months to fix.

“If you go up there today, you’ll see they’re still testing for it and if you look up in the areas before the bridge, those areas you see there, slides there. So they’re trying to figure out how big of a slide is this? Is it just isolated to that bridge area, or does it mean that whole hillside where the whole ravine is. Is it that area as well?” Congressman Jimmy Panetta said.

In the meantime, people in the area are celebrating small victories.

“You hear that helicopter? Let’s go. One load is gone, we’re ready for load number two,” Adams said.