SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF/BCN) A local nonprofit this week started a recovery fund for Seacliff State Beach, an iconic stretch in Santa Cruz County, to help the area after a series of storms wrecked it. The pier was built to guide visitors to a restaurant and dancefloor, which were set up on the vessel for a brief period of time. "We were thinking that if they weren't going to do anything with the benches, we would just have in my sister's backyard," she said. Storm-damaged pier at Seacliff State Beach set for demolition, Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. Its pretty catastrophic in there.. "I dont think there was a park that didnt incur some sort of damage," McKenna said, referring to Santa Cruz County and San Mateo County. Capitola officials share $3.4 million wharf rebuild plans Eric Brooks is a multimedia journalist with over a decade of experience in radio and digital storytelling. The California Department of Parks recently announced it is planning to demolish the beloved and iconic pier at Seacliff State Park. Granite Construction Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Erin Kuhlman told the Sentinel that early phase debris clearance work began Tuesday, but contract details, along with permitting requirement efforts are ongoing. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. Stuart said that he has an old hat with the image of the SS Palo Alto and the pier, which hes sad to see demolished. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Enjoy the picnic and BBQ areas and stop by the Seacliff interpretive center. Three Bay Area men, including justice reform activist, plead guilty in Norteo RICO murder case, Californias hardest to book campground isnt in a famous park. EEO Report | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | FCC Applications |, Breaking News Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined' Seacliff State Beach? Rebuild the former Watsonville wharf, which stood at the foot of East Lake Street before collapsing in a storm. Claim it and Unlock Features (It's Free) Overview 3 Photos Amenities 30 Reviews 5 Tips 3 Q&A 201 State Park Dr Aptos, CA 95003 View Phone View Website $$$ $ Average Rate 26 Sites Hookups 3+ Seacliff State Beach has a mile-long promenade backed by bluffs. THE CEMENT SHIP Seacliff's famous fishing pier extends out to a unique concrete tanker, the SS Palo Alto. Its just been a huge turnout.. For those interested in helping in recovery efforts, the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks has established the Seacliff State Beach Recovery Fund. To donate for local efforts, visit thatsmypark.org or send a check to Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, with a memo For Seacliff, at 1543 Pacific Ave., Suite 206, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Officials also said the parks campground area suffered widespread devastation and will remain closed for the rest of the year. As of Tuesday morning, 51 California State Parks were fully closed, and 40 were listed as partially closed. Among all the painful surprises this winter has brought - Highway 17 closed by snow and falling trees! Weather | Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel), Work continues Friday to shore up areas at Seacliff State Beach against further damage. February 27, 2023. As destructive and powerful storms are forecast to come one after another this week, crews must plan ahead for assessment and cleanup, he added. People. That comes numerically, when theres an assessment and that assessment will be forthcoming. Known for its winding staircase and a cement ship at the end of the beach's fishing pier, Seacliff suffered extensive damage earlier this month when enormous swells pummeled the beach during a heavy winter storm. "Recent storms destroyed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Soon, were going to need to get in recovery mode and thats where FEMA is going to come in and much of the federal help that the Congressman is talking about. No tent camping is available. Weather | Email us at info@santacruzmuseum.org . Great white shark numbers up significantly in Monterey Bay Warming waters have attracted juvenile white sharks off Aptos, near shoreline, new research shows A great white shark swims between. But the future of the benches remains uncertain. Damage from an atmospheric river at Seacliff State Beach on Jan. 10, 2023. Santa Cruz County on Thursday shared photos of the torn-apart historic wooden piers in Capitola and Seacliff State Beach in nearby Aptos. Seacliff State Beach 201 State Park Drive, Aptos For more information, call (831) 685-6444 or 685-6500 Storm recap: A foot of snow fell on the Santa Cruz Mountains, closing Highway 17. People have come out by the hundreds to help with the beach clean-up and to say their farewell to the pier, to share their memories, take photos to share with their kids and its a really great day.. It was such a popular and well-known destination that California State Parks actually promoted a live video stream of the pier and ship so fans could enjoy the familiar view from the comfort of their couches. no image. . On Saturday, families share memories of the pier by writing messages that will be posted on driftwood and eventually displayed at the beach visitor center. (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel), State Parks employees fill sandbags Friday at Seacliff State Beach as park staff work to protect the area against further erosion and damage. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Longtime Aptos resident Ron Perez was picking up debris on the beach with his daughter Natalie. Visiting Seacliff This beach is known for its fishing pier and concrete freighter, the SS Palo Alto. Officials have organized a beach cleanup in Seacliff from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday and say a farewell ceremony will take place at the pavement in front of the historic pier at the end of the cleanup effort. Updated on: January 18, 2023 / 8:24 AM Add photo. The beach, like most along the California coast, is no stranger to severe weather. Weve been seeing so much trash for the last month, and so its wonderful to see all the people come out and help clean up the micro plastics, the big pieces of cans, said neighbor Amy Berliner. The beloved pier must come down. Nearby . (Aric Sleeper / Santa Cruz Sentinel) APTOS About 400 volunteers came out to clean up Seacliff State Beach Saturday . IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California has not followed: What should you do? things to do near headlands beach. People have been going there for a long time.". I think thats important and thats why Im out here today.. He was glad to see so many people helping out. We lost many of the ramadas. Destroyed wooden tables fill a picnic area at Seacliff State Beach on Friday as California State Parks-Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer leads a tour of storm damage at the. State Parks looks forward to working with the community, scientists, and environmental stewards to build resilience to sea-level rise and extreme event impacts so that more generations can continue to fall in love with Seacliff State Beach.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Its insane, said Disney. Submit your letters online at www.santacruzsentinel.com/submit-letters. We used to race on the pier and I learned to roller skate here, said Gonzalez. The person who posted the video, TheJaimeRose, said the video was taken near Seacliff State Beach. But the ship's being closed didnt stop beachgoers from descending on Seacliff State Beach with regularity. Seacliff State Beach is a long sandy beach on the waterfront of Aptos, CA. and you've reached the beach, you can feel free to plop yourself down and enjoy. KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. Every bathroom got inundated and smashed. Samurai sword beheading suspect to appear in court, Van carrying supplies for cancer patients stolen, Future of SFs sanctuary city policy up for debate, Purdy elbow surgery could happen next week, Jake Paul takes first boxing defeat by split decision. " in 18 reviews. Last Saturday, about 400 volunteers arrived at the beach to aid in the cleanup effort and bid one final farewell to the coastal gem that held precious memories for many in the community. According to Frank Perry, "Fossils of at least 20 species of sharks and rays are present, as are remains of bony fishes, marine mammals such as sea cows and sea lions, and invertebrates including mollusks and sand dollars." . Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined' Seacliff State Beach? Where: Meet at the upper Seacliff State Beach parking lot at noon. UC Santa Cruz Professor Joshua Stuart had run into some interesting debris during his cleanup efforts such as an old rusty wheelbarrow. Santa Cruz County builds back, prepares for an uncertain future I hope through joint efforts they can rebuild one because its going to be really sad to see the Palo Alto out there by itself without that direct connection.. Wet weather across Bay Area expected to continue through Tuesday night as temperatures drop, Capitola officials share $3.4 million wharf rebuild plans, Southern Californias mountain towns remain buried under snow with more on the way, Photos: Monday storm brings rain, wind gusts to Bay Area. The weather caused millions of dollars in damages to the community. Jessica A. York covers Santa Cruz County public safety, courts and homelessness for the Sentinel. Weve had way more folks show up than we expected. Jackie Morris-Lopez of San Juan Batista was out cleaning up with her 86-year-old mom, Eleanor Lopez. SOMA / south beach. Seacliff State Beach Highly Favorited Park State Parks, Forests, and Preserves Seacliff State Beach 8.2 30 Reviews Add a Review Add Photos Own This Campground? The picnic area, bathrooms and seawall were also badly damaged during the storms. The hat doesnt look anything like this anymore, said Stuart as he looked out to the broken and sagging pier. Article Topic Follows: News Avery Johnson $75 hide. The herculean task of damage assessment is ongoing, even as rains continue to pound California. See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. Capitola's Ryan Dunlap contributed this video, which he said was shot Thursday off the pier at Seacliff State Beach. Kuhlman said the Watsonville-based construction company is collaborating with State Parks for projects in Seacliff and Half Moon Bay and the work is funded through grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Seacliff State Beach is one of the most popular in Santa Cruz County and the greater Bay Area. APTOS Cleanup and recovery efforts at Seacliff State Beach are continuing to move ahead, but the exact timeline for demolishing its badly damaged pier has not been finalized, a State Parks official told the Sentinel Friday. Mudslides, threat of wet vintage wont dampen winemakers delight in record rainfall Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. The nonprofit said that the seawall that was in front of the seawall was destroyed and. Park rangers estimate they lost more than 200 feet of the pier as it was battered by intense wind, rain and waves. Devin Fehely is an Emmy award winning general assignment reporter/MMJ for KPIX 5. KGO-TV " TIP #1: It can be a bit windy at times, so bring jackets and blankets :) TIP #2: aware that it is a nude beach! We always had a really fantastic time playing volleyball and eating all day long, breakfast, lunch and dinner, said Morris-Lopez. The concrete ship, built during World War I and never used in wartime service, was permanently sunk in the 1930s as Seacliff became one of Californias first state beaches in 1931. Several atmospheric river storms and a violent tidal surge ripped away more than half of the wooden pier in January, permanently detaching it from its partner, the iconic Cement Ship. This is a great place for sunbathing or walking the sandy shores of Monterey Bay in either direction. The popular Seacliff State Beach campground has been closed through February because of storm damage. He was out past the cement ship when one young shark, 11 to 12 feet long, swam about five feet from his board "40 years in the ocean and I've never seen anything like it," he wrote on NextDoor, prompting a flurry of comments. Following a path through Santa Cruz County similar to that of California Gov. The very thought of changing the name of Cabrillo College to anything else shows weakness, lack of leadership and disrespect to Cabrillo graduates. With a stop at Moss Landing and a terminus in Monterey, wed have a scenic, environmentally clean way to travel Monterey Bay from end to end. Weather | "Weve had a lot of these storms, but its been mostly wind and rain driven," McKenna explained. The two have been coming to the beach for an annual family reunion every August for about 40 years. A short distance south of the pier sits the outlet of Aptos Creek. "The campground infrastructure the seawall and the pavement was undermined with a large degree of coastal erosion," McKenna said. A number of great white sharks have been patrolling the shoreline at Seacliff State Beach in Aptos, CA for the past few days. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Imagine new steel piers at all these locations built to withstand the forces of nature, capable of accommodating passenger ferries. The fact that pier is going to be going is sad, but it feels really festive here today, said Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Executive Director Bonny Hawley. Families were encouraged to bring their own buckets, gloves and trash grabbers to remove anything in the sand harmful to the environment. The popular pier there is on its last legs. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Unfortunately, its a much different story now. Seacliff State Beach has it all with a popular swimming beach, shaded picnic areas, an oceanfront campground for RVs, and a huge fishing pier to explore. Those with existing reservations at Seacliff State Beach or any impacted state park will be contacted by ReserveCalifornia via email and provided a refund, according to park officials. What: Seacliff State Beach cleanup and pier farewell ceremony. Hundreds clean up Seacliff Beach and say farewell to pier. Related Articles The beach is a popular swimming spot. They came to honor the beach by cleaning it up and to say goodbye to the pier before its demolished. Santa Cruz County beachgoers love the landmark and the famous "cement ship" it leads to, the SS Palo Alto. Seacliff State Beach has been beloved for generations, said California State Parks District Superintendent Chris Spohrer in the release. As storm surges hit that, we have increased swell, sea-level rise is occurring, were getting overtopping events that make us evacuate the campground, Spohrer said of the state beach. What we saw on the fifth of January was an extreme overtopping event that tore out the seawall, that tore out the campground. Has the Bay Area moved on? Damage from an atmospheric river at Seacliff State Beach on Jan. 10, 2023. It just reminds me that all things change and the nature of things is that theyre impermanent so we should just enjoy the moment, and each other and appreciate what we have now.. So this is a very meaningful park and were going to try to do everything we can to maintain that into the future, but this park is going to look different in the future. Large waves tore it down piece by piece. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks said in a statement that "critical" infrastructure and visitor amenities suffered "immense" damage. KTVU FOX 2 Hundreds say farewell to iconic Santa Cruz County pier damaged by recent storms Hundreds gathered at Seacliff State Beach in Santa Cruz County Saturday to say their goodbyes to a. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Shark sightings in Aptos are apparently fairly common between October and February, with several sightings reported in the news media over recent years. 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