"Seacliff State Beach is one of the most popular in Santa Cruz County and the greater Bay Area. Thankfully . See also: Report on KSBW Video from Recent Shark Sighting (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel), California State Parks-Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer on Friday leads Second District Supervisor Zach Friend, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, Assemblymember Dawn Addis, State Sen. John Laird and others on a tour of storm damage at Seacliff State Beach. With a more than 4-foot high tide on the horizon, combined with overnight rain showers, runoff, high surf warnings and heavy winds, workers wanted to finish whatever emergency work was needed to protect one of Californias first state-designated beaches, said State Parks Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer. Their lingering presence provid. Damage from an atmospheric river at Seacliff State Beach on Jan. 10, 2023. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! / CBS/Bay City News Service. The Sentinel welcomes your letters to the editor. Thomae had been paddling his kayak on Tuesday as he came across and photographed four great white sharks close to the shore of Seacliff State Beach in Aptos. The Seacliff State Beach pier that has led to the iconic Cement Ship for nearly 100 years has seen its last days and will be demolished. The obliteration of Seacliff Pier in Aptos in last weeks atmospheric river storm has left many in utter disbelief. 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. "Recent storms destroyed. February 27, 2023. February 28, 2023 at 5:00 a.m. Craig Vinken saw two young great white sharks on April 27 while he was on his standup paddleboard at Seacliff State Beach. So, sometimes you're having issues and you might go and sit at the bench and talk," she said. California storm destroys popular Santa Cruz beach area, images show. The picnic area, bathrooms and seawall were also badly damaged during the storms. In the meantime, Burgess reminded the public that the pier is in a state of imminent collapse and should be avoided. Rebuild the former Watsonville wharf, which stood at the foot of East Lake Street before collapsing in a storm. Prior to that, it was a bustling shipping port. Newsom, during a press conference Tuesday in Capitola, said he was quickly and easily able to secure a presidential emergency declaration this month that unlocked emergency response assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Theres so many memories there, and you know, every week we would come down and see people and its become a real community on that pier. 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. The beach, like most along the California coast, is no stranger to severe weather. Thankfully federal disaster funding is on its way. "The day-use area was similar. "This one was swell driven, and it happened really quickly. Were talking about massive trees. Seacliff State Beach remained closed to the public after "catastrophic damage" to its campground from ocean swells that destroyed a seawall and wiped out 63 campsites and 26 hookup sites. 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+ They came to honor the beach by cleaning it up and to say goodbye to the pier before its demolished. Photos: Monday storm brings rain, wind gusts to Bay Area State Parks announced its cleanup and recovery plans for the treasured local park and pier last week, saying those efforts would begin this week and pier demolition would take place before the end of February. 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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When asked if the Seacliff State Beach will reopen at some point in the future as it once was, McKenna told SFGATE, "I dont know if that will happen. Campsites 1-26 are full hookup sites right along the beach. February 26, 2023 at 3:44 p.m. February 18, 2023 / 6:28 PM As of Tuesday morning, 51 California State Parks were fully closed, and 40 were listed as partially closed. Were not even there right now. 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.. Im sorry to see the pier go, but Mother Nature takes its piece out of everything. Powerful storm waves roll into Seacliff State Beach in January between the Cement Ship and the heavily damaged pier. Sunday windstorm was likely a derecho. Hundreds of volunteers scoured Seacliff State Beach for trash on Saturday. Thats why we came today and specifically wanted to see whats happening here, so that we could do true assessment of whats happening and know what requests to make.. Santa Cruz County beachgoers love the landmark and the famous "cement ship" it leads to, the SS Palo Alto. Now lets imagine a broader design. As destructive and powerful storms are forecast to come one after another this week, crews must plan ahead for assessment and cleanup, he added. The two have been coming to the beach for an annual family reunion every August for about 40 years. 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. 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. State Park officials have a major job ahead: cleaning storm damage at Seacliff State Beach and choosing a new design. The cleanup effort was organized and facilitated by Friends of California State Parks and Save Our Shores. 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. Asked why the state and federal leaders were pushing for the disaster declaration so quickly, in light of Newsoms comments, Addis said state legislators were able to get the Central Coast voice heard this week, she felt. This is a good way of saying goodbye, said Perez. Santa Cruz County on Thursday shared photos of the torn-apart historic wooden piers in Capitola and Seacliff State Beach in nearby Aptos. And of course, bring your camera. I think thats important and thats why Im out here today.. Seacliff State Beach (field trips, exhibits, etc) Have a question? wooden stand crossword clue. EEO Report | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | FCC Applications |, Breaking News APTOS About 400 volunteers came out to clean up Seacliff State Beach Saturday and say goodbye to the pier, which will soon be demolished after taking extensive damage during the devastating winter storms. Crews will begin demolition work on the Aptos site next week. Because we have a report from an engineer that says that it is structurally unsound and at risk of collapse, it is highly encouraged that the public heed that warning and stay away.. February 28, 2023 at 5:00 a.m. State Park officials have a major job ahead: cleaning storm damage at Seacliff State Beach and choosing a new design. The SS Palo Alto, better known as the Cement Ship, remained anchored to the ocean floor Friday while the pier once connecting to the vessel was missing more than half its length with about 250 feet gone and showed signs of continuing collapse, Spohrer said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. We lost all utilities, we lost all the underground stuff. The accompanying underground facilities and pavement were swept out to sea. According to the release, the parks campground was hit extremely hard and will be closed for the remainder of 2023. 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. A short distance south of the pier sits the outlet of Aptos Creek. Damage from an atmospheric river at Seacliff State Beach on Jan. 10, 2023. Weve had way more folks show up than we expected. 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. Its pretty catastrophic in there.. 12 jersey retirement ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 . Wet weather across Bay Area expected to continue through Tuesday night as temperatures drop (Aric Sleeper / Santa Cruz Sentinel) APTOS About 400 volunteers came out to clean up Seacliff State Beach Saturday . The paved path is accessible for joggers, bikers and dog walkers. 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. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California has not followed: What should you do? Among all the painful surprises this winter has brought - Highway 17 closed by snow and falling trees! APTOS With the latest in a series of back-to-back atmospheric river storms forecast for the weekend, parks workers gave themselves until the wee hours of Friday morning to bolster the remaining Seacliff State Beach seawall against continued erosion. 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. Shark sightings in Aptos are apparently fairly common between October and February, with several sightings reported in the news media over recent years. To me, this demonstrates what this community is about, said Panetta. Were very sad to see it go, Save Our Shores Sanctuary Steward Tonia Maclean. It's thought the major damage happened at Seacliff State Beach within a window of four to six hours. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Weather | Park rangers estimate they lost more than 200 feet of the pier as it was battered by intense wind, rain and waves. Large waves tore it down piece by piece. . What we saw on the fifth of January was an extreme overtopping event that tore out the seawall, that tore out the campground. Thinking about sustainability, some of the of the driftwood is being marked and saved by State Parks for their use, Granite Construction Manager Briand Hussar said in a statement. We have a responsibility to be honest with our assessment, Newsom said. "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. Weather | People can visit www.thatsmypark.org to make a donation and find other ways to support state parks in Santa Cruz County. Michael Hosmer of Los Gatos said he likes to metal detect on the beach a couple of times each week, and regularly picks up garbage in the process. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks said in a statement that "critical" infrastructure and visitor amenities suffered "immense" damage. Hundreds clean up Seacliff Beach and say, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Both were pledging funds for the recovery effort. Occasionally, we reject letters simply because weve had so many on the same subject. Seacliff State Beach is a sandy beach that connects with New Brighton Beach to the north and Rio Del Mar Beach to the south; all are noted beaches from which to catch surfperch. The pier wasnt the only piece of public-serving infrastructure that was severely damaged by the merciless tide. We just dont have all the info from our assessment." Unfortunately, its a much different story now. 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First published on January 18, 2023 / 8:54 AM. The remainder of the pier is splintered, teetering above piles of debris that were pushed ashore by violent swells, according to the nonprofit. 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. Panetta, part of the local tour that included state Sen. John Laird, Assemblymember Dawn Addis and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Chair Zach Friend, said he hoped to see the declaration signed by this coming weekend. Park rangers acknowledge that over the decades generations of visitors to the coast have formed a deep attachment to the pier. Of course, visitors could go for a swim, and there were designated fishing and hiking areas, as well as a visitor center. That comes numerically, when theres an assessment and that assessment will be forthcoming. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Related Articles " TIP #1: It can be a bit windy at times, so bring jackets and blankets :) TIP #2: aware that it is a nude beach! "He loved the ocean. Add photo. The California Department of Parks recently announced it is planning to demolish the beloved and iconic pier at Seacliff State Park. Capitola officials share $3.4 million wharf rebuild plans SANTA CRUZ After a tight opening quarter, Santa Cruz High's girls basketball team put on a thumping worthy of its No. Contests and Promotions, Classroom Makeover Help a Monterey County School Teacher Get Needed Supplies, MGM Resorts sells land on Las Vegas Strip where 2017 mass shooting took place. Kuhlman explained that sections of the pier still standing in ocean water will be accessed from a barge and removed by a subcontractor. 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. 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. Seacliff State Beach Pier decimated by waves, Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, SoCal storm timeline: More snow, heavier rain expected Wednesday, Shots fired, pursuit, standoff; Sussex man charged, "If You Give A Child A Book" campaign benefits Villas Elementary students, Fire damages buses at Aspiro in Green Bay, causes $500,000 in damages. Visitation is extremely high. Seacliff Beach ligger p den 122:a platsen av 341 strnder i regionen Kalifornien, 182.4 km frn dess centrum, staden Sacramento. Later, half of the pier and the historic ship were closed to the public a state they remained in prior to last weeks historic storm. (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel). Whats left no longer reaches the SS Palo Alto. Seacliff State Beach in the coastal Santa Cruz County community of Aptos will be the site of a cleanup event next week after being battered so badly by winter storms that President Joe Biden. We lost many of the ramadas. There are covered picnic facilities, BBQs, a campground and a visitor center. "Other families have gravesites, we have a bench. Its too early in this process. 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. Where: Meet at the upper Seacliff State Beach parking lot at noon. 'Zero visibility' conditions: Blizzard closes every road to Tahoe, Storm door will likely remain wide open in Bay Area this March. Instead of panicking, Thomae remained . Jackie Morris-Lopez of San Juan Batista was out cleaning up with her 86-year-old mom, Eleanor Lopez. Its definitely sentimental and I have lots of fond memories with my family and friends.. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. Weather | Wet weather across Bay Area expected to continue through Tuesday night as temperatures drop Letters should be short, no more than 150 words. "I really dont know. While it would occasionally be closed to visitors and campers in the fall and winter seasons due to the forecast, the combination of strength and speed of last weeks atmospheric river storm was unprecedented, to say the least. Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined' Seacliff State Beach? 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. / CBS/Bay City News Service. 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. Find Vacation Rentals, Condos, and Resorts in Aptos, California, USA. In short, there was no shortage of activity to be had at Seacliff State Beach. "Though it is painful to consider the devastation to this park, the experience provides an opportunity to be strategic about rebuilding and ensuring resilience in the era of climate change and its impacts on Seacliff State Beach," Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks said in a statement. Amongst all of our offices, weve been in assessment mode, Addis said. Storm recap: A foot of snow fell on the Santa Cruz Mountains, closing Highway 17. Among the hundreds of volunteers scouring the sand for debris between pieces and pillars of driftwood was Rep. Jimmy Panetta. Then the company that owned the ship went out of business, and it was abandoned. Now, a century later, campgrounds featuring RV hookups and restrooms could be found on the beachs north side; to the south was a large day-use area with picnic tables, along with a bike path and a walkway. The herculean task of damage assessment is ongoing, even as rains continue to pound California. Just a short 200 yards downcoast from Seacliff, across Aptos Creek and past the Esplanade parking lot, a development of homes on the beach begins that extends a little over a mile along the shoreline. The storms destroyed nearly all of the seawall and most of the fill material that serves as the foundation for the campground. . SAN JOSE SHARKS BURNS AND THORNTON BARBERSHOP BOBBLEHEAD-NEW IN BOX. Californias COVID-19 state of emergency is over. Uninsured and underinsured citizens will be able to apply for such funds, merchants able to seek small-business emergency disaster loans and unemployment insurance and more, Panetta said. The nonprofit said that the seawall that was in front of the seawall was destroyed and. We are actively working to try to get it addressed, the timing is still just being ironed out.. Ive got pictures and posters of the pier in my home and its been a calming force for the area through thick and thin, its been there forever. According to a release from California State Parks, demolition work on the pier will commence this week. For the first time in a century our community has the opportunity to re-vision the damaged wharves in Capitola and Seacliff and consider the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. APTOS About 400 volunteers came out to clean up Seacliff State Beach Saturday and say goodbye to the pier, which will soon be demolished after taking extensive damage during the devastating. Burgess said the pier demolition is one piece of a larger multipronged contract State Parks is putting together with Granite Construction and issues such as crew availability still need to be ironed out. Farewell ceremony at the conclusion of the cleanup. "People are shocked," Santa Cruz Public Safety Superintendent Gabe McKenna told SFGATE on Tuesday. Devin Fehely is an Emmy award winning general assignment reporter/MMJ for KPIX 5. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The beach is a popular swimming spot. 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. Visiting Seacliff This beach is known for its fishing pier and concrete freighter, the SS Palo Alto. Seacliff Beach. 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 campground offers 62 campsites for RVs (up to 40 feet) and camping trailers (up to 34 feet). You have to be careful not to overpromise and leave people wanting and angry.. The popular pier there is on its last legs. See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. It was kind of a perfect storm." I remember my uncle had a slingshot and he would launch water balloons. The nonprofit said that the seawall that was in front of the seawall was destroyed and estimates that it would cost over $30 million to rebuild the pier and the seawall. (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel), State Sen. John Laird, at right, is joined on Friday by Assemblymember Dawn Addis, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta and County Supervisor Zach Friend at Seacliff State Beach. Mary says her father was concerned that the bench might not have survived the powerful winter storm that clawed a 200-foot chunk out of the pier. CA. The person who posted the video, TheJaimeRose, said the video was taken near Seacliff State Beach. It will be weeks if not months before things get back to normal here, but the community is determined to make that happen. penguins, sharks, jellyfish, and all manner of marine life. I do my own share of picking up trash, but Ive never had hundreds of people helping me, said Hosmer.