Then the company that owned the ship went out of business, and it was abandoned. We are actively working to try to get it addressed, the timing is still just being ironed out.. The person who posted the video, TheJaimeRose, said the video was taken near Seacliff State Beach. 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.. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, a nonprofit that partners with California State Parks to help maintain parks in Santa Cruz County, launched the "Seacliff State Beach Recovery Fund" to assist with long-term recovery efforts. The obliteration of Seacliff Pier in Aptos in last weeks atmospheric river storm has left many in utter disbelief. Their lingering presence provid. The popular pier there is on its last legs. A major disaster declaration would supply funding for ongoing recovery efforts in areas such as Seacliff State Beach and not just the immediate emergency response, Panetta said. I remember my uncle had a slingshot and he would launch water balloons. They came to honor the beach by cleaning it up and to say goodbye to the pier before its demolished. The shark was reportedly about 8 or 9 feet long, and was spotted swimming around the cement boat at Seacliff State Beach. 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.. Of course, visitors could go for a swim, and there were designated fishing and hiking areas, as well as a visitor center. Among all the painful surprises this winter has brought - Highway 17 closed by snow and falling trees! 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. Updated on: January 18, 2023 / 8:24 AM California storm destroys popular Santa Cruz beach area, images show. For information and updates, visit parks.ca.gov. Its pretty catastrophic in there.. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasnt followed: What should you do? Gabriela Gonzalez, an intern for Save Our Shores, spoke to her fond memories of coming to the beach with her family since she was a child. The pier here at seacliff state beach was all but destroyed during last months storms. Warning signs are posted from Rio del Mar to New Brighton Beach State Park because of a large group of sharks patrolling the waters at Seacliff State Beach in July 2015. The bench survived but her family's concern deepened when they heard the news of the scheduled demolition of the pier. We always had a really fantastic time playing volleyball and eating all day long, breakfast, lunch and dinner, said Morris-Lopez. What is that? The storm-related destruction at Seacliff State Beach south of Capitola goes well beyond damage to the cherished wooden pier, as new images from California State Parks show. 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. 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. The campground offers 62 campsites for RVs (up to 40 feet) and camping trailers (up to 34 feet). It's thought the major damage happened at Seacliff State Beach within a window of four to six hours. She has been a working journalist, on both coasts, since 2004. But what I wont do, under the circumstances, is ask for more than is our due. Weather | The California Department of Parks recently announced it is planning to demolish the beloved and iconic pier at Seacliff State Park. Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined' Seacliff State Beach? Hundreds clean up Seacliff Beach and say farewell to pier. "People are shocked," Santa Cruz Public Safety Superintendent Gabe McKenna told SFGATE on Tuesday. Imagine new steel piers at all these locations built to withstand the forces of nature, capable of accommodating passenger ferries. Photos: Monday storm brings rain, wind gusts to Bay Area Its too early in this process. February 18, 2023 / 6:28 PM Its just been a huge turnout.. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Nearby . Pablo Sandoval 2010 Bobblehead. 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. What we saw on the fifth of January was an extreme overtopping event that tore out the seawall, that tore out the campground. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The person who posted the video, TheJaimeRose, said the video was taken near Seacliff State Beach. Seacliff State Beach (field trips, exhibits, etc) Have a question? 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. Santa Cruz County builds back, prepares for an uncertain future 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. People. 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.. You have to be careful not to overpromise and leave people wanting and angry.. And he loved Aptos," says Mary McNulty, speaking about her father John James' connection to the coast and the pier. We lost all utilities, we lost all the underground stuff. And others would be fish off the pier. 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. Im sorry to see the pier go, but Mother Nature takes its piece out of everything. The ship is unsafe and closed to the public and half of the pier remains closed until needed repairs can be made. Now lets imagine a broader design. "Seacliff State Beach is one of the most popular in Santa Cruz County and the greater Bay Area. The herculean task of damage assessment is ongoing, even as rains continue to pound California. And when we consulted with experts and engineers, they surmised that it was too much to rebuild," said Supervising State Park Ranger Joe Connors. Making up that debris, in part, are the many picnic tables and barbecues from the campground and day-use areas that were ripped out of the earth by the storm. The beach, like most along the California coast, is no stranger to severe weather. They say what was left standing is at risk of collapse. (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. No tent camping is available. The picnic area, bathrooms and seawall were also badly damaged during the storms. Campsites 1-26 are full hookup sites right along the beach. 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. Word of the piers impending demolition and need to clean up the beach drew a large response. The accompanying underground facilities and pavement were swept out to sea. THE CEMENT SHIP Seacliff's famous fishing pier extends out to a unique concrete tanker, the SS Palo Alto. 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. As many piers or storms that we have, its inevitable that the people here in Santa Cruz County are going to come together and be together in order for all of us to stand together. In short, there was no shortage of activity to be had at Seacliff State Beach. The Good: *It's a beach! Work to catalog the widespread destruction includes parks and campgrounds. Submit your letters online at www.santacruzsentinel.com/submit-letters. The California Department of Parks recently announced it is planning to demolish the. (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. Whats left no longer reaches the SS Palo Alto. Were very sad to see it go, Save Our Shores Sanctuary Steward Tonia Maclean. Seacliff State Beach: Damaged pier to Cement, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Seacliff State Beach: Damaged pier to Cement Ship will be demolished this month, Monterey Regional Airport replacement terminal project gets $3M more in federal funding, Pacific Grove: Automated License Plate Reader technology up for City Council consideration, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home sells for $22M in Carmel, Salinas hospital adopts new name, approach, Newsom rescinds Californias COVID-19 state of emergency, marking an end to the pandemic era, Fugitive hides out in Hearst Castle guesthouse, forcing tourists to shelter in place, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Californias COVID-19 state of emergency is over. It will be weeks if not months before things get back to normal here, but the community is determined to make that happen. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California has not followed: What should you do? A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. Thankfully federal disaster funding is on its way. Seacliff State Beach has a mile-long promenade backed by bluffs. Weather | 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. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California has not followed: What should you do? - none has brought as much attention and sorrow as the . Park rangers estimate they lost more than 200 feet of the pier as it was battered by intense wind, rain and waves. Seacliff became one of California's first state beaches in 1931. We have a responsibility to be honest with our assessment, Newsom said. Weather | The pier wasnt the only piece of public-serving infrastructure that was severely damaged by the merciless tide. "The damage from this past January was pretty immense. "The campground infrastructure the seawall and the pavement was undermined with a large degree of coastal erosion," McKenna said. Were not even there right now. There is a long stretch of sand backed by bluffs. The popular Seacliff State Beach campground has been closed through February because of storm damage. (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. I hope they build another one because piers are cool.. ". Open 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM. Visitation is extremely high. Both Addis and Laird said they felt it was important not to forget the human suffering element of the recent storms. Shark sightings in Aptos are apparently fairly common between October and February, with several sightings reported in the news media over recent years. 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. "Other families have gravesites, we have a bench. As soon as we have a date that is finalized (for the pier) we will be updating media outlets and the public so that people can know what to expect, said Burgess. Powerful storm waves roll into Seacliff State Beach in January between the Cement Ship and the heavily damaged pier. 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. Seacliff State Beach Campground sits adjacent to the beach with spectacular views of Monterey Bay. "We've lost so much pavement and underground utilities there. The (caution) tape has been largely ineffective, she said. The beloved pier must come down. This is a good way of saying goodbye, said Perez. First published on January 18, 2023 / 8:54 AM. The weather caused millions of. Favored for its fossils of extinct marine creatures in the bluffs, this beach is also known for seaglass often collected by locals. / CBS/Bay City News Service. The nonprofit said that the seawall that was in front of the seawall was destroyed and. 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. Once debris has been removed from the beach and permits are in place, Granite will begin demolishing accessible portions. CA. A great place to start is at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a classic beach amusement park with more than 40 rides and attractions, including the 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster and the beautiful 1911 Loof Carousel. The two have been coming to the beach for an annual family reunion every August for about 40 years. The weather caused millions of dollars in damages to the community. We lost many of the ramadas. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? 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. 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. We dont publish those details in the newspaper, but need the information for verification purposes. 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. The paved path is accessible for joggers, bikers and dog walkers. A photo of the iconic World War I SS Palo Alto should be on your bucket list. Going with flow: How the Santa Cruz water treatment plant took on Januarys storms "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. and you've reached the beach, you can feel free to plop yourself down and enjoy. Has the Bay Area moved on? People can visit www.thatsmypark.org to make a donation and find other ways to support state parks in Santa Cruz County. Jessica A. York covers Santa Cruz County public safety, courts and homelessness for the Sentinel. And of course, bring your camera. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Crews will begin demolition work on the Aptos site next week. $75 hide. 'Zero visibility' conditions: Blizzard closes every road to Tahoe, Storm door will likely remain wide open in Bay Area this March. 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