A 150-foot-long section at the end of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf fell into the ocean Monday amid a run of swell that’s sent waves up and down the West Coast. The collapse happened around 12:45 p.m., taking a crane, a skid steer, a bathroom, and the Dolphin restaurant along with three people into the water. One person was able to get out of the ocean on their own while the other two were rescued by local water safety personnel.
Luckily, that section of the pier has been closed to the public because it’s been under repairs — part of a $4-million renovation project planned for the 110-year-old wharf.
“This was a portion of our municipal wharf that had already been determined to need to be taken down (and) repaired over time,” Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley told media on Monday.
“Our staff, our contractors had no sense or indication that the wharf was going to give way. Again, they were out there doing inspections as part of our preparations to make sure that the wharf was safe,” said Tony Elliot with the Santa Cruz Department of Parks and Recreation.
Santa Cruz’s main beach, which extends to the boardwalk on its east side, and Cowell Beach, which is immediately west of the wharf, are now closed as city officials expect the wharf to endure even more damage.
“We are anticipating that what is coming next is worse than what came this morning. This is going to be high tide at a time when we have king tides in the Pacific Ocean,” said Mayor Fred Keeley. Significant surf is forecast in the area all week.
Cowell Beach is a popular tourist spot and a popular wave for beginning surfers. It’s where the Santa Cruz Surfing Club first set its roots in the 1930s and birthed the town’s rich surfing history. Ironically, Cowell’s has also been home to some of the Golden State’s dirtiest water, which city officials have theorized comes from all the pigeons living underneath the pier, leaving bacteria behind.
