Heartbreak in the other Surf City.
Let’s just be real honest with each other, here, this Christmas Eve. Santa Cruz has always been a superior Surf City, USA to Huntington Beach. Sure, the Southern California burgh won right to use the moniker, legally, but has none of the history, the grit, he homespun surf charm of Holy Cross. Santa Cruz is where surfing was first introduced to the USA mainland, it is where Jack O’Neill invented the wetsuit, it is where I traveled to write my very first surf magazine feature about a kindly man named Anthony Ruffo.
I remember that time fondly, taking Ruffo and his friends Flea, Anthony Tashnick and Nathan Fletcher out to a sushi dinner very near the town’s iconic pier. Very stately with quaint little buildings etc. etc. and I gazed upon it thinking, “Santa Cruz über Huntington.
Well, heartbreak today as the landmark got smashed and bashed by the mega surf California is currently experiencing. Washed right into the sea. Three workers were whipped into the angry Pacific along with it.
Mercifully two were rescued while one rescued himself.
Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker commented on the oceanic fury, declaring, “We continue to see that winter season over winter season. Each year it’s really blowing through our forecast.”
The Los Angeles Times reported, “Gov. Gavin Newsom was also briefed about the partial collapse, his office said in a statement on social media.
When I first saw, I thought it read, “Gov. Gavin Newsom was also bereft about the partial collapse…” and had a long wonder about why the pier meant so much to him. Maybe where he asked for Kimberly Guilfoyle’s hand in marriage? Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-girlfriend is now set to be USA ambassador to Greece.
Πολύ κουλ.
Back to you, though, and if you just so happen to live in California, are you getting any mega surf?
Share your story!
We were just on that Pier the weekend before Thanksgiving. Iconic and cool! We were hanging out at the Tiki Bar on the Pier, Makai, what a fun place. We noticed the end of their was closed off with some heavy equipment on it. My understanding was the pylons were heavily damaged and they were in the process of replacing them, sure this didn’t help, but it was already in bad shape when this surf hit. Hopefully they can get it repaired and back up to snuff.
Old lady watching a dude adrift with a tractor floating next to him:
Has it been doing this for a while?
Hugh Bradner invented the wetsuit.
Hope somebody saw that Bobcat sink, go fish Bobcat reef in the coming years. Could probably meter it on the sounder with a little effort and save the way point.😎🎣
Cold, sharky, crowded, localized
Like every spot in San Diego, sans the locals. It’s just Zooed out 24/7.
vta pier has been under a non-profit guidance partner(s) since whatever…pro bono by some engineers and lawyers and volunteers…back in 5-6 months~Surf City Pier. No foul play. Cleaned the sheets~
east-siders stole a cushion. need clean-up in quad/vegggies section…luv Chas. ps. “we had sushi.” but not w/ Dane’s cazadore pitas bread shwarma coors and butter…St. Claus…See candies
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Your couch looks like a party pack of kings hawaiian rolls Timmy.
you may recall this is Kelly’s syrian sofa so the bread can also be a pita wrap with schwarma with Kalani and lil Kiko tucked inside. Or King’s bread…stuffed with same; or just veggies…
i wear red tennies…ur move!
“I remember that time fondly, taking Ruffo and his friends Flea, Anthony Tashnick and Nathan Fletcher out to a sushi dinner very near the town’s iconic pier. Very stately with quaint little buildings etc. etc. and I gazed upon it thinking, “Santa Cruz über Huntington.”
Ohhh. Got it. So it was when you could get the good cold medicine over the counter!? Those guys were in their prime then….
or at least some “field notes” for Cocaine and Surfing. Buy HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Merry Christmas from Oz, to all the ‘Gritters.
Happy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, too. And Yule. And solstice. And hopefully everyone picked the right color and size dress/undies/blouses/makeup/wine/chocolates for the wives. Or husbands, should that be the case for a few of you (Bexy). Just remember we’re a few billion years from the sun going supernova and all of this ending. Hopefully you all get a fun final surf of 2024 these next few days, too!
Cop this https://youtu.be/X9XqBSxo6go?si=_-ckYSmybAoS0zqL
Hope you got a free eight ball of crystal on your trip up here.
monosodiumglutamate. chinese e-mas…
May Santa bless you with C street pork and silver strand chow mein. Hope your kids visit and show their appreciation for you taking off on a thirty foot mavs bomb( becoming a father). Drink a few beers for me.
may all your crops reap gold!
Merry Christmas Eve, you goons!
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Surf is pumping.
Wetsuit was “invented” by Jack in San Francisco Chad. He didn’t move to Pleasure Point until later. He also didn’t “invent” the wetsuit but that’s another matter.
Chas doesn’t have time for facts, he’s got nutcrackers to dance in.
who’s hawkin ballet slippers?
Just watch, derek will be telling us rick gath invented the surf helmet again.
Too much attention is given to facts. Im more comfortable in innuendo, intrigue and just plain bullshit
my story of trimming dive’n’surf dive suits into vests&shorty’s…redondo beach. near Pedro! sardines on crackers, few survived~sardines makin a comeback in Santa Cruz?
Hugh Bradner.
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/obituary-notice-renowned-physicist-and-inventor-wetsuit-hugh-bradner