A few more obstacles for Santa Cruz surfers to keep an eye on. Photo: Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve//Native Santa Cruz
A summer of strong south swells continues to chip away large chunks of the cliff overlooking Santa Cruz’s iconic surf spot, Steamer Lane. On Sunday, August 30, at 12:46 p.m., Surfline’s live feed captured another significant rock collapse.
Sunday’s rockfall is just the latest in a series of erosion incidents over the last several years. In June, a significant failure occurred at the same location, dumping a pile of rubble into the lineup at “the Slot” — the takeoff zone closest to the cliff. Similar erosion events occurred in 2023 and 2024.
About a dozen surfers were in the water when the rocks fell on Sunday, but it appears that no one was harmed. While the series of rock falls has created obstacles during lower tides, the rubble at the base of the cliff hasn’t appeared to affect wave quality significantly.
Santa Cruz surfer and communications coordinator at the non-profit Save the Waves Coalition, Emmett Balassone, told The Inertia that the new debris field is made up of smaller chunks than those that fell in the June event, but the new rubble has a larger footprint.
“Only time will tell if the wave will get better or worse,” Balassone wrote in a text message.
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The Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve created a form to gather data from surfers on whether the erosion has affected wave quality.
After the June collapse, Balassone warned other surfers to avoid sitting too close to the fragile cliff. City officials have placed caution tape at the cliff’s edge as dubious cracks suggest more erosion is coming.
The city is currently advancing a shoreline adaptation plan to address erosion along various sections of the coast, including West Cliff, where Steamer Lane is located. Proposed ideas include rerouting walking paths and roadways inland, nourishing beaches, restoring native plants, and repairing riprap armor. However, none of the proposals specifically address the section of cliff that has been falling at Steamer Lane. The project timeline indicates that specific plans and blueprints will be created between fall 2026 and winter 2027.
