On December 23, 2024, a massive swell destroyed a portion of the Santa Cruz wharf. It will officially reopen on April 29. Photo: Screenshot//ABC7
The City of Santa Cruz announced that repairs to its iconic wharf are nearly finished, and a reopening ceremony will be held on April 29. In December of 2024, a 150-foot section at the end of the wharf collapsed into the ocean during a large winter swell.
The wharf runs parallel to Santa Cruz’s iconic longboarding wave at Cowell Beach.
According to a report in the Mercury News, the $1.3 million repair project included driving new pilings into the seabed and reinforcing the structure’s foundation.
After the 2024 failure, the half-mile-long wharf partially reopened two weeks later, with the damaged final section blocked off from the public.
On December 23, 2024, a “bomb cyclone” sent 20-foot swells to the Monterey Bay. The buoy data from that day peaked with a reading of 19 feet at 21 seconds.
According to the Mayor of Santa Cruz, Fred Keeley, that portion of the wharf had known structural issues and had been flagged for repairs. However, they didn’t believe it was under imminent threat of failure.
Luckily, no one was seriously injured in the collapse. However, three people fell off the wharf — one who extricated themselves, and two more who were rescued.
The city says that 20 memorial benches that also fell into the ocean will not be replaced. The city is looking for other ways to honor them.
