Powerful waves from intense winter storms and two tsunamis have caused millions of dollars in damage to the wharf and marina in recent years. This week, a new round of treacherous waves washed away nearly 150 feet of the wharf.
A large section of the century-old wharf broke off amidst the violent swells on Monday, sending three people—who all survived—into the sea, while a bathroom was carried miles south, leaving onlookers stunned.
“The wharf has been here for over 100 years, and this is the first time I can remember anything like this happening,” said Gino Marini, co-owner of Marini's Candies, whose flagship store is located near the area where part of the wharf broke off. His family’s business has been on the wharf for 40 years, and while he recalls storms that caused notable damage—such as cracked pilings or boats crashing—he’s never witnessed a collapse of this magnitude.
The latest battering from the ocean has raised concerns among officials and locals, who are questioning how common such dangerously strong and frequent waves may become in Santa Cruz, especially as a warming climate contributes to rising sea levels and intensifies wave energy.
"Mother Nature holds the cards," said Michelle Templeton, Santa Cruz's Assistant City Manager, during a news conference this week. "We know these west swells are growing in severity, and we’ll continue to assess the ongoing damage to determine our next steps."
The powerful surf that struck Monterey Bay earlier this week has also been linked to at least one fatality, with a person becoming trapped under debris, and another still missing at sea. Both incidents occurred just south of Santa Cruz.
The city's wharf remains closed as officials assess its stability and prepare for another approaching system expected to bring high surf, with waves reaching up to 30 feet in parts of Northern California. However, meteorologists note that this next storm will not produce swells as intense as those that overwhelmed the wharf on Monday.
This week’s storm is just the latest instance of significant damage at Santa Cruz Harbor.
Nearly a year ago, another winter storm struck the wharf, causing enough damage to temporarily close it to the public. City officials then launched extensive repairs, including demolishing a restaurant at the end of the wharf, which was part of the section washed away this week. The repairs were expected to be completed by March.
The year before, a tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption in Tonga caused major disruptions at Santa Cruz Harbor, inflicting an estimated $6 million in damage. The tsunami surge, coinciding with high tide, flooded areas of Santa Cruz that had never seen water before, spilling over parking lots and electrical transformers.
However, that tsunami was not as severe as the one that struck California in 2011. It wreaked havoc on Santa Cruz Harbor, pushing boats together, sinking at least 14, and damaging many others. State officials reported over $100 million in damage along the coast, with nearly all docks in the harbors of Santa Cruz and Crescent City either damaged or destroyed.
Despite its history of coastal challenges, meteorologists say Santa Cruz is strategically positioned in a way that often shields it from the worst waves hitting Northern California. The city faces south into Monterey Bay, providing natural protection.
"The orientation of the Santa Cruz pier means they’re often more sheltered from northwestern swells," said Brayden Murdoch, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Monterey. "When northwestern swells arrive, it's difficult for the waves to wrap around the curve of Santa Cruz."
Northwesterly waves are typically the strongest to impact the Golden State, he added.
However, when storms originate further south than usual, as was the case on Monday, Santa Cruz becomes more vulnerable to powerful waves, which the city is less accustomed to.
"When the storm really picked up energy, its location relative to us was almost due west," Murdoch explained. While strong waves from that direction are less common, they can develop during this time of year and hit Santa Cruz more directly.
When strong waves come from the south, like during the Tonga tsunami, Santa Cruz is most vulnerable, Murdoch said, although such events from that direction are less common.
“It’s quite rare to have a strong southwestern swell," Murdoch noted. “But when it does happen, it can cause significant damage."
Officials emphasize that predicting the strength and origin of storms remains challenging, leaving uncertainties about how much risk a city like Santa Cruz faces.
“It really depends on each system as it moves across the Pacific,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey. “Every storm is a little different.”
Despite the challenges and the damage from this week’s storm, Gino Marini, co-owner of Marini's Candies, remains confident in the integrity of the wharf, which still stands largely intact, even though officials have kept it closed for further inspections.
“We’ve been around, we’ve seen a lot,” said Marini, 48. “In the almost 41 years we’ve been here, I think we’ve closed for about 10 days for things like this... Waves have been bigger."
He attributes the current situation to ongoing construction at the end of the pier, which weakened that section at the worst possible time.
“If the construction had been finished earlier, we might not be in this situation,” Marini said. “It was just that one section that wasn’t reinforced as much.”
His primary concern now is for his business and the other small shops and restaurants on the wharf, all of which are closed during what is usually one of the busiest times of the year.
“Usually, this is the time we’re thriving,” Marini said. He received an update Thursday from officials about ongoing inspections but no clear timeline for reopening.
“It’s a little worrisome that this could take longer than we’d like,” he said. “Bills are still coming in.”
His concern extends to his nearly 25 employees, whom he can no longer schedule for shifts. For now, he’s hoping for a quick and safe reopening of the wharf.
“I’m hoping people aren’t afraid to come back out here,” he said. “We rely on the tourists, we rely on the locals.”
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