Pismo Beach working to repair $55,000 in damage from heavy surf. Here’s a look
Last week’s pounding surf and high tides have left Pismo Beach with a list of damaged equipment and infrastructure, from missing steps to an unearthed swing set.
Pismo Beach city manager Jorge Garcia said several of the coastal areas of the city suffered damage over the past week to the tune of $55,000 as powerful waves and big swells broke through to beachfront neighborhoods.
Garcia said while the Pismo Pier itself is fine largely due to its recent renovations — reopening in 2018 after 18 months of work — the stairs leading up to the pier on both the northern and southern sides were damaged by the surf and are missing pieces of a handrail and boards.
Stairs near the plaza closest to the Dolphin Motel also withstood some damage to the top rails, Garcia said.
“Those repairs are being prioritized because we want to make sure that we have coastal access down to the sand,” Garcia said. “Those repairs have already started, and those should be completed either later this week or by this time next week.”
More substantial and evident damage occurred farther inland, as waves swept north and east up the beach, flooding parts of the parking lot at the western end of Addie Street, Garcia said.
On the beach, the city suffered around $12,000 in damage to the sand volleyball courts, which will take around three weeks to repair, Garcia said.
A $20,000 swing set near the Addie Street parking lot installed last year was also destroyed. It will cost around $25,000 to replace and install, Garcia said.
Farther north, Gull Cottage — part of the Chapman Estate event space owned by the city in Shell Beach — sustained structural damage, Garcia said.
“At this time, we have to evaluate the structural integrity of the building and see if it can be salvaged,” Garcia said, adding that the full cost won’t be known until the building can be inspected.
Surfers grateful for big waves
The recent storms haven’t only brought property damage and danger to the region.
Karen Dixon, a Pismo Beach resident, said she was wowed by the “incredible” power of the waves as they crashed over the boardwalk on the first day of high tides last week.
She said even some of the surfers who frequent the Pismo Pier and surrounding area have steered clear during the most intense parts of the past week.
“You’d better watch your back, and don’t go in,” Dixon said. “We don’t want to see people having to be rescued.”
Vincent Puente, a San Luis Obispo surfer, said the surface of beach has been flattened by the swells that overtook nearby streets.
While on the water, Puentes said he’s seen pieces of debris washed out in the tide.
“It’s not as appealing anymore, but we still can get out here and have some fun,” Puente said. “There was some pretty nice waves.”
This story was originally published January 3, 2024 at 1:03 PM.
