SoCal surfers weren’t the only ones taking a beating during the recent run of historic swell.
As powerful surf marched into the coast, beaches from Newport Beach to Laguna Beach experienced dramatic erosion, exposing infrastructure, swallowing equipment, and reshaping stretches of shoreline in a matter of days.
At The Wedge, one of Southern California’s most famous big-wave spectacles, the damage was impossible to miss. Massive rocks tumbled from sections of the jetty as relentless waves pounded the structure. Elsewhere, long-buried metal pipes emerged from beneath the sand, a visible reminder of just how much beach disappeared during the swell.
The erosion wasn’t limited to Newport.
Just a few miles south at Crystal Cove State Park, powerful waves chewed away at the shoreline, undermining lifeguard towers and sending at least one tumbling into the ocean. A Bobcat tractor parked near the beach also fell victim to the encroaching surf after rising water and collapsing sand left the machine stranded and eventually swallowed by the sea.
Related: A Historic 20-Foot Swell Is About to Hit The Wedge — and the Beach is Almost Gone
For beachgoers, the destruction offered a rare glimpse beneath Southern California’s carefully manicured coastline. What is normally hidden beneath layers of sand suddenly became exposed as wave after wave stripped beaches to their foundations.
And the story may not be over.
Forecasters are now watching a series of King Tides expected to arrive in the coming days. While King Tides are a naturally occurring phenomenon caused by the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth, they can dramatically elevate water levels during high tide events. When combined with lingering swell energy, the result can accelerate coastal erosion and increase flooding in vulnerable areas.
For surfers, the recent swell delivered memorable sessions and some of the largest surf Southern California has seen in years. But once the crowds leave and the waves subside, the scars left behind tell a different story.
The ocean giveth, and sometimes it takes the beach with it.
Related: The Biggest Wedge Ever? Chaos and Carnage from Historic 20ft Swell (Video)
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