[Click here for a storm photo gallery from Noozhawk staff and readers.]
High tides and heavy surf caused significant damage Saturday at Goleta Beach County Park, which was shut down and evacuated, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
“We had waves that were actually crashing over the Goleta Pier,” fire Capt. David Sadecki said. “We had waves that were crashing into the (Beachside Bar-Café) restaurant.”
The outside dining area of the café was pummeled by the waves, while the interior areas also sustained damage.
Paddy Langlands, deputy county parks director, told Noozhawk the inside of the restaurant had some water, but did not appear badly damaged. However, he said, the outside area was nearly demolished.
He also noted that the adjacent Goleta Pier sustained some damage, with some planks displaced, but a full assessment would have to wait until calmer conditions.
Other county parks seemed to come through the storm fairly well, Langlands said.
Jalama Beach south of Lompoc had waves in the parking lot, but remained open.
Guadalupe Dunes also had water in the parking lot, and was closed as a precaution, he said.
[Scroll down to see Zack Warburg’s video of surf hitting Goleta Pier]
County firefighters responded shortly before 10 a.m. to Goleta Beach, and began evacuations a short time later, Sadecki said.
Park visitors were evacuated, along with patrons and employees of the restaurant.
A nearly 6-foot high tide peaked at 9:20 a.m., and surf was forecast up to 6 feet in South Coast beaches.
The National Weather Service issued a high-surf advisory until 5 p.m. Sunday.
Some utilities at the park were turned off as a precaution.
Three boats anchored offshore broke loose, Sadecki said. One ended up on the sand, another was being tossed around in the surf, and a third was reported to have broken up after striking the pier, he said.
— Noozhawk contributor Zack Warburg reported from the scene.
» Winter Storm Makes Waves — and a Few Surprises — as It Rolls through Santa Barbara County
» Big Waves Destroy Part of Gaviota Pier; More Damage Possible
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
