Heartbreak in the other Surf City.
Let’s just be real honest with each other,
here, this Christmas Eve. Santa Cruz has always been a superior
Surf City, USA to Huntington Beach. Sure, the Southern California
burgh won right to use the moniker, legally, but has none of the
history, the grit, he homespun surf charm of Holy Cross. Santa Cruz
is where surfing was first introduced to the USA mainland, it is
where Jack O’Neill invented the wetsuit, it is where I traveled to
write my very first surf magazine feature about a kindly man named
Anthony Ruffo.
I remember that time fondly, taking Ruffo and his friends Flea,
Anthony Tashnick and Nathan Fletcher out to a sushi dinner very
near the town’s iconic pier. Very stately with quaint little
buildings etc. etc. and I gazed upon it thinking, “Santa Cruz über
Huntington.”
Well, heartbreak today as the landmark got smashed and bashed by
the mega surf California is currently experiencing. Washed right
into the sea. Three workers were whipped into the angry Pacific
along with it.
Mercifully two were rescued while one rescued himself.
Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker commented on the oceanic
fury, declaring, “We continue to see that winter season over winter
season. Each year it’s really blowing through our forecast.”
The Los Angeles Times reported, “Gov.
Gavin Newsom was also briefed about the partial collapse, his
office said in a statement on social media.”
When I first saw, I thought it read, “Gov. Gavin Newsom was also
bereft about the partial collapse…” and had a long wonder about why
the pier meant so much to him. Maybe where he asked for Kimberly
Guilfoyle’s hand in marriage? Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-girlfriend is
now set to be USA ambassador to Greece.
Πολύ κουλ.
Back to you, though, and if you just so happen to live in
California, are you getting any mega surf?
Share your story!
