The sun is finally shining brightly across much of San Diego, but the last two weeks of heavy rains and high surf left some damage to parts of the coastline.
That includes Cardiff State Beach in Encinitas.
There, the beach’s Reef parking lot was pummeled so hard, that asphalt broke away, turning much of the area into rubble.
“It just looked like a massive earthquake just happened. It's crazy,” said surf instructor Daniel Bocater.
State park officials had to temporarily close the lot for repairs.
“I think for a lot of the local surfers that come here all the time, they're definitely a bit bummed out. They might have to find a new beach as well,” Bocater said.
Kenji Timmerman is another surfer who has been going to Cardiff State Beach for decades.
He said the area had been affected by storms and king tides before, but not to this degree. He said it’s hard to find any sand near the Reef parking lot.
“I've never seen it this bad. You go through cycles with El Niño and some years are better or worse, but this is probably as bad as I've ever seen it,” Timmerman said.
The damage is also affecting the nearby Pacific Coast Grill.
“On our beach patio there's just caution tape, because we lost some of the sand here closest to the water,” said manager Philip Wanner.
He said the restaurant had to close part of its outdoor space.
“It's a little treacherous just to navigate through for diners and surfers, that kind of thing,” Wanner said.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation sent KPBS a statement saying they’re finalizing plans to fix the parking lot and hope to start work soon.
The statement also said they “understand how important this beach access is to the community and look forward to completing these repairs as soon as possible."
So far, the department said the cost of repairs and a timeline for reopening the Reef parking lot have not been determined.
For those looking to enjoy the beaches in the area, the Cardiff State Beach parking lot to the south remains open.
