Santa Barbara Yacht Club holds up, but shuts down as storm impacts slam the harbor area coast

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara Yacht Club has lost part of its parking lot and the building is holding up after all of the protective sand was washed out by the recent storm.

Commodore David Sadecki says the utilities have been shut off and an assessment has been made on clean-up and a reopening schedule.

The historic building is 150 years old.

Sadecki says they are trying to get power back on to keep the refrigeratrion working.

No cars were in the parking lot Friday morning. It was full of sand, debris, a broken fence and seaweed.

Some of the ocean surge went into the harbor commercial parking area but did not enter buildings.

The Santa Barbara Fish Market remains open, and would have been the first target for water if the waves got that far.

Other businesses, both retail and restaurants, were operating- but some parking areas were closed off.

Spectators went down the breakwater wall to see the yacht club erosion and damage to the outside event area. Many took pictures, and posed for selfies during the weather event.

Surfers ran down the concrete path between the ocean and the boats on the wall to catch the waves at the harbor entrance. At times, giant waves went up and over their heads. It is a break that doesn't come alive often, and when it does, it brings out surfers from all over.

Stearns Wharf had closed signs at the kiosk. Drivers were turned away. Pedestrians were walking to the end. Waves were breaking high but not up and over the top of the pier, which was built in 1873.

West Beach was swamped by the tidal overflow. About half the typical beach area was soaked and soppy with water and some of the muck that was churned up by the storm-disturbed ocean.

The Shoreline Cafe at Leadbetter Beach was not damaged. In 1983, the storm that year nearly took the building out but it held and did not have serious impacts in this event. Customers are still eating on the sand and getting a front row seat to the weather show.

The parking lot has heavy equipment and crews clearing out the debris as fast as possible to create more spaces in areas that got drenched by the ocean waves.