Ventura Pier Damaged By El Nino Fueled Waves, Reopens

Residents and visitors waited in line Saturday to be the first to walk on the newly repaired Ventura Pier.

In December, 20 foot waves destroyed dozens of pilings and weakened the landmark structure.

“I’ve lived here a long time. I was here when the pier was longer and that’s the only other time, I’ve seen swells that big,” said resident Richard Woodward.

“They were the biggest waves I’ve seen since I have lived here for sure. They came above the wood here,” said resident Jeffrey Prenta.

Local fishermen said they were excited to cast their lines once again.

“It’s really exciting for fishing. All the fishermen here are really stoked. Some said they haven’t seen this many fish caught in this short of a time. I think the pier being closed for awhile gave them a chance to repopulate and do better,” Prenta said.

The city spent close to 1.5 million for repairs.