Heavy equipment used to clean up waterfront from recent swells on Santa Barbara coastline

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The end of 2024 came with a list of work assignments along the Santa Barbara waterfront after the recent high tide event and damaging waves.

There were many locations along the Santa Barbara coast, including popular parking locations, that needed a good clean up where they were overrun by waves and covered with sand and debris.

The Leadbetter Beach parking lot between the boat yard and the Shoreline Cafe was closed in order for crews to do a full clean up. Yellow tape blocked the entrance and a city worker kept people out.

Mayor Randy Rowse was on the scene taking a look at the work that was being done. He was impressed with the effort and happy that businesses were able to open up even in areas that had been impacted by the ocean water Thursday.

Those coming out to dine at the Shoreline Cafe had a front row seat to all the activity and watched the ocean calming down from the surge days last week.

Large skip loaders were scooping up sand out of the parking lot and piling it back up on the beach creating a mini-wall of protection. The surge last week sent waves into the parking lots and in some cases out to the street.

On the Montecito coastline, the powerful waves that came over the wall at Butterfly Beach impacted the sidewalk access on Channel Drive. Yellow tape was up in a small area, and pedestrians were going around a site that was a target for nature's wave pounding. Many people in that area Wednesday and Thursday were drenched by the waves and spray.

(Note: There are two video stories attached.)