California’s 50-Year Storm Destroys Piers, Floods Houses, and Maxes Out Sandspit

Is this the first-ever accurately forecasted Surfline swell?

Jokes.

They did get it right, though.

Today, throughout California, what is potentially the largest swell of the last 15 years coincided with king tides. Destruction ensued.

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Chocolate water, gale force winds, and demolished piers have been flooding just about every West Coast surfers’ feeds. Is this what it feels like to live on the Eastern Seaboard?

Brett Barley and Eric Geiselman know how this feels.

A handful of hopeful surfers found refuge in the most refraction-friendly coves, and the rest have either been watching in awe, or trying to make sure their house doesn’t flood.

Speaking of protected coves, we got word that surfers were towing in at Sandspit — yes, that mythical harbor wave that only breaches head high once every couple years. Turns out it was pretty much maxed out.

If you live in California, we sincerely hope this storm causes you and your possessions no harm. Perhaps your dampness will be rewarded with many a vision these next few weeks, as the West swell train looks to keep on chuggin.

But, surf forecasting is hard (see above), so maybe it’s just gonna keep raining and go flat.