Officials remain cautious as high water and heavy surf continue on the south coast | Local News

A high surf warning remains in effect for coastal areas in southern Santa Barbara County, with authorities remaining alert for possible flooding and associated damage over the next few days.

The warning, in effect through Christmas Day, calls for surf of 8 to 12 feet along the county’s south coast through Tuesday morning, falling to 6 to 10 feet Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.

Similarly, a high surf warning was in effect for coastal areas of North County, which could see waves of 18 to 25 feet overnight into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

According to Nathan Alldredge, the port’s operations manager, the Santa Barbara port area experienced some minor problems Monday, but no serious problems were reported.

“The tides weren’t too strong,” Alldredge said. “It wasn’t a big, huge swing. And so we escaped relatively unscathed. A little bit of sand here in the parking lot and along the sidewalks.”

Alldredge said high tides are expected Tuesday morning and Christmas morning and that’s when the Harbor Patrol is most concerned about flooding.

A possible trouble spot is the Santa Barbara Yacht Club near the harbor pier, which has suffered extensive damage from high tides and strong surf in recent years.

The Harbor Patrol is preparing for the higher waves by shoring up parts of the coast where there is a higher risk of water damage.

“Here specifically in Santa Barbara, depending on the swell and the tides, we’re thinking about protecting some of the low-lying areas from flooding,” Alldredge noted.

“Generally it affects the area in front of the breakwater where the yacht club is located and some sort of harbor parking lot to the west.”

One way the harbor patrol does this is to build large protective barriers made of sand to slow the waves. These berms are typically created by construction crews before the winter season.

The harbor patrol also ensures that any flooding in parking lots or surrounding areas drains properly and clears the area of ​​washed-up sand and other debris.

At the marina, most residents consider the high surf a part of seaside life.

Jason Williamson has lived in the marina for five years and says it’s one of the cheapest ways to rent in Santa Barbara.

Williamson says he isn’t too worried about the high surf and feels protected in the harbor. He said a bigger concern is storms that occurred in January or February, such as the one that occurred last year.

“We have a boat that’s right near the breakwater wall. That was crazy. By far the most water I’ve ever seen flowed over that breakwater,” Williamson said.

As the High Surf Advisory continues, Alldredge warned beachgoers to use caution near shore. It’s okay to watch the big surf, but be careful and don’t get too close.

“When people go into the water, they know their limits. “Don’t turn your back on the sea and make sure safety comes first and you don’t put yourself at risk of rescue,” Alldredge said.

At Goleta Beach Park on Monday, the shoreline was littered with seaweed and large shells that washed ashore, but there was no significant damage.

County parks crews had to clear some sand and debris from the eastern parking lots on Sunday and expect that could happen again in the coming days.

Click here for the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.