One of my favorite places is the coast of Aptos. The S.S. Palo Alto is an old abandoned war ship that was never used, towed to Seacliff and turned into a local fishing spot.
Here are my photographs from my wonderful forever sinking Cement Ship.
For more information, please visit my recent post about the S.S. Palo Alto: Picture of the Day: S.S. Palo Alto, “The Cement Ship”
Click on images to enlarge!
Location: Seacliff State Beach, Aptos, California
Located in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse at Lighthouse Point on West Cliff Drive, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum opened its doors in June 1986 as the first surfing museum in the world.
The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum at Steamer Lane is staffed by friends of the Santa Cruz Surfing Club who have surfed Santa Cruz waves since the 1930s.
Hours of operation between July 4 and Labor Day:
Wednesday-Monday, 10AM to 5 PM.
Open Thursday through Monday, noon to 4 p.m. the rest of the year.*
*Text borrowed from website
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Details: 18 ft. bronze sculpture by Tom Marsh; the base by Brian Curtis, dedicated May 23, 1992, Lighthouse Point
I recently traveled home for an over due visit. Faces have changed, grown and moved on. However, monuments such as the surfer statue still remain the same. As local spot for O’Neil surf competitions and other community events, West Cliff Drive also serves those who pass by with a view of unparalleled beauties of our Pacific Coast and a breathe of fresh ocean air.
A bitter-sweet trip was rewarded with the opportunity to capture with a locals perspective. Thank you Santa Cruz for one of the most enjoyable visits since I have moved away. Cheers!
Please stay tuned for more Santa Cruz Blog Posts. Plenty more to come.
For more information on this sculpture:
http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/276/
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Click on images below to enlarge!
Monument reads:
THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO ALL SURFERS
-PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
THE INSPIRATION CAME FROM MEMBERS OF THE
SANTA CRUZ SURFING CLUB, FOUNDED IN 1936.
THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS DREAM WAS THE WORK OF NUMEROUS CITIZENS
WHO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SURFING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SANTA CRUZ MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
SURFING SCULPTURE COMMITTEE
1992
Location: West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California
One of my favorite places in the world is Seacliff Beach. It is home to S.S. Palo Alto, locally known as “The Cement Ship.” Built as a tanker for World War I in 1919 by the San Fransisco Shipbuilding Company, the S.S. Palo Alto was completed too late for war and ten years later purchased by the Seacliff Amusement Corporation and towed to Seacliff State Beach in Aptos, California. A pier was built leading to the ship, and she was sunk a few feet in the water so her keel rested on the bottom. There she was refitted as an amusement ship, with amenities including a dance floor, swimming pool and a café.
The company went bankrupt two years later and the ship cracked at the mid section. She was stripped of her fittings and left as a fishing pier. Eventually she deteriorated to the point were she was unsafe for even this use and was closed to the public. Today she remains at Seacliff Beach and serves as an artificial reef for marine life.*
*some text from website
