Latest News

Surfing, Bodyboarding Venice Pier with Hecho En Venice



Oscar from Hecho En Venice checks out the surfing and bodyboarding at the Venice Pier on an early winter morning.



Beach Water Use Advisory Extended

Beach Water Use Advisory for all Los Angeles County beaches is extended until Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. – Due to the recent rainfall, Los Angeles County Health Officer, Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, is cautioning residents that bacteria, chemicals, debris, trash, and other public health hazards from city streets and mountain areas are likely to contaminate ocean waters around discharging storm drains, creeks, and rivers after the rainfall. Individuals who enter the water in these areas could become ill.

This advisory will be in effect until at least Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. This advisory may be extended depending on further rainfall. Recorded information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the County's beach closure hotline: 1-800-525-5662.

Venice Pier Kite Festival



For more info, Click Here

Malibu Crash Shuts Down PCH Lane



A traffic collision on Pacific Coast Highway sheared a fire hydrant that turned into a geyser about 10:30 AM near the Malibu Pier. One westbound lane was closed until LA County Public Works repaired the hydrant.

Mighty Underdogs Surf Therapy Event



Mighty Underdogs Surf Therapy Event at Malibu on April 23rd.

For more info and to volunteer, Click Here

Surf Photos - Topanga - Wednesday 3-22-2023



Here's surfing photos from Wednesday, March 22nd at Topanga.

This set of surf photos was shot by Six12 Media and brought to you by RVCA. Unlock your mystery sale offer today. Use code: MG460312 at checkout to see what it is! Code good till 3/34/23 at RVCA.com.

These are just a few of the 150+ photos from this session. If you were out there, you probably got some surfing shots, probably multiple photos, they will be in the complete photo galleries for this day, check them out, the links to the complete galleries are down below.


















You can find about 100 more photos from this session, all full size and in high-resolution, in these 2 photo galleries:

Topanga - Wednesday 3-22-2023 - Gallery #1
Topanga - Wednesday 3-22-2023 - Gallery #2


If you were out there, we probably got some cool surfing shots of you, go check them out!

Wanna see photos from previous days at this and other local surf spots from this photographer?
Click Surf Spot Galleries and look for the spot and then the date.

20th Annual Battle Over The Line



The 20th Annual Battle Over The Line will be held Saturday April 1st at County Line .

For more info, Click Here

Another Morning Surfing Venice Pier



Winter morning surf session at the Venice Pier.



Topanga Canyon Blvd Closed Today

State Route 27 (Topanga Cyn Blvd) will be CLOSED today Wed. 3/22 at 12PM (noon) to about 6PM to safely remove a loose boulder that could fall on road. Closed from Pacific Coast Highway(SR1) to Grand View Dr.



The huge boulder will be brought down and broken into pieces which will be cleared from the roadway. The crew is hopeful of finishing before 6PM but that is a conservative estimate for people to make their travel plans. See artist rendering below:

A Walk On Water



A Walk On Water surf therapy comes to Malibu on April 15th.

For more info and to volunteer, Click Here

Skater To Start 3,000-Mile Cross-Country Journey In Venice



Skateboarder and YouTuber Chad Caruso is set to embark on a 3,000-mile skate across the United States beginning on March 24, 2023, for a period of about two months. Starting at the Venice Beach Skatepark in Los Angeles, CA, his epic voyage will culminate at Virginia Beach Oceanfront, VA

Skateboarders and fans are welcome to accompany Chad on the first mile of his excursion at the Venice Beach Skatepark in Los Angeles on March 24, 2023, at 10am PDT.

The purpose of Chad’s expedition is to raise awareness for mental health and youth addiction. A portion of the funds raised during his journey will be donated to Natural High, a non-profit organization for the prevention of drug addiction. Donations can be made to Chad’s GoFundMe.



"Take Surf Lessons To Learn Fundamentals."

“Hey everyone, my name is Chad Caruso and I’m a skateboarder from Long Island, New York, and on March 24th, 2023 I will begin skateboarding 3,000+ miles across America to raise money for addiction awareness.

I have been sober for six years now and doing so has completely changed my life for the better. I wouldn’t have been able to attempt this skate across the country without the energy and focus that sobriety has given me. The goal of this fundraiser is to highlight the importance of having something passionate in your life to focus on.

25% of the money raised will be donated to Natural High, a drug prevention nonprofit that inspires and empowers youth to find their natural high and develop the skills and courage to live life well.

Thank you for being a part of this! It means more to me than you could ever know. ”

Followers of Chad’s journey can keep up via his Instagram.

Hazardous Marine Conditions Through Thursday

Lots of active weather still to come through tonight and likely Wednesday as well.

Beach Water Use Advisory

An {Ocean Water Quality Rain Advisory} has been declared for all LA County beaches and will remain in effect until at least 8:30AM, Thursday, March 23rd

High Surf Alert



High surf and hazardous seas are also expected in the Tuesday to Wednesday time frame! Breaking waves may even impact some harbor entrances.

Venice Beach Ski Club: Film Screening 'Dreaming of a Better Place'



Come hang out for Venice Beach Ski Club night hosted by CAKE x blackcrows. We will be offering CAKE electric motorbike test rides and watching the multi-award winning ski documentary, "Dreaming of a Better Place."

Film starts @ 7PM

Director Cameron Thuman and NativeFour present “Dreaming of a Better Place,” a short documentary unlike any ski film ever seen. Nestled deep within British Columbia, “Dreaming of a Better Place” tells a heartfelt winter tale, as a family finds solace in the spirit of the mountains after an unexpected tragedy changes their dream forever. The film stars pro skier Mark Abma with music from world-renowned German artist Liam Mour.
Thursday, March 23 · 6 - 8pm PDT

CAKE Site: Los Angeles 4112 Lincoln Boulevard Marina del Rey, CA 90292

For more info, Click Here


Lost Canals of Los Angeles -How Venice Beach went Wrong



Discover the fascinating history of America's Venice Beach in this video. Join us as we explore the life of Abbot Kinney, learn about the snowstorm that led to its creation, and the coin flip that changed Venice Beach forever. Discover the construction of the famous beach, how the canals worked, and why they became a nightmare. Find out what remains of the canals today and join us on a journey to retrace the lost canals under Venice Beach, Los Angeles roads.

Youth Sailing Camp



Sign up today for our Youth Sailing Camp in Marina del Rey! Our LA County WATER Program Lifeguards are teaching Beginning Sailing camp sessions this Spring.

📆 April 10 - April 14
⏰ 10 AM – 4 PM
$375 per 5-day session*
*Financial aid available


For more info and to register, Click Here

James on Surf Chats with Topanga Lou



"Take Surf Lessons To Learn Fundamentals."

Palisades Park Food Vender Assualted



From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Santa Monica police officers have detained a man on Ocean Avenue on Saturday, March 18, 2023. According to sources, the man allegedly punched a food vendor in the face at Palisades Park. Despite the severity of the incident, the man was not arrested, as the victims did not want to press charges. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of local vendors and the need for increased security measures in public areas. It is important to note that incidents like these are not isolated and have been happening more frequently in recent years."

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fabianlewkowicz

Venice Love Fest



From Santa Monica Close Up:

"The Venice Love Fest, held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in downtown Mar Vista on Venice Blvd, was a celebration of local artists, designers, musicians, and businesses. The fest was located between Centinela & Inglewood Blvd, and the city had closed Venice Blvd for the event. The festival was a complete takeover of Venice Blvd in the heart of Mar Vista, featuring an assortment of LA's most curated brands and artists."

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Support Santa Monica Closeup/Fabian Lewkowicz with Venmo or PayPal to help earn money to make these videos:

https://venmo.com/u/santamonicacloseup

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fabianlewkowicz