...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Abnormally high tides around 7.2 to 7.4 feet are expected.

* WHERE... Malibu Coast and Los Angeles County Beaches.

* WHEN...From late Saturday night through Tuesday morning.

* IMPACTS...Pooling of sea water is possible around high tide at beach and harbor areas that is uncommon with normal tidal ranges. Enhanced beach erosion is also possible. No significant damage is expected.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Minor coastal flooding is expected during early morning high tides.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water due to hazardous swimming conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks.

From Santa Monica Close Up:

" Downtown Private Security Officers from Legion Corporation were dispatched on a rainy Wednesday to address a public disturbance caused by a homeless man on 5th Street in Downtown Santa Monica. The incident occurred in front of a local business, where the man was reported to be yelling incessantly and behaving erratically.

Legion Security Officers, who recently commenced patrol duties in the area as of December 1, arrived promptly at the scene. They approached the individual, who was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing shorts amidst the rain. Despite their attempts to engage, the man continued to yell and subsequently walked into the middle of a busy intersection at Santa Monica Boulevard and 5th Street, causing concern for his and others' safety.

The security officers followed him as he wandered off into a private parking lot where he vanished from sight. A Santa Monica Police officer, signaled by the security team, was briefed on the situation for further attention."

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

Mike, aka German in Venice, vlogs about daily life in Venice Beach, and the nearby communities.

"The week before Christmas I’m just riding my new bicycle around Venice Beach showing you a typical day and what’s going on on the craziest beach in the world. I ended up joining the electric light parade with my new bike. This is the real Venice."

If you would like to support German in Venice with some gas money or you want to buy him a coffee, you are welcome to donate to his paypal account: https://paypal.me/germaninvenice

12/15/23: Santa Monica Beach Fire Extinguished by City Workers pic.twitter.com/9ORxl6Wx1k

— WCoastSanta Monica (@WCoast_) December 16, 2023

Santa Monica Beach Fire Extinguished by City Workers

Santa Monica Police Department Holding Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation Planned for December 15, 2023

The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will conduct a Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation with focused enforcement efforts on primary collision factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Police Department identifies locations where pedestrian and bike collisions are prevalent, along with the violations that led to those collisions. Traffic officers will be on duty patrolling areas where bike and pedestrian traffic and collisions occur in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. Officers will be looking for violations committed by drivers, bike riders and pedestrians alike that can lead to life changing injuries. These violations include speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals.

These extra enforcement efforts will take place on Friday, December 15, 2023 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

“We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car. Bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights to the road but face even more risk without the protections vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.”

Pedestrians
· Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.
· Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.
· Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
· Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you – wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.
· Be extra careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night when it is harder to see, or when crossing busier streets with more lanes and higher speed limits.

Drivers
· Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
· Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
· Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists
· Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.
· Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
· Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.
· If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.
· Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections. 

The Palm Springs Surf Club announced will open its new wave pool in the Southern California desert to the public on Jan. 1, with reservations open now for the first of several artificial waves planned for Southewrn California.

You’ll need a reservation to surf at the Palm Springs Surf Club. An hour surfing session will cost $100 to $200 depending on a surfer’s skill level (on top of the $20 club admission fee). Board rental is also offered at an additional fee. Reservations can be made at palmspringssurfclub.com, with current availability starting on Jan. 7.

Intermediate waves will cost $150, with the first week already booked up hours after the opening announcement. Advanced, barreling waves will cost $200. Begginers will have to wait till spring, but for $100, the beginner waves will a Waikiki-style wave perfect for those who have never surfed before.



The Intermediate A-Frames are designed to offer a split peak experience which two surfers can ride in opposite directions on the same wave. There is a closeout section at the end which is intended to be there for a finishing maneuver. We throw 3 wave sets at 15 second intervals between waves with approximately one and a half minutes between sets.



Advanced A-Frames are not for the faint of heart. These slabby cylinders give surfers the option to pull in off the takeoff and come out in time to do one or two more turns if you are quick enough. The end section makes its presence known on these waves, its thick and powerful so bring all the power you can to it. Like the mellow A-Frames, stay in the pocket. These waves come in 3 wave sets with an 8 second interval between waves and approximately one and a half minutes between sets.

The video below shows waves recently being tested at the Palm Springs Surf Club. The lineup of surfers in the pool included Italo Ferriera, Parker Coffin, Jackson Dorian, Sierra Kerr, Josh Kerr, Caity Simmers, and many more heavy hitters.

From palmspringssurfclub.com.

From Nate.

The highlights from the awards ceremony for the 30th Annual Venice Surf-A-Thon. Tonan takes the mic to announce the surf contest winners at the Sidewalk Cafe on the Venice Boardwalk.

Two firefighters were hospitalized Tuesday while battling an intense blaze that ripped through the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey.

Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters responded around 11:30 p.m. Monday to 4469 Admiralty Way where they found the club in flames, according to the fire department.

The firefighters were taken to a hospital in moderate condition, City News Service reported.

The fire department’s Arson Investigation Unit was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire, according to Fox 11.

The yacht club was founded in 1922 in Wilmington Harbor near San Pedro and the current facility in Marina del Rey was built in 1967, according to the club’s website.

Photos via VeniceIntel