From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Five hundred drones light up the sky displaying Chanel No 5 above Santa Monica Beach on Wednesday, December 8, 2021. The drone light show was for a Chanel commercial. "

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:

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Video by Venice Gallerie

"I saw the black smoke of the fire and tried calling 911 but they didn't answer. I called Fire 63 directly and got through to the captain. The fire department arrived in about five minutes No one was injured.."

Thursday morning Lifeguard Units responded to a boat aground just south of Marina Del Rey Harbor. One person on board was safely ashore with no medical complaints. Lifegaurd boats secured a towing line and remove the vessel from the beach.

Images via LACoLifeguards

An {OCEAN WATER QUALITY RAIN ADVISORY} has been declared for all Los Angeles County beaches. The current advisory is in effect through at least 12:30 P.M. Sunday December 12, 2021.

Looff Pleasure Pier, 1924, now known as the Santa Monica Pier, with our world famous, iconic hippodrome on the right, keeping watch over all the activity.

Photo via the Fred Basten Collection

This Saturday is the 28th Annual Venice Surf-A-Thon, so here's throwback to 2014 with a video of the 21st Annual Venice Surf-A-Thon.

Video by Six12 Media

Nothing brightens up the holidays more than Ol' Saint Nick. While supplies last, grab one of these limited-edition Body Glove 4mm Santa Wetsuits to take your holiday party to the next level. Limited quantities are available.

The new Santa Wetsuits are now avaliable at BodyGlove.com.

Ger-I Lewis, the founder and organizer of the Venice Surf-A-Thon had his truck stolen, which had supplies and the equipment needed to run contest in it.

Statement from Ger-i:

"Well, really going to need volunteers to help out this year as my truck, tools, the canopies and other things used for Venice Surf-A-Thon Surf Contest were stolen.

If you have any of these items and can bring them to help out please let me know. I certainly dont want something for nothing and as you may or may not know, not only have I been producing the Venice Surf-A-Thon Surf Contest for 28 years in a row ( the contest is Dec 11th 2021) but a Documentary film about the 3 decades of Venice Surf-A-Thon Surf Contest. So if you choose to donate to the needed cause ( I've got to have a dependable truck to produce the event and film) donors will be listed in film.credits and receive a limited edition supporter t-shirt."

Donations can be made via Facebook at the Venice Surf-A-Thon Fundraiser Page

NW swell mix builds for Thu-Fri, lingers into weekend as SSW swell shows

Thursday, December 9th: 1-2′ trending 2-3’+ as NW winds and swell mix rise. The surf trends up through the day as NW swell mix builds but quality is largely an issue. We’ll have the second area of low pressure this week dropping into the region later Wednesday into Thursday morning, with rising NW winds and swell mix spreading through the inner coastal waters as the low pushes east through the day. Most areas start the day below waist high, bumping up to waist-stomach high+ for average breaks over the afternoon.

Friday, December 10th: 2-3’+ average breaks, 4 occ. 5′ windswell magnets early. Improving winds. NW swell mix trends down through the day as modest new SSW swell gradually creeps in. Most areas start the day in the waist-stomach high range before easing. New SSW swell will level size off in the waist high range for many zones through the second half of the day as the NW fades. E/SE wind early in the morning trends southerly through the middle of the day before dropping off through the afternoon.