Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
It was a little foggy over the Santa Cruz mountains when we set out but it should clear by 8 a.m. As we drove over the summit, the fog was thick. It was remarkable how few cars had their headlights on.
First stop in Santa Cruz was the Boardwalk. The streets around the Boardwalk are typical of most seaside resorts; small motels, cafes and gift shops. The classier hotels are further out. We parked at a meter opposite ‘The Hurricane Ride’. By the way, parking is free before 10 a.m. We’ll be gone long before then.
Last time we came here, we were able to walk through the Boardwalk to the beach. Not any more. Now there are locked gates manned by guards.
Dominating everything is the Casino building. It is large and garishly painted but has a lot of history. The original building was built at the beginning of the 20th century but it burnt down two years later. In 1907 the new Casino was opened and two years ago it celebrated 100 years of being in business. Although it is called the ‘Casino’, there is no casino. Inside there is a large arcade called Neptune’s Kingdom and a conference center called The Coconut Grove. The main feature in the arcade is the 18 hole miniature golf course with a pirate theme. Originally a swimming pool, called The Plunge, occupied that site but it was closed in 1963.
We walk past the Casino to get to the beach. Already there are small groups and families walking towards the beach with towels and coolers. I guess you have to stake out your pitch early. Later on this place will be heaving.
Rounding the corner of the Casino, we heard the sea lions, at rest under the pier, calling out. The sound reverberated against the buildings on Beach Street. Then we saw the beach with the pier stretching out into the bay. It is not a large beach but it is sandy. There are several volley ball pitches laid out which are a regular feature but today there were also some small soccer pitches.
I took a seat near the grassy area to the side of the Casino and start to write. Tom wandered off to take photos. I did spot him at one point down at the waters edge taking photos of the pier.
More and more family groups were arriving and most of the kids were wearing soccer gear. It finally dawned on me that there must be some sports event taking place today down on the beach.
The fog had disappeared, though it is still a bit hazy. There is a slight breeze but it is not that cold. I see Tom at the end of the beach near the
Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf
pier but I turn the other way. I wanted to find out what was going on at the other end of the beach.
The temporary soccer pitches were stretched all along the beach nearly to the end of the Boardwalk. People were busy marking out the pitches with white tape and erecting small goalposts and weighting them down with sandbags. In England we call this Five-A-Side football but here I discovered it is called Beach Soccer. The event is the 2009 Pro Am Soccer Championship.
There was a large, small moving, brightly painted yellow tractor like vehicle clearing the beach of rubbish. It’s turning circle was large and as I walked towards it, I had to make a huge detour to stay out of its way. It was fascinating to watch though as it deftly scooped up both large and small objects from the sand. When the tractor crossed the white tape, the conveyor pick up was lifted so it could be driven over the tape without damaging it. Every so often the operator stopped to use a litter stick to pick up trash which had blown onto the white tape. I could have stopped to watch for ages but it was time to move on. There was now a steady stream of competitors and families arriving for the soccer competition and it was time for breakfast.
Walking back along Beach Street towards the car, I spotted a mural painted on the side of a building. It depicted Beach Street in 1962, with iconic cars, Anne’s Koffee Shop in the foreground and Casa Alto Hotel and the ‘Giant Dipper’ in the background. The only thing that has not changed is the ‘Giant Dipper’ roller coaster, which still stands as a landmark and has done so since 1924.
Related posts:
- Santa Cruz Wharf
- Santa Cruz Diner, Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz Botanical Gardens
- Cafe Brasil, Santa Cruz
- Zachary’s, Santa Cruz
June 08 2009 02:17 pm | Special Places
