Extreme High Tide, Huge Waves Make Mess Of South OC Beaches

DANA POINT, CA — A storm from Mexico toppled many famed Capo Beach Park palm trees this week. Rocks and sand were piled up in parking areas and sidewalk areas were eroded in the aftermath of an extreme high tide along the Orange County Coastline.

Most of the beach is just...gone, some visitors said. Popular fire pits were buried and many of the erosion control "riprap" rocks were tossed into the parking area.

Workers used heavy machinery to combat the large rubble, working it into piles for removal along Capistrano Beach in Dana Point, Wednesday. Extremely high surf, some waves in excess of 10 feet, caused coastal erosion and shortened some Orange County beaches.

Residents were warned that Doheny area would see an extremely high tide Wednesday night.

With waves so strong they "toppled" and "washed concrete benches into the parking lots," a Facebook community post by Capo Cares showed the mess left behind after "Mother Nature Wreaked Havoc."

Some areas of Capo Beach remained closed during cleanup.

Photos courtesy Seth of Ocean Method Instagram