Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

Oceanside Pier lays claim to being the longest wooden pier on the western U.S. coastline.

All my life I’ve been infatuated with piers, maybe because it’s the closest you can get to walking on water.

Photograph by Matthew Suarez

One of my fondest early memories is fishing with my dad from the tiny Shelter Island Pier. And after the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier opened on July 2, 1966, shortly after my eighth birthday, my parents and I often strolled all the way out to the very end, my sharp-spoken German mom always complaining about the strange dip in the middle as I looked over the edge at the tidepools my dad and I had visited when I was a toddler.

Years later — into and through my teens and early adulthood — I frequently ended my lunches and dinners with a brisk walk on the pier, often accompanied an occasional guests, from girlfriends to musicians and, once, Hunter S. Thompson (who never made it all the way out to the end, because of too many tequila shots at Nati’s). By then, however, I was sharing my affection with another man-made promontory, Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. As a freelance writer, I was able to work according to my own schedule, and so was free to spend many a summer afternoon on the Mission Beach boardwalk on my bike, often stopping for a walk on the pier, out beyond the cottages to the public viewing deck. I still remember how refreshing the salt air felt in my nostrils as I took a breath, then another, and another, while the ocean breeze swept over my face and through my hair, kissing me with just a hint of mist.

After I moved to Carlsbad in 1994, I found a new love, the Oceanside Pier, and to this day, I walk the length of it three times — back and forth, which equals two miles — at least once or twice a week. The diagonal wood planks have an almost hypnotic effect on me as I head further and further out to sea, lost in my thoughts.

Night drive and I know where you wanna be

O.B. by the pier, on the side of me

Baby wanna be free free, you can ride

And ya wanna sneak peak, come and get it right

Night drive and I know where you wanna be

O.B. by the pier, on the side of me

— “O.B. Pier”

Dan Busby

These days, my beloved Ocean Beach Pier has been making headlines because it is dying. The 1971-foot-long structure, with its dip in the middle and two asymmetrical arms at the end, is said to be the longest concrete pier in the world. The pier structure, according to an engineering report, “consists of prestressed and conventionally reinforced concrete components,” with the piles made of “precast and prestressed concrete elements that are grouted into holes drilled into the sedimentary rock” below the pier. It hasn’t aged well.

“It’s just a magical place. We haven’t done any advertising for close to 30 years. It’s all word of mouth – people come from all over, and some have been coming for 45 years,” says Bill Allen, whose family has been a part owner of Crystal Pier since 1961.

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

According to the city of San Diego’s website, “during the first 25 years of service, the structure received normal ongoing maintenance required by exposure to the harsh marine environment, where it is subjected to wind, waves and the salt‐laden marine atmosphere. In 1991, the pier underwent major structural rehabilitation. Since the early 2000s, exposure to large waves and ongoing degradation has required structural repairs with increasing frequency.” And from January 6 until July 1, the pier was closed to the public “after being damaged by storms and high surf in January, which has happened several times in recent years. The city’s consultant assessed the full extent of the damage after the storm season passed and determined that while the pier had minor damage to its buildings, railing and pump station, it sustained less structural damage this storm season than in past storm seasons. That means that while the pier continues to degrade over time, it is currently structurally safe to support public use. Before the pier can reopen, city staff need to address the minor damage to the pier’s buildings, railings and pump station. All of the necessary repair work is expected to be completed in July.”

But despite the pier’s relatively minor damage and recent reopening, its days are numbered. A study released in December 2018 found a number of structural problems and determined the pier is near the end of its life. The study, by consultancy Moffatt & Nichol, noted “significant deterioration of the primary structural elements,” including cracks in one out of every four pilings and “significant corrosion in the majority of the pile caps and the soffit of the deck panels.” The study found engineering and construction mistakes, including the assumption that “the maximum wave crest elevation” would be just three feet below the deck, which has not proven to be the case. In other words, the entire pier was built too low, which is why it has been continually battered by destructive waves — a problem that will only worsen as sea levels rise.

According to the report, much of the existing damage to the pier “appears to be associated with the cast-in-place portion of the cap. It was reported that during the curing of the cast-in-place joint it was very difficult to hold the two precast portions of the cap rigid. Relative movement of the two precast portions during the curing of the joint may well have caused cracking that contributed to the permeability of the joint. This would have allowed more rapid penetration of chloride ions, water, and oxygen to the reinforcement, accelerating the corrosion process.”

The 364-page report concluded that the best course of action would be for the pier to be torn down and replaced (at a cost of $40 million to $60 million) rather than repaired ($8 million) or rehabilitated ($30 million to $50 million). The city is now slowly working its way through the process.

“We fell in love down at the pier

You were sunbathing, I was around

Soon we were sharing a beer

We fell in love at the pier”

— “Love at the Pier”

Blondie

San Diego’s handful of other piers are in much better shape, although quite a bit of time and money are going into efforts to keep them that way. Having a length of 1954 feet, the Oceanside Pier is just 17 feet shorter than the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier and lays claim to being the longest wooden pier on the western U.S. coastline. Go for a walk on it on any given day, and you’re likely to see three things: a pelican or two perched next to the bait shop, waiting to be fed; a middle-age blond woman with a pinched face, sort of like a hamster, talking to herself as she walks up and down the pier; and at least two or three dogs, even though canines are not allowed on the pier.

There’s a bait shop halfway down, opposite a lifeguard tower, and two restrooms further west. At the very end of the pier is the former Ruby’s Diner, which survived the pandemic but closed in 2021.The building remains vacant, although a new restaurant is supposed to open by the end of summer. It will be operated by Davin and Jessica Waite, who run three other Oceanside restaurants: the Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub, The Plot, and Shootz Fish & Beer. The Waites have already opened a takeout kiosk next to the restaurant called the Brine Box

The present Oceanside Pier was opened on September 27, 1987 with a celebration that included speeches by the mayor and city council and lots of balloons. The pier had cost around $5 million to build and was given an estimated life span of 50 years. It was the latest of several piers to be built off the Oceanside coast, beginning in 1888, a mile south, at the foot of what is now Wisconsin Avenue. That first pier, actually a wharf, was supposed to measure 1500 feet, but according to an article on the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce website, the final 160 feet were never completed. “Unused lumber blocked Pacific Street and calls to finish building were numerous,” according to the article. It is unclear whether the pier was ever completed to its target length, but no matter: winter storms swept away most of the wharf, and after a protracted cleanup, the city fathers decided to try again — this time in the present pier’s location. Oceanside’s second pier officially opened in September 1894. It was again built of wood, with 440 feet of iron pipe as reinforcements and a more modest length of 600 feet.

In 1900, voters approved a $5000 bond to repair and extend the wharf, and in 1903, the new and improved pier was christened: 1400 feet long and supported by steel pilings made from 140 tons of re-purposed steel acquired from the Southern California Railway Company. But again, Mother Nature intervened. Winter storms kept battering the pier, and by 1915, it was down to 800 feet in length. Repairs were made until 1925, when plans were drawn up for a replacement pier, this one with a 300-foot concrete approach followed by 1300 feet of wood pilings and planks. The new pier was officially opened over the Fourth of July weekend in 1927, but 20 years later, the pier was falling apart and had to be rebuilt again.

The 1947 pier, at 1900 feet the longest on the West Coast, lasted nearly 30 years and, according to the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce article, “is often talked about wistfully and fondly. The white-railed pier could take fisherman and pedestrians out farther than any of its predecessors. A 28-passenger tram operated by the city could take guests out to the end of the pier and have room enough to turn around. McCullah Sport Fishing took enthusiasts out to fishing barges anchored over the kelp beds a mile out. For years, this pier continued as Oceanside’s source of pride and stood longer than any other pier the city had built.” Longer, but not forever. In 1975, the pier was closed several times due to storm damage, as city officials warned of a possible collapse. In April of the following year, a 600-square-foot section of the pier behind the Pier Café dropped into the sea; later that year, two fires destroyed the café and damaged a fish market at the pier’s halfway point. In 1978, more storms chipped away at the pier, which by now jutted just 1000 feet into the ocean. The pier was closed, and it took nearly a decade to build the current pier, which according to original estimates at the time of construction has about 14 years of life left.

The Imperial Beach Pier celebrates its 60th birthday this year amid grand plans for a $4 million makeover including installing activity placards along the railings, with sayings such as “A reel expert can tackle anything.”

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

But given proper maintenance and regular replacement of worn and damaged parts, the pier could last a lot longer — “maybe even long after I die,” says Nathan Mertz, public works division manager with the city of Oceanside. “The 1986 pier is far superior, from a design and construction standpoint, than any of the prior piers,” Mertz says. “The pier is a lot higher than previous piers — and the Ocean Beach Pier, as well — so we don’t get waves breaking over it, which is a major cause of damage. The biggest waves barely touch the bottom pipe brace, and from that you have another 13 to 15 feet before you hit the deck, so we don’t have that cresting and breaking of waves anywhere near our deck.”

Also working to the Oceanside Pier’s advantage, Mertz says, is that it is constructed of wood and steel, with wood pilings supported by hundreds of steel brackets. “A wood pier is more resilient and easier to maintain than a concrete pier,” he says, “because with a concrete pier, as soon as the steel within the concrete starts to rust, the concrete starts to break apart from there. Whereas if we need to replace a piling, we’re just dealing with a solid piece of wood, supported by steel straps and brackets.” Continual maintenance is key, he says, “particularly if you want to keep the pier in functional condition – and we do, because it is an iconic asset, a legacy asset. So we’re taking a phased approach.” Between 2010 and 2019, says Mertz, all of the hundreds of steel braces that support the wood pilings were replaced. “We’ve also been actively replacing the decking and repairing any damage to the guardrails. We also remodeled the bathrooms in 2016.” Currently, “we’re in the process of swapping out all the utilities, the gas and electrical lines as well as the three sewer lifts. The project also includes replacing the water line that services the restaurants, restrooms, bait shop, and drinking fountains as well as a separate water line for the fire sprinklers and fire hydrants that are located on the pier.”

The current project is budgeted at $5.5 million, with $4 million coming from the federal government’s American Recovery Act Fund and the balance from the city of Oceanside.

Imperial Beach Pier

On the other end of San Diego County is the Imperial Beach Pier; at 1491 feet, it’s the ninth-longest public ocean pier in California. The pier is about three miles north of the border with Mexico, and widens near its end into an arrow shape, from which visitors can see Mexico to the south and the Coronado islands to the north.

The Imperial Beach Pier celebrates its 60th birthday this year amid grand plans for a $4 million makeover. The Port of San Diego, which owns the pier, has already completed phase one, which includes the installation of 30 stainless-steel fishing rod holders; new paint and murals; and repairs to the pier’s three structures: the Tin Fish restaurant, the lifeguard tower, and public restrooms.

Phase two, which began last December and is expected to be completed this fall, includes:

Adding an artistic shade canopy in a shark-and-water design over the pier extension at mid-pier just across from the public restrooms;

Replacing the existing wood railing around the old boat loading ramp area near the Tin Fish Restaurant with stainless steel cable railing for improved ocean and beach views.

Installing activity placards along the railings, with sayings such as “Good Things Come to Those Who Bait” and “High Tides and Good Vibes”;

Adding a historical marker near the Tin Fish Restaurant that tells the story of the IB Pier with vintage photographs, words, and graphics;

Adding distance markers every 250 feet to mark the distance to the end of the pier; and

Placing surf destination arrows on the railing at the end of the pier marking the distance and direction to surf spots Mavericks and the Banzai Pipeline.

“The goal of these enhancements and improvements is to encourage the general public to explore the pier, experience its many ocean and air amenities, sights, and pleasures, and support the neighboring businesses,” says Port District PIO Brianne Mundy Page. “Future phases may include more complex enhancements that require design development, environmental review, permitting and construction. Improvements being considered include additional deck extensions with modern cable railings and a shade canopy with a surfboard design over the sandy beach area.”

The Imperial Beach Pier is about three miles north of the border with Mexico and widens near its end into an arrow shape, from which visitors can see Mexico to the south and the Coronado islands to the north.

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

The original IB Pier was built in 1909. It was damaged by storms in 1941 and left to decay; by 1948, it was gone. The new pier was built in 1963, but was forced to close after sustaining storm damage in 1986. The city of Imperial Beach spent more than $3 million to rebuild and lengthen the pier, and it was reopened in March 1989. But cost overruns worsened the already fiscally challenged city’s finances, and a year later, the Port of San Diego gained control of the pier. The port pays the city of Imperial Beach to provide maintenance services on the pier such as trash collection, sand sweeping, and graffiti removal. etc. Major maintenance projects – including pier pile or plank replacement – are directly managed and paid for by the port. In 2006, the port of San Diego performed a major upgrade to the pier, and in 2014, the port completed a project that replaced nearly 1500 of the pier’s planks.

The current makeover is the result of a December 2019 assessment by a structural engineering firm. “It was deemed to be in good condition and structurally sound,” says Gabriella Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the port. “Through that assessment, we were able to identify some areas where we could make some investments and improvements, and we are in the process of doing so right now.”

Crystal Pier

Crystal Pier, in Pacific Beach, is four years shy of its 100th birthday this summer. The pier is made of wood and steel and measures 872 feet in length. The pier is jointly owned by the city of San Diego and the Allen and Bostian family, who operate the Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages, consisting of 32 blue-and-white Cape Cod-style cottages on the eastern half of the pier, up to the median high tide line.

“The fun part is when people come into our office and say, ‘You know, I was conceived on your pier,’” says Bill Allen, whose family has been a part owner of Crystal Pier since 1961. “It’s just a magical place. We haven’t done any advertising for close to 30 years. It’s all word of mouth – people come from all over, and some have been coming for 45 years.” Among the famous regulars are actress Diane Keaton. “She mentioned it as one of her top 10 things to do,” Allen says, “and when she doesn’t come herself, she sends someone else down here, one of her kids.”

San Diego’s oldest public pier opened on the Fourth of July, 1927. It had been built as a private pier by a real estate developer in the hopes of enticing people to buy property in the adjoining residential tract, known as the Palisades. Originally known as Pickering’s Pleasure Pier, the structure was briefly home to a carnival midway and ballroom. After those attractions were closed due to construction flaws — “they didn’t use creosote on the pilings, so wood mites got in,” Allen says — the pier was shut down and lengthened. By the time it reopened in 1936, some of the cottages had been built.

My parents and I often strolled the Ocean Beach Pier all the way out to the very end, my sharp-spoken German mom always complaining about the strange dip in the middle as I looked over the edge at the tidepools my dad and I had visited when I was a toddler.

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

Crystal Pier is unique in that it’s never been rebuilt or replaced. The secret to the pier’s longevity? “One reason is that it’s a wood pier, and No. 2 is its location,” Allen says. “The general surge is straight in and straight out from the ocean; you don’t get side loads. When you have that kind of a force, and it hits you on the side, it knocks the crap out of you. That’s what you get in Ocean Beach — the side loads are like a battering ram, and they built it out of concrete so it doesn’t move, it doesn’t have any flexibility.”

That’s not to say that Crystal Pier hasn’t been on the losing end of its own battles with Mother Nature. In January 1983, the last 150 feet of the pier were washed away by a huge Pacific storm, according to the New York Times. Allen remembers that storm well. “At the time, the deck on the pier was not secured to the pilings, and when we got the highest tide it lifted the whole platform and rolled it over, so we lost a bunch of length on the city’s end of the pier,” he recalls. “My family went down there that day — my dad and brother-in-law — and we got a crane and started pulling pilings out of the water.” When the pier was repaired, the new portion was raised by five feet and shortened by about 20 feet. “The reason it was shortened was to take it out of the highest energy zone of waves,” Allen says. “The most energy is when the wave breaks right in front of the pier, but now, by the time it hits, it’s lost a lot of its oomph. So now the pier is supposed to withstand even the biggest tides.” Since then, Allen says, he and his team have regularly performed maintenance and repairs on their portion of the pier. “It’s a wood pier, so every week, it seems, we replace something,” he says.

In 2015, Crystal Pier underwent a $1.2 million restoration, financed by the city, in which workers repaired or replaced damaged pilings, pile caps, and joists, and installed bracing on the 471-foot city-owned section. At the same time, Allen and his team did a similar restoration on their portion of the pier, spearheaded by general manager and part owner Jim Bostian.

Earlier this year, Crystal Pier was again damaged by harsh winter storms and powerful king tides, prompting Allen to close off the pier past the cottages for nearly two months as a safety precaution. A consultant’s report, released in May, found that while the pier did sustain damage, it’s safe for public use while repairs are being done. The report, by the same firm that assessed the Ocean Beach Pier, identified 38 defects, including broken or missing braces. The total tab for the damage: $324,599. According to the report, “timber structures like the Crystal Pier are typically designed with a significant amount of redundancy,” which means a few damaged pilings and broken or missing braces don’t compromise the overall integrity of the pier.

it took nearly a decade to build the current Oceanside Pier, which according to original estimates at the time of construction has about 14 years of life left.

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

Repairs will be conducted throughout the year. “The city will take care of the braces on their part, and what’s busted on our part, we’ll take care of that,” Allen says. “And then the city will submit the bill to FEMA. Once we get the new braces, we’re good until the next storm. The thing about those braces is they are made to break, because if they don’t break, they’d take the pilings out. So every time you get a big winter storm, you’re going to have to replace some of the braces.”

There is only one other ocean pier in San Diego County, but it’s not open to the public: The Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, built and operated by UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The pier was built in 1988 as a replacement for the original pier, built in 1916, and measures 1084 feet in length. According to its website, its deck is a hefty 33.4 feet above the mean low water mark. The pier is used for research, serving as the home of environmental monitoring stations and also as a base of operations for the institution’s various research boats and scientific diving expeditions. About 300 small boat operations take place each year.

According to the UCSD website, “data on ocean conditions and plankton taken from the pier provide an unparalleled source of information on changes in the coastal Pacific Ocean. The pier also provides a supply of filtered seawater, a critical resource for a marine institution, to an array of laboratories and aquaria,” including the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the NOAA Southwest Marine Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), and the Hydraulics Laboratory. No one from Scripps would talk about the condition of the pier, or of any of the other piers in San Diego County. Scripps communications officer Rob Monroe wrote in an email, “None of our coastal oceanographers feel expert enough to talk about it.”

Go for a walk on Oceanside Pier on any given day, and you’re likely to see three things: a pelican or two perched next to the bait shop, waiting to be fed; a middle-age blonde woman with a pinched face, sort of like a hamster, talking to herself as she walks up and down the pier; and at least two or three dogs, even though canines are not allowed on the pier.

Photograph by Thomas K. Arnold

As for the Shelter Island Pier I remember from my youth, it and the handful of other San Diego Bay piers are much more sheltered than those that jut out into the ocean. The original Shelter Island Pier was built in 1956 but condemned in 1990. A new pier opened in the summer of 1991, on the same footprint as the original. The pier is for pedestrians and fishermen only; it extends only about 200 feet from shore, but has decks on either side with a total length of about 500 feet. The west wing is a dock for small boats and kayaks. The pier is in pretty decent shape, says port spokeswoman Gabriella Rodriguez, thanks to the relatively calm waters of San Diego Bay. “The only time we saw some concerns was when there was that tsunami surge a few years ago,” she says. “But that affected the dock more than anything else.”