In 2022, scientist Jonathan Robbins wrote in Stab that the beach breaks of San Clemente, once known for being consistently fun, had become far less predictable. “Now you have to surf them on the lowest tide possible,” he observed, highlighting how much the coastline had changed. Fast forward three years, and it appears that the city’s $14.3 million investment in replenishing its beaches is starting to show some positive results.
San Clemente’s plan is to add 251,000 cubic yards of sand every six years until 2073, totaling over 2 million cubic yards by the end of the project. The sand is being sourced from an offshore site near Camp Pendleton, an effort aimed at combating the erosion that has threatened the quality of the city’s surf breaks.
So, why is there a “sand crisis” in the first place? Since the year 2000, San Clemente’s population has grown by 23%, and its median income has increased by 53% (adjusted for inflation). What was once a small, struggling community has become more affluent and developed, shifting away from its gritty past. This growth, while beneficial in many ways, has hindered natural sand flow to the beaches.
The two primary sources of sand for San Clemente are San Juan Creek and bluff erosion. However, the coastline is now almost completely armored with boulders from Capo Beach to Cottons, preventing the natural erosion of bluffs. This means that the creek, which once contributed more sediment to the beach, is now the primary source. Unfortunately, modifications to San Juan Creek—such as concrete channeling and various dams—have significantly reduced the amount of sediment reaching the beach, leading to a shortage of sand.
Despite these challenges, San Clemente’s investment in beach replenishment is already providing local surfers with better conditions. Surfers like Griffin Colapinto, Cannon Carr, Hayden Rodgers, Cole Houshmand, Jett Schilling, Kade Matson, and the mysterious Big 20 Hammer now have more opportunities to play on improved sandbars, wedges, and ramps.
Interestingly, San Clemente’s youth surf scene is also undergoing some changes. Kolohe Andino kicked things off with films like Stagnant Ambition and 2 Percent, showcasing the town’s surf talent. Then, Griff and Crisby released Cola Bros, and more recently, the YouTube channel Salad Days has emerged, featuring many of the same surfers (minus Brother). Despite the ever-shifting surf scene, San Clemente’s surfers are producing high-quality content and surf footage, much to the enjoyment of viewers.
Ultimately, while San Clemente’s beach restoration project is a hefty investment, it appears to be paying off. With well-curated surfing content coming out of the town and improvements to its surf breaks, it’s clear that the city’s commitment to the coastline is helping to maintain San Clemente’s place as a surfing hotspot.