Hundreds of people are heading to San Diego's coasts to see the king tides. But the large waves are causing significant damage to one of San Diego’s most iconic landmarks: the Ocean Beach Pier.
In some areas, the waves have reached up to 12 feet.
“I couldn’t believe the size of the waves," Mike Sheetz said. "They were huge."
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
Sheetz went to the Ocean Beach Pier to see the breathtaking power of Mother Nature.
"I've lived here for 50 years, and I don't ever recall seeing the waves this big, and I was just amazed,” Sheetz said.
Others heard pilings on the pier had been taken out and wanted to see the damage caused by the high tide.
Local
"It's kind of sad to see the demise of something that's been part of a community, and it's been a draw for people all over the world to come and look at this,” Elizabeth said.
People like Paul Yancey worry about the pier’s future.
"I wonder if it's worth the repairing or just take it down and not have one,” Yancey said.
Earlier this year, the city unveiled three renderings of potential redesigns. The pier has undergone several million dollars in repairs in the past few years.
The City of San Diego finally shut the pier down in October because it was too dangerous. And these waves are just making it worse.
City officials said last month that the threat of storms will keep the pier closed through the winter.
