Westward Beach erosion threatens Sunset Restaurant, but they are open Play

Westward Beach continues to wash away, and the erosion is moving west toward Zuma Beach.

The beloved Sunset Reataurant's water supply was restored and it was open for business late today (Tuesday)

About 95 percent of the width of Westward Beach down by the Sunset Restaurant is gone, and Monday night rocks were being dumped down a six-foot-high sand cliff into the ocean directly in front of the restaurant.

About a third of the pavement in front of the Sunset Restaurant had fallen into the surf as of Sunday. The vertical sand cliff, six feet high, came within 30-40 feet of the front door.

The water line along Westward Beach Road has been exposed and the water had to be turned off, leaving the Sunset Restaurant without water. Repairs were made, and the restaurant was able to open for business.

This new erosion is west of the rock revetment that was quickly installed in a rush job by LA County at the city's request last week.

Tuesday morning traffic cannot go through between Birdview Avenue and the Free Zuma Beach parking area, which lost several parking spaces as well.

The erosion runs from where the entrance station to Point Dume Beach used to be, west to the western corner of the Sunset Restaurant parking lot.

Parking is still allowed on most of Westward Beach Road, but about a dozen parking spaces have been lost to the ocean.

The contractor LA County used to build the rock revetment is already on site and is bringing in more rocks to prevent further erosion.

Sabrina Pender, a Calabasas resident who surveyed the scene Monday, was interviewed by ABC 7 on Westward Beach: "Last time we were here was like a month ago and we were sitting out where the waves are crashing now because the sand was way back there.

"This sand is disappearing, definitely, yeah, and the ocean, I mean these waves, I've never seen anything like this after growing up going to Zuma all the time.

"I've never seen waves this big. It's crazy."

Monday night the city said it is continuing to assess conditions. As of sunrise Tuesday, crews were still dumping large rocks directly into the water about 30 feet from the Sunset Restaurant's parking lot.

There may be a bit of good news. While the eastern end of the beach is washing away, the central and western portions of Zuma Beach next door appear to be gaining sand.

The width of the sand is significantly wider now than in years past down at the lifeguard tower, and a big sand dune has developed along the high tide line running from the lifeguard headquarters about nine-tenths of a mile to the Trancas Creek estuary.

New sand bars have also appeared just offshore, creating a nasty shore break with waves slamming into ankle-deep water at low tide along most of Zuma Beach.

This looks like sand from Westward Beach has washed to the west and been deposited along Zuma Beach.

These are not the observations of any coastal engineer and is by no means a scientific measurement — they are the observations of one beachgoer who pays attention to these things.