Two days before Christmas, the Santa Cruz area was hit by the biggest ocean swell in 30 years. The huge waves tore apart a portion of the city's municipal wharf and it has been closed to the public ever since.

Santa Cruz’s beloved wharf reopened to the public Saturday, after about 150 feet of the pier’s end fell into the ocean last month and prompted the city to temporarily close the popular tourist destination.

The Santa Cruz Wharf will reopen to the public on Saturday January 4, city officials said,13 days after a section of the century-old pier collapsed into the ocean. About 150 feet collapsed within seconds on Dec.