Severe erosion and high surf have stripped away much of the sand at Tamarack State Beach in Carlsbad, creating hazards for surfers and swimmers during the Labor Day weekend. The Pacific Ocean has been pounding the Carlsbad coastline in the past month, leaving just a line of heavy rocks between th e waves and a nearby public parking lot. “The whole bottom of the beach is missing,” said surfer Danielle Skari, Saturday, after barely make it back on shore. She struggled to find a way out of the water after surfing the high swells. “It was kind of hard for me to swim against the current. I swam into the rocks, and almost hit my head there,” Skari said. Danielle Skari surfed off Tamarack State Beach, Saturday, with almost no sand on the coastline, Carlsbad, Calif., September 5, 2026. California State Park rangers closed the public parking lot less than a week ago as erosion continued to eat away at the shore. Since Tuesday, visitors to the state beach had to find parking along Carlsbad Boulevard and side streets in the nearby neighborhood. The dramatic change also surprised Ken Bykowski, who arrived from Arizona for his annual vacation in North County. “I’ve never noticed it as stark as it is now. That beach is totally gone. It’s never been like that,” he told NBC 7 as he walked along a trail above the ocean. There is no timetable for when the Tamarack public parking lot could reopen. Because the lot is on state property, the city of Carlsbad does not have the authority to make repairs. The city manager has said local crews are ready to assist if needed. Pat Abbott, a geology professor at San Diego State University, said the severe erosion was triggered by churning ocean storms this summer and a warming planet. Abbott said, “life affects climate. It has for millions of years on Earth.” “Sea level is rising because the planet is hotter, and that means a lot of the things that were unusual to us, like what’s happening here (at Tamarack Beach) are going to become much more commonplace.” The erosion is visible from longtime businesses overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Surfers walk past the popular restaurant, Vigilucci’s, known for its menu and spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, Carlsbad, Calif., September 5, 2026. Vigilucci’s Seafood and Steakhouse has been perched above the waves along Carlsbad Boulevard for 30 years. Owner Roberto Vigilucci has watched the coastline change during that time. “The waves were huge this summer. I’m not a surfer, but ‘wow’. “I have a lot of my guys that work for me that are surfers. It’s a popular spot,” he said. As the California Parks Department considers what to do next, researchers with UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography plan to return to Tamarack State Beach next week to further study the conditions and the science behind the changes happening right now. The public parking lot at Tamarack State Beach has been closed since earlier this week. The ocean water has pushed itself to unsafe levels forcing the closure, Carlsbad, Calif., September 5, 2026. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less