SS Palo Alto

07/12/2025

SS Palo Alto before the storm that broke her apart.

08/11/2024

The SS Palo Alto sets the stage for an unforgettable night of dancing.

Ed Rookledge and his Orchestra plays on the amusement cement ship in the 1930s.

08/08/2024

SS Palo Alto postcard from many decades ago. Do you remember when the Aptos concrete ship looked like this?

11/17/2023

Come join us for the History Walk this Friday at 11 AM. Rain cancels this event.

Image Description: Seacliff History Walk. Friday, November 17 at 11 AM. Come along on a 90-minute stroll and discover the stories of the S.S. Palo Alto, "The Madman of Seacliff," the great storms of Seacliff, and much, much more. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain cancels. Register online at https://SantaCruzStateParks.as.me/historywalk.

📍Aptos Tribal Land


Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

10/21/2023

- Views today of the SS Palo Alto after colliding with high surf, high tides caused by a recent eclipse. With the pier previously removed, she now looks even closer to the beach after the recent swells.

08/28/2023

A nice article from 2017

One of the most remarkable landmarks along the Santa Cruz coastline is the S. S. Palo Alto, more traditionally known as the old “cement ship”. Lodged at the end of the Seacliff State Beach fishing pier in Aptos, the ship remains a nostalgic symbol of local life and activities from the past. Long...

08/04/2023

07/01/2023

We would like to thank Richard who is the author, researcher, and speaker of concrete ships for sending us his detailed blog about the SS Palo Alto. We hope you enjoy it.

Foreword

01/21/2023

💥GREAT NEWS!!! Seacliff will reopen this Saturday 1/21/23. 💥

This will be a 'soft' opening with access limited to the day use picnic area only. The overnight RV camping area is still closed and will not be available through February of 2023. We are still very early in the damage assessment process, which is the first step before we look to any future reconstruction of that portion of our park.

Our operating partner Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks is working diligently alongside our recovery efforts at Seacliff State Beach. Join the effort and learn more by following us on youtube at www.youtube.com/ to stay up to date on all things happening with California State Parks in Santa Cruz and beyond!

12/01/2022

Oakland Tribune - January 1, 1930. Thank you Tracy Parker for your contribution.

03/30/2022

Many have already seen the damage that the S.S. Palo Alto incurred by today’s storm. The stern, which was already split off during last years El Niño storm, was turned onto its side. While it is shocking to see the damage, it is not unexpected considering its age. The S.S. Palo Alto was launched on Thursday, May 29, 1919, at the San Francisco Shipbuilding Company’s yard on Government Island making her an impressive 97 years old!

The fact that the damage happened today is somewhat poetic.

It was 87 years ago today the Palo Alto began her final voyage leaving the Moore Shipbuilding Yard in Oakland and arriving at Seacliff Beach on Wednesday, January 22, 1930. The Palo Alto was towed by a Red Stack tug and under orders the speed was kept below 5 knots.

These two photos were taken exactly 87 years apart and show how much damage the Palo Alto has sustained.