18-Foot Log Possibly From 2011 Japanese Earthquake & Tsunami Washes Up On Santa Cruz Beach
SANTA CRUZ (KPIX 5) – Matt Lovemark was picnicking at Three Mile Beach near Santa Cruz when he spotted what at first looked like just another washed up log on the beach.
"We were sitting next to a piece of driftwood and I got to looking at it and realized that it had Japanese joints," Lovemark told KPIX 5.
Lovemark ought to know, he's a timber framer by trade. He said the Japanese are renowned for their distinct woodworking. They use tight fitting wooden joints like the ones seen carved into the timber on the beach, for large, long lasting buildings.
"Most likely, it washed out during the tsunami and took 3 or 4 years to cross the ocean and wound up here," Lovemark said.
The devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011, killing 16,000 people and washing more than a million tons of debris into the ocean. Tsunami waves even reached Santa Cruz, causing major damage at the harbor.
Lovemark and his colleagues believe the wood to be Japanese cedar. The piece is 18 feet long and could have been used to build a farmhouse or a religious shrine.
"So far we've contacted some experts in Japan who believe it is a piece of Japanese timber frame and they might want it back to rebuild a temple. So we're going to try to preserve it to the best of our ability," he said.