Ellen Browning Scripps gave the city a protected area in La
Jolla where children and their moms could swim safely. This Children’s Pool is now a great source of
controversy. Seals have
moved in; for it is safe for seals too.
Children can no longer use this area to swim. Now during pupping season, no one can go in to disturb the seals.
There’s one faction that wants the beach back so the kids
can use it. There’s another faction that
wants the seals to stay in their new home. While all this moves through the courts, The
sea wall and lifeguard tower are rapidly biodegrading in the salt air.
We visited the other day, and I missed the gentle beauty of
the place on this summer-like like day.
During winter storms, waves breaking over the sea wall offer dramatic
photo ops. Today, the lifeguard tower is unsafe
as are the bathrooms below. The walkway
walls are split, and the sea wall steps that once were flat are now
rounded. Worst of all, the temporary
tower is of tall metal piping, and port-a-potties mix with fencing to block the
view.
Obviously the city is making no major repairs or decisions on
anything until the matter of the seals is decided in the courts. Tourists love this circus. I found the whole crumbling superstructure, mess
of temporary structures, and seal smell truly disturbing. The stench of seal excrement is driving the
locals up a wall, and the visual beauty of the Children’s Pool is gone blocked
by these fences and temporary structures.
Save the seals or save the beach for the children. What would you do?
It is all about compromise. The seals have taken over La Jolla and ruined the visit for me. I am a big animal person, but everything needs to be managed. I would remove the seals and get funding to repair the area and open it once again to children.
ReplyDeleteGive it back to the kids. I love watching seals but I like kids better.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the seals have taken over because the place was available. I would rather see a place where children can swim safely.
ReplyDeleteThere must be some other cove that could be safe for seals, without stinking up the atmosphere where people are.
I expect the cost to remove the seals and the stench and the excrement and fix the tower and the steps and the restrooms would outweigh what the animal lover groups want....What a shame it was allowed to get to this state.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any "removing" of the seals possible. Last I heard, they don't follow our rules of engagement. They have claimed it. I doubt if they would agree to the compromise.
ReplyDeleteThe seals that has taken residents at the pool were seeded their by Sea World in the mid 90's by there rehabilitation program to create a Seal Rock Reserve that backfired.
ReplyDeleteThe children need lifeguards not the seals, that is why the wall was built and the lifeguard station 24/7
all other beaches have dangerous rip currents and few lifeguards.
The special interest groups that have destroyed this wonderful gift by lying to the government, city officials and even the legislature that these poor seal can not survive without this tiny beach and that they will all die...
The city should stop pandering to these crazy and criminal seal activist that go around spitting, throwing rock, steeling property and stun gunning people for using the beach that was deeded to them and their children.
Gosh... I don't know. I'm a nature lover and haven't ever smelled seal poop so I'm not a good person to ask. Still... I love children and want them to have a safe place to play in the water too.
ReplyDeleteTough choice but I have been rooting for the seals I fear. No way to move them out anyway. Hell, I can even move mice and you know how small they are.
ReplyDeleteDianne
That's "I can't move mice" of course.~D
ReplyDeleteYou fell into the trap of polarization and lead others there too. There is no group or action to remove seals. There is only sharing or booting the people out even though the seals get along with us just fine. The City adopted a Joint Use policy in 2004 and started undoing directly afterward. Nobody has ever gotten sick from swimming with seals, nobody has injured a seal, nobody has been savaged by a seal. We can all get along if people will stop demanding all or nothing.
ReplyDelete