Ocean pollution solution: unrinsed surfers
Local surfers have long enjoyed a free fresh-water shower at a break in Bird Rock”until the City of San Diego put a stop to it. A generous local property owner had made the shower available until city employees informed him that it had to go. The stated reason? High bacteria counts in the nearby ocean.
This is a bit of a puzzle, since the surfers were simply rinsing off salt water that was carried back to the same place it came from. But apparently, cleaner surfers mean dirtier water. Here are the current theories:
(1) Surfers are coated with special bacteria that are only dislodged by fresh water. This is what the shower was carrying into the sea. If this is true, all the nasty things my ex-girlfriend’s father used to say about me were essentially accurate.
(2) Surfers have a special ability to attract and hold bacteria from the ocean. If they leave the beach area without rinsing, bacteria counts go down. If they rinse, bacteria counts go back up. If this proves to be true, surfers are the solution to all ocean pollution. Just send enough of them out there and they’ll clean it all up without even trying.
So there you have it”either surfers are really dirty, or have really extraordinary cleansing powers. Either way, it makes them kind of special.
Dave Rearwin, La Jolla
UCPG not the true voice of the people
Regarding Alyssa Ramos’s article entitled “City Council OKs Westfield UTC mall expansion plan,” in the Aug. 7, 2008 issue (page 1), this is not impartial reporting. Her story focused on the objections of a few community members and made it sound as though there aren’t any nearby residents who support Westfield’s revitalization of the UTC shopping center.
I’m a nearby resident, and many of my neighbors joined me in testifying before the City Council on behalf of this important project. Representatives of numerous area organizations and business entities also spoke in favor of it. In addition to its numerous modern amenities and job opportunities, it will provide a transit center that will encourage ridership and take many people in cars off the roads.
I’m also in favor of amending University City’s community plan and allowing this revitalization, because the plan is outdated and should better accommodate the area’s future growth and development needs.
Please remember that, as far as most University City residents are concerned, the community planning group is not actually representative of the community. They are not the true voice of the people who live and work in the area. The City Council listened to the real community when we said we wanted the pedestrian improvements, movie theater, shops, restaurants, and transportation options Westfield plans to build. They listened to the numerous speakers who said they didn’t want a dead mall in their neighborhood.
The City Council members did their jobs that day, and they are to be commended for having the guts to approve what is truly a groundbreaking project.
Edith Hunio, University City
Regret the loss
I totally agree with Theresa Kolpakova’s comments (“Immature behavior affects La Jolla harbor seal colony,” Guest Commentary, Aug. 7, page 6) and regret the loss of the seals at the Casa Beach this summer. I and my grandchildren rode our bikes to swim and snorkel at the Cove this weekend and both kids wanted to see the seals first, as they had watched them last year and loved the experience.
This year no seals at all, just swimmers, divers entering and exiting the beach and lots of people on the wall and sidewalk asking where the seals are.
Needless to say, my grandchildren and many others were disappointed and asked me why the seals are gone. Of course they thought the judge’s decision was wrong and wanted to know why he ruled that way. I of course had no answer.
Jack Resnick, La Jolla
