CORRECTION:  An earlier version of the headline said the black bird was a crow.  Ken King tells us that it is, in fact, a raven: "You can determine this without a bird guide in hand by observing the wedge-shaped tail protruding past the wing. Crows tails are squared off, not wedge-shaped."

Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay was the only beach in San Mateo County to receive an "F" grade from Heal the Bay’s 17th Annual Beach Report Card. It was the only beach in the county to receive any grade other than an "A" in dry weather.  A couple of other beaches received poor wet-weather grades (Pillar Point Harbor "C", Surfer’s Beach "C", and Linda Mar at San Pedro Creek "D". Wet weather grades are usually worse because of run-off.  The County’s beaches generally received "A" grades in all weather.

The County Times reports:

A major reason for the fecal bacteria contamination at Venice Beach is that the relatively small area has become host to as many as 10,000 birds, said Carol Ann Towe, a volunteer with the Surfrider Foundation. She said the birds are attracted by food at a nearby landfill and that her
group of volunteers hopes to work with county officials to limit access to the feeding source.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at San Vicente Creek historically has been another problem spot for water contamination in San Mateo County, but years of cleanup dating to 1999 have dramatically reduced the levels of fecal contamination there, Towe said. It earned an "A" grade during the dry season this year.

Heal the Bay says that Venice Beach is probably not the only unsafe beach in the county.

One of San Mateo’s most historically problematic beaches, Pillar Point Harbor at Capistrano Avenue, was not monitored this past year as the county health department determined that not enough visitors used the beach to continue monitoring. Heal the Bay believes that the bad publicity surrounding the poor water quality grades at this infrequently visited beach was also a factor in the decision to stop monitoring.

With reference to the recent article in the HMB Review, I am concerned about the proposed changes along the POST property, affectionately known as "the bluff", north of Pillar Point.  If the proposed changes occur, then we will be losing one of the best places on the coastside to roam freely and to witness nature in action. 

Does Leland Yee  [pdf] or anyone else really believe that "informal trails on Pillar Point Bluff are exacerbating severe erosion on the property’s cliffsides…"? If you’ve ever had the pleasure of standing on the beach below those cliffs, then you’ve probably observed the constant rain of rock fragments from the bluff.  This *is not* the result of people strolling along the bluff’s edge; it *is* the result of a dynamic geological setting.  The bluff is both cut and bounded by active faults along the western edge of the San Andreas fault system, and the bluff will continue to erode and rain debris for as long as the deformation continues, and probably for long after.  We cannot change that.

What concerns me is the rush to close trails and to limit access for reasons that are beyond our control.  Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for restoring native habitat and I support the ongoing eradication of the Pampas Grass on the bluff top, and I appreciate the fact that FMR rangers actually tend to the people that bring dogs onto that precious stretch of beach.

Let’s just be mindful of the fact that the geography of the bluff has been and continues to be shaped by forces bigger than ourselves and also that it’s pretty cool to be able to actually witness those slow and inexorable forces in action (landslides both small and large, the constant rain of sediment off the bluff, the seasonal movement of sand on the beaches, etc.).  If we take it upon ourselves to stabilize these naturally unstable slopes, then we *will be* altering the property’s "critical natural habitat"—and nobody wants that…do they?

Sincerely, 

Richard Whitmarsh
El Granada

The Half Moon Bay Open Space Trust is changing its name Coastside Land Trust [website]. The new name reflects an expansion of their mission beyond the city limits of Half Moon Bay.

Coastside Land Trust’s updated mission is to preserve scenic lands, urban open space, and property that is environmentally or agriculturally valuable from the southern city limits of Half Moon Bay north through Montara.

They’re holding a celebration Friday, June 8, from 5 to 7pm at the San Benito House in downtown Half Moon Bay. There is no charge to attend, but tax-deductible donations are welcome.

Founded in 1997, the organization has protected several key coastal parcels.  Coastside Land Trust acquired conservation easements along the historic Ocean Shore Railroad Right-Of-Way in Half Moon Bay from Kelly Avenue south to Seymour Street, forever protecting this scenic corridor and sensitive wetland habitat. The trust also owns and maintains lands adjacent to the Coastal Trail in Half Moon Bay, providing scenic protection for this popular hiking and biking path.  Most recently, the group has accepted donations of several conservation easements along Pilarcitos and Frenchman’s Creeks, permanently protecting these sensitive stream corridors.

Hike all the way around Pacifica this Sunday, May 13, via Milagra, Sweeney, and Mori Ridges. Meet GGNRA ranger George Durgerian at the Salada Beach Cafe (Oceana and Paloma) at 9:30 a.m. Hike begins around 10 and goes all day. Bring food, water, and layers of clothing. Hike is considered strenuous. You will see all the GGNRA national park areas surrounding Pacifica. Pacifica Riptide says, "We have enjoyed this hike in years past, and made new friends along the way".