Ocean Beach Erosion - Emergency Plans Controversy

The San Francisco Zoo is literally at the centre of a controversy on coastal erosion: whether to slow down the erosion with sand, close part of the Great Highway and possibly re-route traffic around the zoo, or shore up the receding coastline with rocks and keep the highway open.

Also at risk is a massive 10 million gallon wastewater tunnel under the highway that is only feet away from the erosion.

The area was declared an emergency zone a week ago as over 30 ft of coastline at Ocean Beach has eroded in the winter storms, and 70 ft since 2007.

Last night the Ocean Beach Vision Council, responsible for developing a long-term strategy for the beach, held a town hall meeting with local interest groups and residents in the Park Chalet at the end of the Golden Gate Park to debate the issue with the Department of Public Works.

At the heart of the contention are DPW plans to place a protective barrier of large rocks along the beach, in a process known as 'armoring,' and to re-open the road. Project Manager, Frank Filice, who outlined the plans, was opposed by residents, environmentalists and engineers who argued that armoring accelerates the erosion process, hinders surfing and swimming, and access to the beach.

Today the DPW are seeking support from the city's Board of Supervisors to ratify the emergency declaration and allow the armoring to go ahead.


The emergency area now covers 900 ft of bluff, running from Sloat Boulevard past the zoo and the Oceanside Wastewater Treatment Plant.

With El Nino conditions and the recent winter storms, the coastline has not only been eroded by 70 ft in places since 2007 - but has also in part worn away under the Great Highway - the coastal road that runs the length of  California - and is endangering the Lake Merced Wastewater Tunnel, a 14 ft-wide, 10 million gallon facility that serves Daly City.

Efforts to slow the effects of erosion along the coastline have been underway for the last 15 years.

Coastal Engineer, Bob Battalio, and Dean LaTourrette, executive director of Save the Waves Coalition, an organization that works for the preservation of surf spots around the world, and who is also a local resident, both opposed armoring.

Instead, they want to see sand placed on the beach, the highway moved inland and reduced to two lanes with no median, and natural erosion allowed over time to take its course. An alternative, said Bob Battalio, in response to a question from the audience, is to re-route traffic around the zoo.

This 'managed retreat' was proposed by the original Ocean Beach Task Force that met between 1999 and 2003, and Bob Battalio called on the DPW to revert to its findings.

Dean LaTourrette said surfing would be adversely affected by armoring, and there were several surfers on his staff who lived and surfed at Ocean Beach. Furthermore, the DPW had not taken sea rise into consideration, he said. He urged the DPW not to 'try to reinvent the wheel.'

Frank Filice presented the results of the DPW consultations, showing the three options the department had considered: to erect a sand barrier, costing $14 million; an armor stone revetment for $2,578,000; or sand-filled super sacks for $2,564,000.

Closure of the southbound road is affecting 11,660 vehicles daily, according to a 2002 study, he said. Also affected by erosion is the rock crown of a treated wastewater outfall pipe four miles off shore.

The DPW hope to work towards protecting the top of the bluff this year. In the long term, 2010 - 2015, they plan to work with the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and other local, state and federal agencies. Plans include rebuilding the beach, protecting the bluff and public infrastructure, and road improvement.

They also aim to 'make every practical effort to preserve and protect wildlife habitats and the natural beauty of Ocean Beach and the surrounding area.'

About 150 people attended the meeting that was convened by Lara Trupellli - pic above - chair of the Ocean Beach Vision Council.

Entangled Pier 39 Sea Lion Rescued At Last!

The entangled Pier 39 sea lion was rescued yesterday afternoon at Moss Landing after 20 failed rescue attempts in three weeks.

He is now recovering in the Marine Mammal Center headquarters at Sausalito, and sporting the new name of Abagnale, after the con artist in the Leonardo diCaprio movie 'Catch Me If You Can.'

 His rescuers from the Marine Mammal Center, including two veterinarians, achieved a 'first' in their style of rescue: they shot sedatives into him to slow him down in order to net him. This has never been done before in a free-swimming marine mammal in the wild, say the center, because of risks that too much sedative could cause the animal to drown if he eludes rescue and swims off in the water again.

But Abagnale's condition was deteriorating - he was severely dehydrated and malnourished - and the team were getting desperate.

'We knew that all of our options were running out and that this animal was getting weaker and that he might not live much longer,' said Dr  Frances Gulland, Director of Veterinary Science at The Marine Mammal Center. 'We had to do something to save this animal, especially since he was entangled in marine debris in the first place as a result of human carelessness.'

Veterinarians Dr Nicola Pussini and Dr Bill Van Bonn went out in the team's Zodiac craft.

'With the boat’s motor off, drifting stealthily toward the sea lion, Dr. Pussini saw the opportunity, and with the first shot, delivered the dart into the animal,' said the center in their press release. The sea lion dived back into the water but then climbed out onto another dock, and Dr Pussini was able to shoot a second into him. The darts were filled with the anti-anxiety sedative, Midazolam.

Once netted, he was lifted into a large metal carrier and then transported via truck to the Center’s Sausalito hospital headquarters.

There, veterinarians anesthetized him and 'removed the monofilament that was deeply imbedded into his neck and mouth.' The sea lion is now on medication and veterinarians will continue to treat his injuries and run tests to see if he suffers from other medical complications.

The sea lion had been spotted on the evening of New Year's Day in Pier 39 with fishing line wrapped tightly around his neck and muzzle. Rescue attempts the following morning failed and volunteeers scoured the bay for him.

But he swam nearly 100 miles south to Moss Landing at Monterey and hauled out on the floating docks there, where the local unit of the marine center made other rescue attempts. Although they noted he was dehydrated and malnourished, in consultation with veterinarians and the National Marine Fisheries Service, they adopted a 'stand down' policy, due to him becoming distressed and concern that rescue attempts were causing the fishing line to tighten.

But by the end of yesterday, the team were celebrating.

'It’s a wonderful feeling of relief to be able to rescue this animal, said Sue Pemberton, leader of the Water Rescue Team unit. 'At the end of the day, no matter how difficult a rescue becomes, it is all worth it when we succeed,' she said.

About eight per cent of animals rescued by the center last year were entangled in marine debris.

pics courtesy of the Marine Mammal Center website

www.marinemammalcenter.org

Pier 39 Sea Lion Party Postponed!

How do you hold a party without the guests of honour?

Even more so, how do you celebrate when an expected 1,700 guests of honour have almost all decided to give the party a miss?

That was the question facing Pier 39 and the Marine Mammal Center who were due to be rolling out the flags today and tomorrow to mark the 20th anniversary of the sea lions' arrival at Fisherman's Wharf.

The sea lions started to congregate there in January 1990, just weeks after the October, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake. There were between 10 - 50 at first, but by March of that year numbers had risen to over 300.

Party organizers made an initial decision to 'carry on regardless' and celebrate with the few sea lions who have decided that waters aren't blue-er on the other side of the ocean, but now, instead, they have voted to postpone and wait for their barking buddies to return.

'The 20th anniversary of the sea lions’ arrival to Pier 39 is a pivotal one so Pier 39 and The Marine Mammal Center want to make sure that the “guests of honor” are in attendance. We’ve decided to hold a bigger celebration of their mass return a little later this year for all to enjoy,' says Pier 39's press release.

However, Pier 39 and the center have not abandoned their party plans outright. Over today, Friday, Jan 15, and tomorrow, Saturday, Jan 16, docents from the center will be there at K-dock from 11 am until 4 pm, says Sue Muzzin,  Director of Public Relations & Advertising, 'to inform the public about the sea lions and their recent atypical behavior.'

The sea lions' pattern of behaviour this year has been a mystery, swinging from record highs in the fall down to a handful following Thanksgiving.

'Why so many descended on the Pier this year - some 1,701 to be exact – and why so many left all at once, is a mystery, but may certainly have something to do with shifting food sources in the SF Bay,' say Pier 39.

There are reports that hundreds of them have swum north to Sea Lion Caves in Oregon in quest of anchovies. The sea lions normally feed on herring and squid in San Francisco's Bay, and it is known that the herring supply is low this year. Sited 500 miles up the coast, the caves are another tourist attraction.

USA today quotes Kim Raum-Suryan, a biologist at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, saying that numbers of California sea lions 'had doubled to some 5,000 in December and, like other scientists, figures the simple answer is food.'

'My gut feeling is it has something to do with the (ocean warming) El Nino conditions off California, which is driving prey and sea lions up north,' she is reported to have said.

What she cannot say is how many of the California sea lions there have come from Pier 39. Some sea lions are branded, but those from Fisherman's Wharf are only tagged if they have been treated by the Marine Mammal Center, based in Sausalito, or if they have been part of a scientific study.

The center are licensed to tag for specific scientific studies, but mass tagging would not be considered, said Jim Oswald, spokesman for the center.

'They are healthy, wild animals. It would not be feasible and would be disruptive for them,' he said.

A history of the arrival of the sea lions at Pier 39: 
http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/learning/education/pier39/history.asp

USA Today:  http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-01-12-san-francisco-sea-lions_N.htm

Rescue for Entangled Pier 39 Sea Lion Still Too Difficult

 



The entangled Pier 39 sea lion that swum to Monterey was spotted this morning on a floating dock but could not be rescued, says Jim Oswald, spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center.

'He was spotted earlier this morning on a pontoon in a very difficult location,' said Jim, the difficulty being that the sea lion could easily have dived back into the water if approached by rescuers.

The center are going to continue to monitor him and do not know yet when a rescue attempt will be made.

'We need to give the animal some space still. We are keeping his health upmost and will attempt a rescue when it is actually possible,' said Jim.

The 'stand off' decision was made last Friday as the animal was becoming distressed, and amid fears that his escape attempts from rescuers was causing the fishing line to tighten.

The sea lion has eluded rescuers seven times since it was spotted in Monterey, having swum the near-100 miles to Moss Landing. Prior to that, it was first reported injured at Pier 39 late at night on the previous Friday, but slipped into the water before a rescue attempt was made.

pics from the Marine Mammal Center taken last week: the entangled sea lion is joined by another - Deborah Gabris; swimming in Moss Landing Harbor - Sherm Gloub; members of the Marine Mammal Center in Monterey with rescue equipment - Sherm Gloub

Mavericks Surfers Say 'No' to Contest - Again!

Mavericks surfers voted 'no' for a contest today, and have been proven right.

'Mavs just not big enough. Boys gave it a go and just came in,' said their latest tweet at midday.

The surfers, 24 of the world's greatest big-wave surfers, voted on Monday





not to hold the Mavericks Surf Contest today.

Despite forecasts of waves that would be high enough, an expectation of strong winds deterred the surfers from making 'The Call.'

With thousands of fans eager for the contest, organizers have been inundated with emails and phone calls and have also put out a plea for fans to keep their eye on the Mavericks website.

Earlier forecasts had put today's swell at 22 ft Hawaiian but stormsurf.com adjusted that to 17-18 ft and lessening for the rest of the week. Contest Co-director, Katherine Clark, had hoped for a 20 ft swell.

pics show the surfers paddling out at the Opening Ceremony in October last year; legendary surfer Dorian 'Doc' Pascowitz with Hawaiian surfer Jamie Sterling and Katherine Clark.

Mavericks Surf Competition Will Not Be This Weekend After All!

Disappointed big-wave surfers and their fans will not be rushing to Half Moon Bay this weekend for the Mavericks Surf Contest. But there is some hope for next week.

The Pacific Ocean has not complied with their wishes that the contest would be held on Sunday.

According to stormsurf.com, as the weekend approached, a contest was not looking likely. Waves only of 12 - 13 ft are forecast for Sunday, and tomorrow at 9-10 ft. Tantalizingly, further out to sea a storm is forecast with waves of up to 46 ft.

As stormsurf say on their website, there are 'some glorious waves teasing you off in the distance, so close, but yet oh so far----'

However, they say the next swell building behind it is expected to produce waves of 22 ft on Tuesday - although wavewatch on surfer.mag.com favours Wednesday. And more good news is that stronger storms are expected in the West Pacific up to early February with influence from El Nino.

The last El Nino was in the 2002/2003 season, and the last strong one that led to flooding in California was in 1997/1998.

Contest Co-director, Katherine Clark, has said the surfers, 24 of the world's best big-wave surfers, would be happy to compete with '20 ft Hawaiian' waves.

It is up to the surfers, most of whom are now congregating in California, to make 'The Call'.
pic shows the surfers in part of their Opening Ceremony

Marine Mammal Center Adopt 'Stand Down' Strategy for Entangled Pier 39 Sea Lion

The Marine Mammal Center are changing their rescue strategy of the entangled Pier 39 sea lion as rescue efforts 'may be causing more harm than good,' center spokesman Jim Oswald said in the wake of another two failed rescue attempts today.
Instead of attempting to capture the animal, rescuers at Moss Landing, Monterey Bay, are going to 'stand down' and give the dehydrated and malnourished animal some space.

There have now been seven failed rescue attempts since the animal showed up at Moss Landing on Wednesday lunchtime, having swum nearly 100 miles from Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf. It was first  reported entangled in what looks like a fishing line at about 10 pm on Friday night.

The concern, said Jim Oswald this afternoon, is that the animal is becoming stressed by the rescue efforts. The sea lion is 'so cogniscent' of all that is happening, he said. A second concern is that the sea lion's escape antics are tightening the line around his neck and muzzle.

In evading rescuers, who made two attempts on Wednesday, three yesterday and two this morning, he is jumping out of nets and up and down from docks in the harbor.  Already, he is malnourished and dehydrated, said Jim.

The animal has been seen lapping sea water, a sign of dehydration. Whether the animal can open his muzzle enough to eat small fish is not known. If the animal is still at Moss Landing next week, efforts to capture him will be renewed on Wednesday or Thursday, said Jim.

The decision to 'stand down' has been taken in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service who license the center, and veterinarians.

The Center will continue to monitor the Moss Landing Harbor and other areas. Video of the rescue attempts on Wednesday were filmed by CBS5 and the video has been posted on the center website along with their own photos.

Center Director, Jeff Boehm, has also written a public explanation of the reasons behind the center's decision to postpone making a rescue at Pier 39 until daylight on Saturday morning.

'Center staff elected to wait until morning to attempt to rescue the animal and that response surprised, angered and frustrated many,' he said, and goes on to explain the dangers and difficulties of animal rescues.

'In this situation, my staff responded in a manner that reflected concern for the animal’s best interests, and the safety of the Center’s volunteers and staff. In what was an important and critical assessment, compassion may have seemed lacking, but I can assure you it wasn’t. We care deeply about each stranded seal or sea lion that is reported to us—we wouldn’t be in this line of work if that wasn’t the case. I also want to assure you that the approach we take is based on 35 years of experience in rescuing and treating more than 15,000 marine mammals.'

For the full text of Jeff Boehm's response, further info + video:

 http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/learning/comm/entangledsealions.asp

Jeff Boehm's response can be accessed in the report titled 'Rescue efforts continue for three entangled California sea lions.'


pics taken for Marine Mammal Center and posted on their website:
sea lion sitting upright - Deborah Gabris; rescuer approaching the sea lion on the first day - Sherm Gloub ; sea lion on the dock - Sherm Gloub