These parks are our only proximate salvation from not only clogged freeways, but cluttered communities caused by development projects that lure thousands more people to this region every day.
"We can go walk on the dirt instead of walking on concrete all the time," says Courtney Conlogue, a budding surfing star from Santa Ana. "Having to go through all the bamboo sticks [to get to Trestles] is really nice."
Our state parks serve as refuge for birds, insects, reptiles and mammals, small and large. They should be perceived as sacred ground. No earthmovers allowed. Ever.
San Onofre State Beach is a unique blend of coastal and canyon wilderness, all of it vulnerable to encroachment.
This includes even the composition of shoreline beneath waterline, which allow waves from all directions to wrap so beautifully around Lower Trestles' subtle point.
Lowers and nearby breaks were formed, over the millennia, by sediment entering the ocean via the creek within the estuary. It's debatable how or whether the toll-road project would alter these waves, but, as Surfline founder Sean Collins said, "Whenever someone's going to start messing with the source of that kind of world-class wave . . . as surfers, we're going to get pretty nervous about that."
Nerves have settled for now, but a new swell is due by Saturday, so excitement mounts. Trestles will be packed all weekend. Or should we say gridlocked?
Whales front and center
This is the peak period of the southbound migration off Southern California and, finally, sightings are up -- way up.
Volunteers for the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project, at Point Vicente on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, logged a season-high 30 gray whales Sunday and double-digit counts Tuesday and Wednesday.
Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Davey's Locker in Newport Beach have reported multiple sightings all week. The Western Pride followed six lumbering grays on its Wednesday morning run.
Catalina seabass
Balboa Angling Club member Bobby Leinau used live squid to lure a 37-pound 9-ounce white seabass onto his hook Tuesday morning behind the island.
It's the first of the year to be weighed at the prestigious BAC, manager John Willis said, and it hints of an early spring bite.
Finally, a tallish tale
The International Game Fish Assn. approved 495 world-record applications in 2007 and atop its highlight list is the catch by fly-angler Enrico Capozzi of a 78-pound 6-ounce Pacific sailfish on two-pound tippet off Costa Rica.
That's akin to lassoing a cheetah with thread, but Capozzi was fortunate: The billfish literally jumped into his boat moments after becoming hooked, making an improbable catch possible.
--
pete.thomas@latimes.com
