‘The Cliffs Are Falling, the Cliffs Are Falling …’

By Judi Curry

I am not a native San Diegan, but I bet that I have been here longer than many of the readers of this article.  I am, however, a native Californian, born and raised in Los Angeles. I have lived in Northern California while attending school at Berkeley and while husband and I both had good jobs in the Bay Area. I also lived in Arizona while husband and I had top jobs in neighboring school districts and I live in Bangor, Maine. But I always came back to California.

My experiences in these different areas provided me with many different situations – some very similar to ones facing us today.  For example, when we lived in San Simeon, following a big storm, Highway One literally fell into the ocean.  That road was closed for over a year while it was repaired.  (I have been told that since I left the area they have been numerous storms and the road has been closed again and again.)

Frequently, while living in Northern California, bridges were closed because of flooding, because of landslides and because of decay.  It was no surprise to pick up a newspaper, or listen to the news telling us that part of the Bay Bridge, or Golden Gate Bridge or whatever … was closed for repairs following a storm.  And that is the reason for this article.

When we moved back to the San Diego area in 2004, we did so because my mother was ill and we thought we should be here in case she needed us.  And we wanted to be near the beach, so we looked for a place to rent until we knew for certain where we would buy a home.

As it turned out there was a beautiful duplex for rent on Pescadero Drive in Ocean Beach at the corner of the alley and Bermuda Ave.  It was perfect! The owner lived on the bottom floor and we rented the top floor – with a magnificent view, unhindered by any other building around us.  I had three daughters by a previous marriage, and it was wonderful for all of us.  We lived there for over a year, and had just started looking for a home to buy when one night we heard a loud noise.  We looked outside that night, didn’t see anything, and went to sleep.  In the morning we looked outside our window and found that our landlady’s patio, where she had a laundry line, was missing!  The entire patio was gone!  This was in February or March.

We began looking more earnestly for the home we wanted to buy and, to shorten this story, purchased a home only three blocks away and moved into it the first week in July.  One day in September we happened to be outside and looked towards the duplex on Pescadero and IT WAS GONE!  We were sure that something was wrong with where we were looking so we walked down to the duplex only to find there was nothing wrong with our eyes – the duplex could not be shored up and it had slid into the water.  To this day, that lot on Pescadero Drive is empty.  A reminder every time I go by that street, which is almost daily. The house we bought is on Tivoli Street — one block in from the ocean.

There was a parking lot almost on the corner of Adair and Sunset Cliffs – just a little south of the Hotel and apartments. I do not know the year this happened, but it was there one day, and gone the next. Fortunately no one was hurt, but they could have been.  People parked in that lot; people sat in that lot and looked at the magnificent view; people even exercised in that lot.  That lot is no more.

Let’s move down a few hundred feet south to the next parking lot, where on any given day you can find regulars, tourists, exercisers, weddings, picnickers, walkers, etc. doing whatever they are there to do. Many times there are so many people on that property that people are walking in the street because there is no more room on land.  And, needless to say there are cars, motorcycles, trucks, bikes, ebikes, etc. on that very same street people are walking on because there is no more room on the ground area.  (And let’s toss out one more thing – if they are there when it is dark the street lights are not working!)

I cannot help but ask myself – because those people in the know will not give a definitive answer – what the possibility of Parking Lot 2 (or 3 or 4 for that matter) falling into the ocean?  If you look at Sunset Cliffs you cannot help but notice that it has eroded terribly over the years.  The walkways have become smaller; what used to be paths are gone, or reduced to one walker at a time.) What will it take to wipe that area out; to send it tumbling into the ocean with the multitude of people that are on it with it?  And who will be responsible for the injuries and deaths?  The city?

Currently there are classes being taught on top of those cliff areas. They are called “free classes” but that isn’t true. They ask — really require — a $20 “donation. Sometimes there are at least 75-100 people at these classes.  A $20 donation is a hefty amount! I can’t help but wonder if taxes are being paid on the “free” classes.  I personally think not.  And I don’t know if there is a permit issued, so someone, in my estimation, is making a great deal of money.  I have to feel sorry for the legitimate instructors that are teaching the same classes in a building, paying rent, insurance, and whatever else they have to pay, so that their participants are safe from the possibility of falling into the ocean.

And it isn’t just classes.  Permits are issued for weddings of 15 people. But how many times does the wedding exceed 15 people.  Many times, I would bet.  And what about the picnics being held in the very spot that has been narrowed in size?

And let’s go even further.  Have any of you noticed the huge number of rats that are now in the area?  You can see them running across Sunset Cliffs Blvd – probably looking for new homes.  I know that I have never had as many rats in my yard as I do this year.  And squirrels – they are adorable, but they are in every tree I pass by; cross every road that I pass, and eat all the fruit and vegetables that they can reach.  Why?  It wouldn’t have anything to do with all of the trash left behind by these groups of people that are using the Cliffs for their personal entertainment would it?

As a resident of this area since 1965 – yes, I told you that I probably have been her longer than many of you are old – I am afraid that Sunset Cliffs will not be able to stand up to the onslaught of entertainment that is now facing the area.  I also have feelings about some of the entertainment that is accepting donations to continue their projects at the expense of the demise of the area, but that is for a different time.

Right now I am concerned about how long people will be able to appreciate mother nature’s gift to mankind.  Wake up, people!  It is not going to be forever, and we need to do what we can to keep it for as long as possible.  It is too beautiful a sight to have to say a few years from now, “I remember when ….”