By Judi Curry
We moved to San Diego in 1966 and rented the second floor of a duplex at 1474 Pescadero Drive (I think that was the address.) Pescadero Drive is the alley-like street that parallels the ocean for a block or so — not Pescadero Avenue that travels east/west. The owner of the duplex, Maria, lived on the bottom floor and had a patio and clothesline outside her living room.
The view was spectacular because there was nothing that blocked the view for 180 degrees. We watched the seals forage for food; the fishermen standing on the rocks fighting the seals for the very same food. We ran down the steps often to grab the boxes of butter and other things the Navy ships threw out before they returned to port. We sometimes took our surf boards and went out to sea just footsteps from our home. Our three daughters had a fantastic life living and learning about the ocean in the first person.
At the time I was teaching 6th grade in Chula Vista, and at the end of the semester I invited my entire class to come to my place to enjoy the beach for their promotion party. I was so surprised to find that it was the first time that several of the students had ever been to the beach, even though our school was very close to the sea. Parents came with their children, and to this day I am still friends with several of the parents and many of the children.
And then, one night, while in bed asleep, we heard an awful noise. It sounded like a whip had cracked open a window. We all jumped up and ran to the windows and looked outside but saw nothing. It was a little bit eerie, but decided it must have been something that was thrown up against one of the rocks below our dwelling — until the morning when we could take a better look and saw that the patio adjoining Maria’s dwelling had a crack in it. Funny. None of us remembered it before.
We asked Maria about it later in the day, and she said she thought a big wave had flipped over the fence and caused the crack. She was not real worried. Until the next time, when we heard a similar noise and when we looked out Maria’s patio was no longer there. The waves had taken it away. Now granted this was a very long time ago, and my memory is not as good as it was then, but I believe this happened in May or June of 1968.
We had been looking to purchase a house about that time; my daughters were getting older and bigger, and really needed a room of their own, so in July of 1968 we purchased our home only 3 blocks away from the wonderful duplex that we had called home for the past two years. I remember that I had another of my “end of the year parties” and then packed everything up for the big move on July 5th, 1968.
We certainly missed the ocean front view. We were one street back, and at the time the lots on Sunset Cliffs were vacant, so we had a slight view of the ocean, AND we had a view of our duplex. Until….. one morning, when I got up to go get the newspaper and looked to the north, the duplex was not there. I knew that my eyes were not good, but I was sure that I had gone over the edge and had lost my vision entirely.
We quickly ran – not something I do very often – the 3 blocks to the alley only to find that our duplex was gone. It had slipped off its foundation and parts of it were floating in the water. Fortunately Maria had vacated the place earlier, and she was not harmed, but try to imagine a duplex, probably now worth 3-4 million dollars, floating in the ocean. (If you drive by the alley today you can see where the duplex was located, because it is just a vacant lot, never to hold another residence there.)
So why this story now?
Because of the plan to make Sunset Cliffs a one-way street. The ground is very unstable, not just where the duplex was, but all along the street.
Not too many years ago the parking lot to the south of the hotel slipped away forever. The walking paths that were large and fun to traverse several years ago now butt up against Sunset Cliffs Blvd. because the earth closest to the ocean has slipped away.
The more things that are done on the Cliffs the sooner we will be moaning the fact of “remember when’s” – because the area is unstable. And in the past few years, I have seen a multitude of vermin – squirrels, rats, raccoons, etc. building their homes in this unstable dirt. The more people that leave their trash behind is a calling to these animals. I have never been really bothered by rats and squirrels, but I cannot take my dogs for a walk early in the mornings without encountering these live animals scooting from one nest to another.
Sunset Cliffs is an accident waiting to happen. I hear the yoga people; I hear the people with bikes; I hear those people that want to enjoy the Cliffs, but for goodness sakes let the Cliffs “live” their life the way nature meant for it to be and don’t do things that will hasten its demise.
The Cliffs are for all to enjoy, while they are still there. Be careful. Treat them well. Once they fall they are gone. Mother Nature is very fickle. You can’t get her back after she has thumbed her nose at you. Be careful; be gentle. You are one of the lucky ones to still be able to enjoy her.
Keep heavy cars driving and parking on the cliffs because the status quo is the safest! Thanks Judi!
I had a dream about 15 years ago that underneath Sunset Cliffs was a giant hollow cave and we had to warn my sister’s in-laws who live further east in Point Loma that the entire thing was going to collapse. I’ve still gone back to Sunset Cliffs many times to visit but wouldn’t want to stay. It seems to me like to preserve public access they should bulldoze the houses using eminent domain, but probably shouldn’t overpay for houses that, I didn’t realize, but from what you are saying, sounds like are already falling into the sea. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Sunset Cliffs and my understanding of the law in California is that public access of the masses to beaches trumps private property rights of the super wealthy. But if the public’s portion is the unsafe then would they still need to reimburse property owner’s top dollar to bulldoze their homes to maintain public access where it is a little safer?
I used to want to be in a position where I could call the shots but now realize it’s much more comfortable to simply complain yet shoulder no responsibility on the outcome. I was priced out of California and live in Kansas now but don’t envy any of you who are affected by this; I am truly sorry for your troubles and pray the best for everyone’s safety and security. If they bulldoze your house and don’t give you enough money come to Kansas; I bought my house in southeast Kansas for $50,000 and we typically have plenty of water and it’s warmer in winter than it is in the northern parts of the country and cooler in the summer than it is in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
Let’s make it a pedestrian walkway! Like the Grand Canyon rim.
Even a pedestrian walkway is dangerous. If there are people on the bluff and the earth gives way, people are going to be hurt. Look at “Garbage Beach” – an accident waiting to happen. Nature is calling our name – we need to be very careful what, who, and how many go on the cliffs at one time. It won’t take much to trigger an accident.
We will never keep pedestrians off the cliffs and turning a two way into a one way does nothing to take the pressure off the cliffs because it’ll still have the same amount of traffic. I don’t know what the logic is for making SC a one way as it does nothing to lessen the impact of humans or make the cliffs more resilient. The only way to minimize some of the damage is to remove cars, remove parking, and fence it off. That way only the owners with cliff facing property can enjoy the view (I know they all want that). Nobody is going to agree to that especially those who live in the streets just east of SC because their streets will be impacted.
How do you figure that “it’ll still have the same amount of traffic?”
This comment sounded like it came right out of the cycling community playbook.
Removing cliffside parking and making the street one way undoubtedly removes car traffic from Sunset Cliffs to Cordova and puts less stress on the cliffs.
My husband and I walked up to Sunset Cliffs a couple days ago, and as we were walking on the street, where they’ve now closed the pathway in certain areas, I told him how the cliffs are very fragile. I said, “with every rumble from a car driving by, to the steps that ever person takes, the cliffs are feeling the vibrations from it, and shifting the earth” …
We first visited San Diego in 2014, and visited the cliffs a couple times. Since then, I can see how the earth has shifted there, and pieces have fallen away… And that was only 10 years ago. Imagine what 10 more years will do.
When I went to the Ob Chile Festival last weekend I took pictures a few blocks north of Pescadero Where a large old 20’s ish house used to be on the Cable St corner. In the late 50’s & early sixties we watched it disappear about one room a year! Sadly 3 of my Collier Jr Hi classmates were killed in a cave-in 61 or 62.
Grew up on Marseilles St and attended Sunset View Elementary. Played in the ww2 pillboxes on the cliffs. Beautiful blonde 3rd grade -7th crush Edna English lived across the street. Blessed to grow up most enchanting place on earth Sunset Cliffs. Woodrow Butch Faust
I lived in a studio below the garage at 935 Sunset Cliffs in the 80s. Since then I’ve noticed the erosion eating away the cliffs. Maybe close the ocean road to cars and only allow pedestrians and bikes. Maybe just use the alleys one way traffic to keep the cliffs from eroding more . I know some people won’t like that though but is losing the cliffs really an option?
Great article! As she was describing everything that was going on in her article
I myself from OB/PL could just imagine things the way they were back then. Wonderful article, took me back in time.
I lived in OB from 1978 to 1983 on Brighton Ave between Abbott and the beach. I was very young and my memory is not what it once was but back then nobody cared about anything it’s a shame that beautiful area has to. be decimated the way it is thank you for writing the article and hopefully it’ll bring some sanity to the masses
JUDI, interesting article. WE know the cliffs are eroding from the forces of nature, and while we can slow the process, the waves keep pounding. What is neglected is erosion from drainage. The percentage of trees and plants to cement matters, and depending on city ‘waviers’ and building ‘favors’ the run-off during increasing storms is a big factor. The RUSH to build is neglecting the balance of nature and man-made erosion from high-density housing. The CAP (climate change) has a ratio of plants to cement that should be enforced. Laws protecting the environment and coastal zone laws are being waived. Creating Complete Communities with new edicts that trump laws on the books will surely be found illegal when challenged. Meanwhile, the city is in a frenzy to build FAST, BEFORE they are challenged in court. As for the one-way street, maybe thoughtful planning directing egress would be helpful. Sunset Cliffs in, over the hill to Catalina out? There will need to be a traffic control eval, because as it sits now traffic is a big problem. It can take 20 minutes to get to the freeway and one way streets will not change that.