Comments on: Children’s Pool ranger transfers out as confrontations continue

By: Paloma

Paloma — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:40:58 +0000

I enjoy bringing my children to the Children's Pool specifically to admire the beauty of the seals. We view them from the sea wall. It's sometimes a wonderful experience. Sadly, when we visit, most of the seals are gone, flushed into the water, by selfish people that need to get right up close to them. Yes folks, standing 20 feet away from marine wildlife is frightening to the marine wildlife. I don't come to Children's Pool to watch the selfish people that can't stand that seals occupy 1/1000th of the San Diego Coastline, I come to watch the seals. Sadly, and lately, these selfish people can't seem to get their arses off the beach so the seals can rest and take care of their families.

Walk 75 feet and you can have your own beach on the other side of the sea wall. Why are you people so selfish and can't let seals have their own home? It may have been designed for human use, but nature—wonderful God given nature, had other plans! Enjoy the rare beauty of these wonderful creatures and get the heck off the beach!

By: nature lover 858

nature lover 858 — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:08:59 +0000

ok, I really have gotten frustrated. I was so embarrassed when visiting my lifetime favorite spot; the Children's Pool. The seal lovers were yelling at visitors, a bad PR move for San Diego. Our friends and family are planning a reunion picnic on Sunday. It will be a sunny day. The seal lovers have turned on lifeguards too. When will the City get a grip and shoo these crazies away?

By: Stan the man

Stan the man — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:00:06 +0000

Criminal behavior from the seal activists is a desperate measure and they have been desperate for years with a long list of criminal activity like recently, rock throwing, petty theft of beach umbrellas, assault and battery on several people and minors with the arrest and restraining orders, slashing car tires, and attack with a stun gun.
Now they are organizing some kind of protest against beach goers this Sunday April 3rd at 2 pm. with a long list of this type of behavior it is unlikely to be peaceful.
When will the city run these bullies out of town and bring peace and order to the jewel of San Diego.

By: michael

michael — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:15:22 +0000

I have lived down the street from the Childrens Pool for 30 years….
No one is being hired to go on the beach. Who told you this?
Let me guess…a seal activist…

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:52:40 +0000

First of all, you are outright lying when you say "a group of people are hired" to go to the beach. Seriously, where do you even begin to think such a thing? I'm certainly not getting a check in the mail when I use the beach.

Anne, let me tell you what the problem is with your thinking. Even if the majority of residents of La Jolla support closing the beach, it still should not (and could not) be done. I'm tired of this whole "localism" argument. First of all, as a citizen of the United States I am free to travel to any place in the country. Secondly, as a Californian, all tidelands are available to me for fishing and beach access unless otherwise explicitly purposed. Thirdly, as a San Diegan, there is no legal definition to "La Jolla"- it is part of the city of San Diego. Don't think your proximity to the pool gives you any more weight than someone from Mission Beach.

Regardless, nobody cares if the "majority of La Jollans" think the Children's Pool should be closed. These types of decisions do not run off of pure democracy. Just think if any measure required a simple vote to pass; the rights of the minority would be trampled on constantly. You can bet that in the 1950s "a majority of southerners" did not want desegregation of schools. That's why we have guarantees of rights for minorities. It's the same with beach access. Obviously a minority of people use the beach. Should the 70% who never go to the beach have a say on shutting it down? No thanks. The beach has been purposed specifically for, and I quote from amended SB 428,

"a) That said lands shall be devoted exclusively to public park,
marine mammal park for the enjoyment and educational benefit of
children, bathing pool for children, parkway, highway,
playground and recreational purposes, and to such other uses as may
be incident to, or convenient for the full enjoyment of such purposes
; .
(b) The absolute right to fish in the waters of the Pacific
ocean Ocean over said tidelands or
submerged lands, with the right of convenient access to said waters
over said lands for said purpose is hereby reserved to the people of
the State of California."

Now, the "marine mammal park" addition in the bill means nothing in practical terms. The establishment of such a "park" could never make null the other purposes of the pool. It is in direct conflict with the rest of the trust. Furthermore, a "marine mammal park" is not defined in the amended trust. But we know that "marine mammal parks" are actually attractions such as SeaWorld and aquariums, and are regulated by the USDA. Sorry, the Children's Pool will never become a "marine mammal park".

The beach will continue to be used by people regardless of where they call home. It is not selfish to use the beach. Harbor seals have many other places in very close proximity with equal viewing access to tourists/seal enthusiasts if there is not "room" on the beach when people are using it. Furthermore, this whole seal invasion and subsequent tourist attraction of the Children's Pool is not a time honored tradition. It has only been in place since the first seal pup was observed being born at the beach, roughly 10 years ago.

In the time shared use has been in place, the seal colony has only grown, with the current pupping season flourishing. Do a youtube search for "sunday with the seals" for video evidence of this.