Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Created: 11/28/2008
Camera: Nikon CoolPix P80
Lens: f/2.8 @ 27mm
Aperture: f/4.0; 1/80 sec.; ISO 64
Here's some nostalgia at Pleasure Point, off East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. This image was shot back in 2008 on the midway platform off the old wooden stairs leading down to the surf entry for the local surfers. This day was one of the lowest tides in decades, giving sea flora and fauna a once-in-a-lifetime peek at the sun. The charming couple walking arm-in-arm sweetens this opportunity to see these exotic creatures, typically only visible while swimming. My favorite part of this image is the surfer 'walking' in from his session, from the break locals call 'The Hook.' He's almost a hundred yards from the usual put-in at the foot of the stairs. This surf break is firmly rooted in the local surf culture, along with Jacks, Pleasure Point, 38th Avenue, Steamer Lane, The Slot, Middle Peak, and Indicators. In 2012, these stairs were removed, and the Pleasure Point Seawall was constructed to deter erosion under this large cypress tree. A 300-foot seawall was built where 41st Avenue meets the coast. The entire project cost more than $8 million. The extruding root structure and the two large lower tree limbs had to be removed in the process. Likewise, the iconic wooden stairs I was standing on were replaced by modern cement stairs. What kind of message does this send in the face of global warming and rising sea levels? It has become a common scenario along much of the Santa Cruz coastline. The outcome is a combination of evolution, aesthetics, and engineering. Concurrently, our way of life must adapt to conserve our resources to preserve our fragile planet. The economy and future generations must first prioritize mitigating human existence's impact on climate change, overpopulation, and pollution. Only then can we ensure a sustainable future and maintain our existence on this vast universe.
