An Ocean Beach Diary?

Abstract

Ocean Beach (part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area) in San Francisco, California, provides readily available access to the seashore for residents of, and visitors to the city. The seashore is the home to shorebirds, but also an important place for recreation. Rather than environmentalists avoiding the beach as part of a larger effort to lessen the impact of visitor use of the beach, the author suggests that environmentalists can be observers/witnesses to monitor the recreational use of the natural resource. Over the years there have been numerous environmental concerns that have impacted Ocean Beach, including wastewater runoff, erosion, and wildlife disturbance. Concerned citizens can take action by becoming involved with the San Francisco Department of the Environment's Ocean Beach Task Force that works on a number related of issues. An interpretive/naturalist presence at the beach or a popular book about the local natural history could effect visitor behavior there, and therefore mitigate against harmful use of Ocean Beach. Description In San Francisco, California, Ocean Beach lines the western edge of the city, all the way from the famous Cliff House restaurant in the northwest to Fort Funston in the southwest. There are no boardwalks with stores or numerous restaurants along its length. The city, including a few restaurants, is on the other side of the Great Highway that lines the coast in San Francisco. The Pacific Ocean waters are cold, and the surfers wear wetsuits. The waves at Ocean Beach are not very large. The National Park Service, through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), has oversight and management responsibilities for the area. Ocean Beach is exemplary as a public beach because of the easily available access it provides San Franciscans to the seashore. There are numerous bus and streetcar lines that end close to the shoreline. One can hike for miles along its length. On hot days there is a sense of community while crowds gather to watch the sunset at the end of the day. Need for the Resource The ocean provides a dependable and affordable source of recreation for many. It provides cool weather during the summer; it allows one to think of other places, and different ways. Ocean Beach resides at the end of the Western World. Leneek and Bosker (1999) relay the historical importance the ocean played for the literary Romantics and later generations. They tout the beach as a Paradise on Earth. At Ocean Beach, one can commune with the ocean, the sky, and the night. One can listen to the waves and observe bird life. It is also one of the few places where San Franciscans without cars can visit the ocean. On weekends, Ocean Beach is a popular place for bonfire parties. For some, Ocean Beach has become an essential part of their recreational needs. The proximity of the ocean has also had an impact on the mind frame of the city. In San Francisco's early days, during the mid 1800s, many traveled to San Francisco by ship. San Francisco Bay was port for trade and the interior region that was the site of the Gold Rush. Locals have been so enamored of the sea and the rich local marine resource, that it was possible to create marine reserves in the nearby waters like the Gulf of the Farallones Marine Reserve (which include the Farallon Islands) to the west, the Cordell Bank Marine Reserve to the northwest, and the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary to the southwest. There is also a National Park Service Maritime Museum in San Francisco, and communities of ocean singers and surfers. For many locals, the ocean has been an integral part of their lives. Looking out towards the horizon, one is reminded of the bigger world with its foreign ports. Personal Experience as Observations For years I have ventured to Ocean Beach to commune with the ocean, the sky, the night, and to observe shorebirds. One can hike unimpeded for many miles along its length. I present myself as the model for concerned citizen as observer, in contrast to the concerned non-visitor. …