SURFING SOAPBOX: ‘Crappy’ days in Laguna

Here among the 100-foot trees in the hills of Santa Cruz, I sit and write to you. As the morning sun squeezes in between the tallest of trees before finding its way to the glistening ground, I imagine that every day, not just yesterday, is Earth Day here.

Sadly it was last week, Thursday to be exact, that our town was again reminded just how vulnerable it really is. This time a sewer spill shut down the coast highway for nearly two days, sending traffic up and into the neighborhoods. Some complained, and others stepped up. Some businesses closed their doors while others cooked for the fleet of workers on the ground.

I was again at my parents’ house enjoying a cup of tea when the sewer system went awry and a seemingly nice day was turned into, well, a “crappy” day. Pun intended. For the better part of the next two days I spent my time there watching and listening. Applauding those who worked their tails off in correcting the situation and even more those who were conscious enough in their efforts to keep the sewage from the beach.

Shortly after it happened, I watched three workers tussle with sand bags and plastic to redirect the sewage that was flowing north on the highway into a manhole and back into the sewer system. I do question whether that first loss of sewage was only 50 gallons a minute.

The next day, Friday, when there was a good chance they might lose more sewage down at Blue Bird beach they had a tractor down there building a makeshift dam, trying to keeping more sewage from hitting the ocean.

Many may ask if this was too little too late; reactive instead of proactive.

I’m not interested in pointing fingers or placing blame. Instead I am more interested in where we go from here and what the city may be planning while we move forward with what appears to be a severely aging sewer system, which isn’t just a city problem but a community problem.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. His websites include AlohaSchoolofSurfing and ECOWarrior Surf.com. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com