California Sands - the dunes of Oceano (1)

Let’s face it, dunes are sensual things, languidly animated, their soft and complex curves ever-changing with the light and with time, their lines and crests shifting in and out of focus, deep shadows, bright sand. They are immensely and compellingly photogenic. Spectacular photographs of dunes are as numerous as the sand on the sea shore, but, to me at least, none can equal those of Edward Weston and his son Brett – just put “Weston” and “dune” into a Google image search and you will (if you are not already in agreement) see what I mean. Such a search will turn up not just stunning black and white images of the sculpture and moods of sand, but also the famous nude studies, an  interplay of sensual forms. I’m lucky to own a copy of Dune, the intoxicating book of Weston photographs and was delighted to find that the location for these was the coastal dune system at Oceano, California – I needed to see where these master photographers worked and Oceano instantly became a key destination for my recent west coast wanderings. I spent time on the internet and Google Earth, trying to figure out how to most effectively fit a walk into the Oceano dunes into the itinerary (my father used to regularly remark that “time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted," a maxim from his army days, and I still find these words to live by – greatly facilitated by the resources of the web).

It quickly became clear that the dune system is divided into two very distinct domains, the only State Park where vehicles may drive on the beach and the dunes (the State Vehicle Recreation Area) and the large area of the natural preserve where the environment and ecology of the dunes remain undisturbed (these domains are players in a high-profile political and policy controversy on which more, but not a lot more, later). Since I was unwilling to drive my rental car on the beach (there is undoubtedly something in the small print of the contract), it seems that I would have to allot a fair amount of precious time to parking the car in town and hiking down the beach before trekking down the beach and turning back into the dunes to access the Preserve. But then, just a few days before the planned visit and already on the road, through the serendipitous wonders of the internet and the blogosphere, I got lucky. Out of the blue in my inbox appeared an email titled “Oceano Dunes local resident” and signed off “at your service," a message from Kevin Rice, a self-confessed sand enthusiast from the Oceano area who had found me through my earlier blog post where I had mentioned my intention of visiting the dunes. Kevin very generously offered his experience and knowledge to help with my visit – an offer that I immediately took up with enthusiasm. Kevin is a Los Angeles fire-fighter who lives in San Luis Obispo – a 180 mile commute for a shift. He got off work the morning of my talk at the Long Beach Aquarium and came along that evening; we met up afterwards and organised getting together in Oceano for a couple of days later. Our rendezvous was at the classic Rock & Roll Diner, a converted railroad car, the inside complete with table juke boxes and festooned with movie memorabilia.

Part of our good luck was that Kevin knew the quick way into the dunes and we were able to take a couple of hours walking through their extraordinary landscapes – sand against a backdrop of the Pacific and the green hills of the interior. Kevin is indeed a sand enthusiast and a great spokesman for the Oceano dunes and taking the walk in his company was a great pleasure, far more enjoyable than if we had just arrived on our own. The morning was a typically California coastal overcast one, there were no deep shadows in the folds of the dunes, but nevertheless, it’s a beautiful place. We observed and created avalanches, saw where the funnelling of strong winds creates creates trains of mega-ripples, their amplitudes and grain sizes larger than those of the common ripples, and wondered at the variety of flora flourishing in the sand (but at the same time struggling against the grip of the alien grasses introduced long ago in an attempt to stabilise the dunes).

 

We saw the middens of the Chumash Indians, littered with the shells of the famed Pismo clams, the native inhabitants long succumbed, like the native flora, to alien arrivals, and the clams are nowhere near as abundant as they used to be. Being coastal dunes, these are subject to the salty and damp sea air, and the local water table, so mysterious layers and patches of damp and slightly cemented sand form the medium for bizarre and wonderful granular sculptures.

 

It was a truly memorable experience – dunes (and the Westons’ dunes at that) and good company. Kevin has his feet very rationally in both camps, the environmental and the recreational. It is certainly not for me to pronounce on the public antagonism between them, and this blog was never intended to be a political or an axe-grinding one. I can only comment that on this, as with so many contrasting points of view, the world is not black and white, but rather it is made up of glorious shades of gray that can and should be celebrated, and that a balanced approach is, while sadly rare, something that can be valued by all.  

The dunes at Oceano, in addition to providing great landscapes, have hosted extraordinary people and strange events – more of these in subsequent posts. Meanwhile, thanks again, Kevin.  

Comments

[Kevin P. Rice]

What a pleasurable opportunity to meet and greet such a kindly expert! As a resident of nearby San Luis Obispo ("SLO" to the locals), I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about sand at your enthralling lecture and presentation at the Long Beach Aquarium. It was my honor to "host" you and your lovely wife here in our local dunes. I learned even more about the wondrous sand formations we call 'dunes' and especially loved the micro-world "canyon" (pictured above) that eroded in front of our eyes to the vibrations of our voice. Your close-up photo could just as easily be an aerial photo of any mountain side. Thanks for teaching me about cross-bedding, sorting and other fascinations. I wish you book was on tape so I could listen on my way to work. The radio interview was a nice warm-up, though.

Any sand enthusiasts are welcome to contact me. I'd love to be acquainted with anyone as congenial as Michael.

Kevin P. Rice
[email protected]
http://SLORider.com/
http://YourDunes.org/

[Nell Langford Ph.D.]

Our group, Safe Beach Now, wants a vehicle-free beach so that children can play safely without fear of being run over. Kevin P. Rice, off-roader and member of Friends (sic) of Oceano Dunes, is trying to steal our name to interfere with our efforts. Please see www.safebeachnow.org for our mission statement, and www.safebeachanddunes.org for our documentaries.

[Sharon Leavitt]

It is indeed interesting to observe the physics of sand movement, and it makes for interesting and beautiful photographs. However, please don't lose sight of the fact that our Dunes are subject to unnatural erosional activities that disrupt the crust, which is what keeps this sand from becoming airborne. Each year, thousands of acre feet of sand are dispersed into the air by the unfortunate activity of offroading, polluting the air living creatures must breathe with particulate matter that is more than mineral--harming the lungs of animals and humans alike, and causing cardiovascular damaage. The effects of this, not to mention other vehicle-related alterations of natural landscapes, have become an international problem. The fragile dune ecosystem, hinted at in your photographs, is typically overlooked by most riders, and is losing its foothold as increasing numbers of people who put their recreational needs above those of mother nature's. The dunes are more than sand--and people need to understand that they are more than the substrate. OHV traffic has increased 400% since 1991, according to the USGS. A few vehicles weren't such a problem in the past, but the growing swarm is. The Oceano Dunes were once considered an international environmental treasure, much photographed by National Geographic photographers of the past. Alas, because of offroading, today it has become a blight on California's coastline. If you truly love the Dunes, please walk them, photograph them, but leave your cars and your trash behind.

[Kevin P. Rice]

Sharon Leavitt provides no basis or references to her "facts". It is provably false that "thousands of acre feet of sand are dispersed into the air" by offroading. The USGS estimates (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1219/ -- p. 26) "that about 150,000 cu. m of sand are blown inland each year along the 55 km stretch of coastline from Pismo Beach to Point Arguello". Converted to Leavitt's odd use of acre-feet, this would be 122 acre-feet of sand.

Also know that vehicle recreation only utilizes 10% or less of that same area (http://www.duneguide.com/images/OceanoDunesClosedAreas.jpg ).

Thus, Leavitt asserts that "thousands of acre-feet of sand are dispersed" by vehicle use in 10% of the dune complex, when only 122 acre-feet of sand feed the entire 100% of the dune complex! Spread evenly, the sand supply in the vehicle recreation area would only be 12.2 acre-feet, yet Leavitt would have us believe that vehicles remove THOUSANDS of acre-feet annually? There would quickly be no dunes left, yet vehicles have recreated there for over 100 years (http://www.bob2000.com/pismo.htm ).

Additionally, OHV traffic at Oceano Dunes has not increased--it has decreased. I'd like to see where the USGS spoke about a 400% increase--the USGS studies the earth, they do not measure park use. If they have, please provide references to your facts.

[Jules]

While there are private and public places (national forests etc.) for the responsible use of ORV's, country, irresponsible off-roaders have helped to destroy precious habitat of the protected North Carolina Outerbanks National Seashore and have maliciously run over the young of endangered shore birds as documented in now "famous" photograph of a ORV tire track over a squashed baby bird that appeared in Audubon magazine. It is these ecologically ignorant(and proud of it),self-absorbed, infantile "it's all about my rights" abusers of our public spaces who have only themselves to blame when they are blocked from using these places.

[Sandglass]

Since I run this blog to be (hopefully) informative and fun, I explicitly do not want it to be a place for controversy and antagonism - that's not what it's about; as I've commented in my most recent post on the British libel laws, it's not that I don't have my own opinions, but I have no axe to grind with anyone on the issue aired above and, at the end of the day, it's none of my business. Reluctantly and in many ways uncomfortably, I have decided to exercise author's prerogative and terminate this comment thread here. I profoundly hope that this will be a rare event!

Michael

[truck rental]

THe dunes are amazing! WHo could ever think such beauty could be found in a big sea of sand :) I am so glad I got to read your post and look at the amazing visuals of this place.