February 2024 E-Letter
• Three boats crashed on East Beach
• World Wetlands Day: Celebrating the Silent Heroes of Coastal Resilience
• A Conversation with Rosanna Xia about the Impact of Sea Level Rise on the California Coast
• Help Identify and Track Lost Lobster Traps
• In Memory of Chris Potter: Celebrating a Santa Barbara Icon
Crashed Boats Removed from East Beach
Photo by Harry Rabin
During the recent “Atmospheric River” storm that hit Santa Barbara fiercely, three boats washed ashore from Fool's Anchorage, the area off East Beach which is not a secure place for any boat to anchor. Storms generally toss these often-untended boats to shore.
HTO’s Program Director Harry Rabin jumped to the scene each time a boat crashed. By working with the City of Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse and MarBorg Industries, the team removed fuel, chemicals, propane, and sewage tanks before they could enter the ocean. Additionally, MarBorg’s large excavator dismantled the boats into pieces and removed them. Heal the Ocean is working with the city’s Waterfront Department to find a permanent solution to this pollution hazard, which impacts the beach every time a major storm hits.
Read about HTO News Coverage:
World Wetlands Day Honors Role of Wetlands as Shoreline Buffers
World Wetlands Day serves as a giant nod to the vital role wetlands play in mitigating the impact of Sea Level Rise cause by climate change. Wetlands not only disperse ocean wave impact, but also store 50 times more carbon than rainforests. As a coastal community, Santa Barbara must be prepared to adapt to new climate patterns and do what it can to restore wetlands.
Come Hear Sea Level Rise Expert Rosanna Xia Talk about Coastal Impacts to Come
Click on the flyer for more information.
Rosanna Xia, a Los Angeles Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, recently released her book "California Against the Sea: Visions for Our Vanishing Coastline." Keeping science, policy, and the state’s social history in mind, Xia's book provides examples of successful coastal solutions that work with nature instead of against it. This book should be read by every coastal policy maker in the state of California.
Xia will be on stage at UCSB with Dr. Charles Lester, Director of UC Santa Barbara’s Ocean and Coastal Policy Center in a free public event on Thursday, February 8th. The two will lead a frank discussion about the oncoming impact of sea level rise on the California coast. Audience Q&A and a reception will follow.
Her book shows that with timely action, there is opportunity to save our coastal communities and prevent the collision between the ocean and oceanfront properties.
Help Identify and Track Lost Lobster Traps
Lobster Traps Recovered from Hope Ranch in 2023. Photo by Harry Rabin.
Following the recent storms, many lobster traps have washed onto our beaches, creating hazards to marine life and beach goers. Since 2016, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has implemented a lobster tag program, enabling the identification of derelict lobster traps and facilitating their eventual return to their owners.
If you spot lobster traps on the beach, please report them using Channelkeeper’s Lobster Trap Report Sheet HERE.
Heal the Ocean supports the Lobster Trap Reporting Program by Santa Barbara Channelkeeper. Assisted by volunteers, the organization monitors trap activity and notifies both the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife about gear that has washed ashore. This ensures that traps are promptly removed from the beach and retrieved by their owners for either reuse or disposal.
In Memory of Chris Potter: Celebrating a Santa Barbara Icon
Photo from the Chris Potter GoFundMe Page.
Heal the Ocean joins the Santa Barbara community in profound sadness at the news of the passing of Chris Potter, an esteemed landscape artist whose talent illuminated the beauty of Santa Barbara and our coastline. His works ranged from intimate glimpses of our coastal vistas to grand panoramas that captured the essence of our region's natural splendor.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Chris was a pillar of our community, known for his generosity and compassion. He frequently donated his artwork to support various causes close to his heart, embodying the spirit of giving that defined his character.
Chris’s presence will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on through his paintings and his impactful work for our community.
From all of us at HTO to all of you, thank you. Please stay safe.
Hillary Hauser, Executive Director
HTO thanks the Poehler-Stremel Charitable Trust
for providing funds to publish our newsletters and e-letters!