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In This Issue...
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Environment
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Coasting Along California
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Coasting Along California
An Introduction to California's Beaches and Coast by the Expert
By Judith Wellner
Have you ever wondered where all the sand comes from at the beach? How waves form? Why the beaches at Big Sur are so different than beaches, say, in North Carolina? How we can harness the energy of waves? Or whether we should be worried about tsunamis in the Santa Cruz area?
If you want to find the answers to any of these questions and many more, pick up a copy of UC Santa Cruz geologist Gary Griggs' book: An Introduction to California's Beaches and Coast.
Locals and visitors to California can find anything from crowded sunny beaches and peaceful, pristine shorelines to secluded, wild cliffs with gushing waves and an exceptional underwater world nearby.
"There are [also] so many interesting facts about our coast," Griggs said. "Did you know, for instance, that three-fourths of the population of California lives within an hour drive from the coast? Taking the 11,000 miles of the coast and the 38 million people of the state, we can say that we each have two inches of the coastline. Isn't that wonderful?"
Griggs presents an intriguing and informative guide to the beaches and coast of California in his latest book. Published by UC Press as part of its series of California Natural History Guides, Introduction to California's Beaches and Coast provides new insights into this beautiful coastal area from the perspective of a scientist who has spent 45 years studying it.
Accompanied by about 200 color photographs, maps and diagrams, the book explores the forces that shaped the California Coast into this wonderfully inviting region.
"Griggs takes a subject that could potentially be rather boring and turns it into something incredibly interesting," says garden writer and photographer William Grant. "He knows exactly what he's talking about. … I kept looking for something he left out, and I couldn't find anything."
Grigg's goal is not only to show us the many wonders of this unique geological area, but also to remind us why we love living by the ocean so much.
"The coastline is what people enjoy the most in this area," says Griggs. "I think anybody who lives here chooses to live here because of the ocean. It has this incredible effect on our lives, and we often don't have the appreciation for it."
When the Tide Turns
What we see around us every day, what we might be taking for granted, has been developing for millions of years.
You can also learn that the biggest geological event that shaped our coastline happened about 20 million years ago.
"This is when the ocean plates collided with the continental plates, and as the ocean plates were heavier, they sunk down and started to melt. The collision pushed up mountain ranges and created volcanoes. This is how, for instance, the San Andreas Fault came to life."
Griggs talks about climate change phenomena, such as the El Nino, the reasons behind the gradual rise of the sea level since the ice age, fishing and fisheries, the problems and possible solutions around the retreat of the coastline, the secrets behind the fascinating patterns in the sand.
"A lot of what we think of as global issues reflects on the coastline," says Griggs.
Get Your Sea Legs
Griggs spent most of his life by the ocean. But his love affair with the coastline really started to blossom after he had completed his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in geology.
He went on studying oceanography at Oregon State University. After finishing his doctorate, he was offered a position at UCSC and has been teaching oceanography courses ever since.
Griggs has long been recognized as an expert of the coastlines. He has been director of the Institute of Marine Sciences and Long Marine Laboratory since 1991. He is also the coauthor of Living with the Changing California Coast and The Santa Cruz Coast: Then and Now, among other books.
"I was also named a Coastal Hero last year," adds Griggs.
He was one of eight people the California Coastal Commission and Sunset magazine recognized as people who have had an important affect on the coast of California.
"I was shocked and honored to be one of them," says Griggs. "I was there with Pierce Brosnan. It was great to be standing there with James Bond. And I was the only academic out of the eight."
Although the group included Julie Packard, who is an alumni of UCSC and director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Griggs believes that understanding the ocean and the coastline better is really important for all of us who live close to the shores.
"It gives me a sense of the future. A sense of perspective. It's protective, it's peaceful. For us on the Pacific, we get to the edge and look out and look towards Japan and China. It really extends our reach."
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