February 23, 2018

LO C A L

February 23-March 1, 2018

N EWS

YO U

C A N

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INSIDE: The Dana Point Festival of Whales Guide SPECIAL SECTION VOLUME 11, ISSUE 8

The Skin Off of Their Back, and Then Some Headlands Quality Goods gives back to the original whale watching mecca of Dana Point E Y E O N D P/ PAG E 5

Scott and Becca Goodman, their son Leroy, along with their employee Anthony Pena, are excited to announce the latest Headlands Quality Goods product that the company is developing in honor of it being named to the Whale Trail. Photo: Courtesy

Investigator Dwayne Chappell Named Law Enforcement Officer of Year EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

City Council Amends; Puts FRC on Hold EYE ON DP/PAGE 3

www.danapointtimes.com

Hobie Vintage Surfboard Festival Feb. 25 at La Plaza Park DP SURF/PAGE 12

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DP EYE ON DP Dana Point Point Dana

LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING

What’s Up With...

make decisions on reducing the number of employees,” CUSD Board President Martha McNicholas said at the meeting.

“For the foreseeable future, (we see) a decline in enrollment projections throughout the district,” Deputy Superintendent Clark Hampton said at the meeting.

Five things Dana Point should know this week Financial Review Committee Amended; Put on Hold THE LATEST: At the Feb. 20 Dana Point City Council meeting, the Dana Point City Council voted 3-2 to amend the current charter and temporarily put Dana Point’s Financial Review Committee (FRC) on hold.

Councilman John Tomlinson proposed that the City Council discuss changes to the FRC Charter to ensure it serves the purpose envisioned by the Council, change the manner by which appointments to the FRC are made and directed that all FRC activities be put on hold until those actions are taken.

In his statement to the Council, Tomlinson said it was, “essential to take pause and evaluate the efficiency and appropriateness of the FRC. Rather than functioning as a watchdog committee to review matters referred to the Council as envisioned; it has become politicized and has been addressing policy issues that are within the purview of the Council.”

Currently, the FRC consists of five members, each selected by a City Council representative.

Council member Debra Lewis said amending the FRC’s charter to appointment by majority approval turned, “This watchdog group into a lap-dog.”

Councilman Joe Mueller supported Tomlinson, calling the FRC a “shadow council,” noting that the FRC is the only City of Dana Point committee or sub-committee that is not approved by the entirety of the council.

WHAT’S NEXT: In an upcoming City Council meeting, new FRC committee members will be selected. These new committee members will have to be approved by a majority of the City Council. After the City Council meeting, Councilman Joe Mueller was quick to emphasize that the FRC is not “disbanded; only amended.”—Daniel Ritz

City Council Votes to Move Forward Toward Districting THE LATEST: Dana Point City Attorney Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

Investigator Dwayne Chappell (third from right), stands with his family, members of the VFW, Dana Point Police Services, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Mayor Richard Viczorek after being recognized as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Photo: Dyanne Weamire

Patrick Munoz gave a presentation to Dana Point City Council during its Feb. 20 meeting as they considered adopting a Resolution of Intention pursuant to transition from an at-large election system to a district-based election system.

Munoz explained that Dana Point would be able to maintain “safe-harbor” status due to an Elections Code amendment made by California Legislature in 2016 that states a city is given 45 days from reception to respond to a demand letter, after which the potential plaintiff is prohibited from filing a California Voter’s Choice Act action for an additional 90-day period.

City staff’s recommendation to take advantage of the “safe-harbor” provisions by adopting the proposed resolution and process of voluntarily implementing a by-district election system passed unanimously.

Toward the end of his presentation, Munoz made it clear that adoption of a resolution would affirm, but not commit, Dana Point’s City Council’s intention to adopt a by-district election system.

WHAT’S NEXT: The resolution includes a tentative timeline for implementing the necessary five public meetings. In accordance with the 90-day time limit, this timeline proposes holding public hearings at City Council meetings March 6 thru May 1. —DR

City Council Holds Open City Attorney Discussion THE LATEST: Dana Point City Council members Debra Lewis and Paul Wyatt’s recommendation to issue Requests for Proposals (RFP) from licensed California lawyers and law firms to act as the City Attorney were denied by a 3-2 vote during the Feb. 20 City Council meeting.

Lewis said the call for RFP’s is “prudent and fiscally responsible,” noting that RFP’s had not been sought for the position since the law firm Rutan & Tucker, LLP was brought in on 2002.

Council member Paul Wyatt supported Lewis, clarifying that, “the Council is not personally criticizing the performance or budget usage of the City Attorney. For that, we as the Council must take responsibility. He listens to us.”

Council member Joe Mueller disagreed, stating that he thought a call for RFP’s showed a lack of support for City Attorney Patrick Munoz’s “exemplary track record.”

“Sending out for RFP’s is putting the cart before the horse,” said Mayor Richard Viczorek. He continued, stating clearer guidelines were needed to judge Munoz’s performance.

WHAT’S NEXT: At the City Council meeting on Feb. 6, Mayor Viczorek made what many considered a controversial decision to call discussion of the City Attorney into closed session in-lieu of possible Brown Act violations. Mayor Viczorek stated at the meeting on Feb. 20 that he stood behind this decision, and still felt it should as the City Attorney position was, in his interpretation, a City employee position.

City Attorney Patrick Munoz voluntarily opened the discussion, and copies of his supplied performance review are available online at www.danapoint.org. —DR

CUSD Could Face Employment Cuts as a Result of Declining Enrollment THE LATEST: As Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) sees a trend in decreasing enrollment, the district’s board of trustees is preparing to begin discussions regarding employment reduction.

As enrollment declines—a CUSD graphic projected roughly 1,000 to 2,000 or so in the next four years—CUSD revenue will also decline, which could result in reducing the number of district employees, a special meeting on Feb. 13 revealed.

“It’s actually going to come down to that in the next month. We’re going to have to

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WHAT’S NEXT: In hopes that alternatives such as early retirement incentives, which the board passed at the same meeting— incentives eligible to 585 employees for tax-qualified annuity based on total district contributions of either 80 percent or 85 percent of their final year salary—will gradually reduce district staff and alleviate the decision of cutting district employees.

“Typically, with enrollment declines, you would have retirements of teachers and that would cover the need to reduce the number of teachers that you need to cover the new students the following years, since you have fewer students,” Hampton said. “That’s referred to as almost an automatic reduction.”

CUSD Superintendent Kirsten Vital added that another reason the district faces difficulties in revenue is that CUSD has one of the lowest funding per student, due to the state’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). To read this story in full, visit our website at www.danapointtimes. com. —Emily Rasmussen

Dana Point VFW Post 9934 and City Honor First Responders of the Year THE LATEST: Before the City Council meeting on Feb. 20, Dana Point Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9934 and the City of Dana Point recognized local first responders for their efforts as they handed out firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT) and law enforcement officers of the year awards.

VFW Post 9934 Post Commander Wayne Yost announced Fire Battalion Chief Cliff Bramlette (Ret.) as Firefighter of the Year by both the City of Dana Point, local VFW post 9934 as well as VFW District 2, which includes most of Orange County and parts of San Bernardino County. Reserve Firefighter Robert Martinez from Dana Point Station 7 was recognized as EMT of the Year.

Investigator Dwayne Chappell was recognized as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Along with being recognized locally

by VFW Post 9934, VFW District 2, and the City of Dana Point, Chappell was also recognized by the VFW for being the State of California Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

WHAT’S NEXT: Dana Point VFW Post 9934 will be holding their Flag Retirement Ceremony at Capistrano Beach Park on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. www.vfwpost9934.org. —DR www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

NEWS BITES

Community Meetings

COMPILED BY STAFF

Ocean Institute Announces Girls in Ocean Science Conference 2018 On Saturday, March 17, top female scientists will be visiting The Ocean Institute to mentor the next generation of inspired high school girls looking at futures in science and technology. The day-long program includes hands-on experience in The Ocean Institute’s labs and aboard their research vessel, the R/V Sea Explorer. The one-on-one interaction with female scientist role models aims to motivate young women to embrace their intelligence and pursue careers and degrees in the sciences. The program is designed for girls who love science or are just beginning to show an interest. All will come away empowered to explore careers in fields such as nautical archeology, veterinary science, oceanography and conservation. The program will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is $50 per person. The ticket includes continental breakfast, lunch and a T-shirt.

Space is still available. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr. www.ocean-institute.org.

Dana Point Lacrosse Holds Fundraising Events Feb. 23, Feb. 24 On Friday, Feb. 23, Dana Hills High School boys lacrosse begins its fundraising weekend with a bingo night at the Dana Point Community House, located at 24642 San Juan Avenue. All proceeds from the event go toward the lacrosse program.

Tickets include one game of bingo, dinner and two drink tickets. Eight additional games can be purchased for only $20.

There are cash prizes in addition to winter gift baskets for the winners. The bingo night is a 21 and older event.

On Saturday, the boys lacrosse teams will be meeting at the Dana Hills campus for their annual Campus Clean-Up fundraiser. For the past few weeks, the boys have been sending out letters soliciting the community for contributions, raising almost $4,000. In exchange for the contributions, the boys will take to the campus, focusing largely on the stadium area, and will spot clean the arena. More information on the Dana Hills High School lacrosse program can be seen on www. danahillslacrosse.com.

OC Public Works Cove Road Pavement Repairs Begin Feb. 26 OC Public Works will complete remedial repairs on Cove Road in the Dana Point Harbor area. Cove Road will be closed Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24

FARMERS’ MARKET 9 a.m. There will be fresh produce and treats for sale at the farmers’ market. La Plaza Park. 34111 La Plaza, Dana Point.

949.279.3122.

On March 17, top female scientists will be visiting The Ocean Institute to mentor the next generation of inspiring high school girls looking at futures in science and technology. Photo: Courtesy of the Ocean Institute

during working hours for the duration of construction. OC Public Works will remove and replace failed asphalt concrete pavement sections, curbs and gutters. The work will require a complete closure of Cove Road between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday, Feb. 26 to March 2. The road will be reopened each night following construction activities. The construction schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather and other factors.

Historical Society Features Guest Speaker Eric Plunkett on Feb. 28 On Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., the Dana Point Historical Society will present history enthusiast Eric Plunkett. Plunkett graduated with a degree in history from California State University, Fullerton in 2008. He will discuss a brief overview of the life of Richard Henry Dana, Jr. and his book Two Years Before the Mast. In doing so, the early use of Dana Point as an anchorage will be examined. He will also give a detailed analysis of Dana’s time in Dana Point, focusing on the locations where the events in the book took place.

His article, “Richard Henry Dana at Dana Point,” is being published in two parts in the next two issues of the journal The Branding Iron, published by the Los Angeles Corral of Westerners. Eric is also currently working on a blog with a series of articles covering the chronological history of visitors to the San Juan Capistrano area.

The Dana Point Historical Society meets in Council Chambers at Dana Point City Hall. 33282 Golden Lantern. More information on this event can be seen at www. danapointhistorical.org.

‘Caring to the End’ Seminar to be Held on March 10 A one-day seminar called “Caring to the

End” presented by Hospital Christian Fellowship will be held on Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This seminar will focus on vital life issues, decision making and opportunities in today’s world of health care and aging. Speakers include Attorney Cheryl Walsh, Orange County Alzheimer Clinical Research Director, Dr. Dung Trinh, a discharge nurse Talar Moy, hospice nurse Carole Stepper and hospice chaplain Patrick Moy. The seminar will be held at Capo Beach Church, located at 25975 Domingo Avenue, and is open to everyone interested in these topics. For information, email HCFUSA@gmail.com or call Aubrey at 949.496.7655. The deadline for registration is March 3.

Surterre Properties to Host Blood Drive in Monarch Beach Surterre Properties will be hosting their semi-annual blood drive on Friday, Feb. 23rd. The blood drive is sponsored by the American Red Cross and will be located at Surterre’s Monarch Beach location on 33522 Niguel Road. It will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all members of the community are encouraged to participate.

At their last event in September, Surterre collected enough blood to save 75 lives with the support of their staff and the Orange County community.

For more information on participating in this event, please contact Surterre’s Monarch Beach office at 949.545.2000 or visit www.redcrossblood.org. “Surterre Properties DP” as the sponsor code to sign up.

Have something interesting for the community? Tell us about awards, events, happenings, accomplishments and more.

We’ll put your submissions into “News Bites.” Send your information to editorial@danapointtimes.com.

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FRIENDS OF THE DANA POINT HEADLANDS CHILDREN’S PROGRAM 10 a.m.-noon. Every fourth Saturday, the Friends of the Dana Point Headlands hold their monthly children’s program at the Dana Point Nature Interpretive Program.

The program is designed to teach kids about the natural world around the Dana Point Headlands conservation area and introduce them to the flora and fauna around the preserve. 34558 Scenic Drive.

949.248.3527. www.fodph.org.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26

HOMELESS TASK FORCE 3-5 p.m. The Dana Point Homeless Task force will hold a meeting at the OC Sailing and Event Center. 34451 Ensenada Place. www.danapoint.org.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING 6 p.m. The Dana Point Planning Commission will hold a meeting at City Hall in Council Chambers. 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 210. www.danapoint.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27

OCEAN WATER QUALITY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING 3-5 p.m. The Dana Point Ocean Water Quality Subcommittee will hold a meeting at Dana Point City Hall in the Public Works conference room. 33282 Golden Lantern, Suite 212. www.danapoint.org.

DANA HARBOR TOASTMASTERS 7-8:30 p.m. Join the members of the Dana Point Toastmasters every Tuesday to improve speaking and leadership skills.

Capo Beach Church. 25975 Domingo Ave., Capistrano Beach. www.toastmasters.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

MONARCH BEACH SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB 7 a.m. Every Wednesday, the Rotary Club welcomes anyone interested in making a difference in the local community and changing the world to join them in their weekly meeting. Doors open and breakfast begins at 7 a.m., with a program from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point. www.monarchbeachsunriserotary.org. www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

The Skin Off of Their Back, and Then Some Headlands Quality Goods gives back to the original whale watching mecca of Dana Point

BY DANIEL RITZ, DANA POINT TIMES

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his past year, the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area was officially announced as a stop on the Whale Trail. This trail establishes the Dana Point Headlands Area as one of the premier whale viewing sites along the Salish Sea and Pacific Coasts.

The Whale Trail’s goal of “inspiring stewardship and building community” motivated locals Scott and Becca Goodman, founders of leather-based craftsmanship company Headlands Quality Goods, to take a new approach to their latest product.

The Goodmans are releasing a valettray, an Oakwood-tanned leather table-

Scott, Becca and their son Leroy, are excited that a portion of the proceeds from their new valet-tray (pictured) will benefit the Dana Point Headlands Conservation area. Photo: Daniel Ritz

piece embossed with a whale icon, just in time for the Festival and Dana Point’s inclusion on the Trail. These one-of-a-kind pieces will be available for $35, of which, $5 will be donated to the Dana Point Conservation Area.

Headlands Quality Goods also recently released a series of patches showing the Headlands from a macro-geographical perspective all the way down to an image of the microscopic Pocket Mouse.

“From the tiny Pocket Mouse, to the whales and the environments they live in, everything we do is about Dana Point,” Scott said. “It’s all about combining the history with something that people can take pride in, because we take pride in Dana Point.”

Earlier this year at an event at the Ecology Center, the Goodmans were approached by Bernice Villanueva, a natural resources protection officer for the City of

Dana Point, who said she would like to do something creative together.

The Goodmans, who founded Headlands Quality Goods with a desire to carryon awareness of the hide-trading community that flourished for decades inside the natural shipping bay of Dana Point, knew immediately that they wanted to highlight yet-another iconic and integral part of Dana Point’s history.

Scott, whose son Leroy is an eighth generation Southern Californian, said he enjoys Headlands Quality Goods as a side project, eliminating the stress of the brand’s sales performance.

“To be honest, I always joke that I’m not a great businessman,” Scott laughed.

“We don’t make a lot of money from this, and what we do bring in we give a portion away.”

Becca, originally from Oregon, didn’t hesitate to explain that the selflessness was admittedly self-serving.

“It feels good to give back to the things that inspire you,” Becca said. “Not originally being from here, maybe even more than Scott, I am constantly in awe of Dana Point’s natural beauty and am grateful to live here.”

Sourcing all of their products from American companies, Headlands Quality Goods looks to showcase its love of Dana Point by representing it well and giving back to the land that started it all.

Learn more about Headlands Quality Goods at www.headlandshandmade.com. DP

Democratic Candidates Weigh in on Issues During Debate Candidates discussed their hopes of flipping the 49th congressional district to Democrat

BY EMILY RASMUSSEN AND ERIC HEINZ, DANA POINT TIMES

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he five Democratic candidates running for the 49th congressional district gathered on Feb. 20 at San Juan Hills High School in San Juan Capistrano, for a debate that included topics ranging from The Tolls Roads to the investigations on President Donald Trump.

With the retirement of Rep. Darrell Issa this year, the Democratic candidates are hoping to flip the 49th district that runs from San Juan Capistrano to Solana Beach from Republican to Democrat. The Democratic candidates are Doug Applegate, a San Clemente based civil rights attorney and retired Marine colonel; Sara Jacobs, who is based in San Diego County and has worked with the U.S. State Department; Paul Kerr, a Navy veteran and small business owner in San Diego County; Mike Levin, a San Juan Capistrano based attorney who focuses on environmental issues and government affairs; and Christina Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

Prejean, an Air Force veteran and attorney who represents veterans and sexual assault victims.

A key topic candidates will have to contend with as they get closer to the California Democratic Convention on Saturday and into the primary race is how to move—not necessarily what to do—with the spent nuclear fuel at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).

SONGS operators started storing the remainder of its spent nuclear fuel rods onsite, which is right next to the Pacific Ocean, a move that has drawn ire from every corner of Orange and San Diego counties.

When candidates were asked if they support the Trump administration’s plan to divert $120 million to find a nuclear waste storage facility and to reexamine Yucca Mountain until permanent storage is found, all of the candidates said they would support removing the fuel from SONGS campus, but had varying answers as to what to do with the radioactive material.

The five Democratic candidates running for the 49th congressional district met for a debate on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at San Juan Hills. Photo: Eric Heinz

Jacobs of Del Mar opened the answers by elevating SONGS to the most immediate issue needing to be addressed in the 49th.

“If something happens at San Onofre, it’s not only going to affect our favorite beaches and surfing spots; it’s going to affect the economy of the entire state of California and this country,” Jacobs said.

Another topic discussed in the district was opioid addiction. Last year, The Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHA) released a report that saw county increases in drug- and alcohol-related deaths from 2013 to 2015. Applegate said that big pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for overprescribing patients with opioids and that there needs to be more funds allocated to finding cures to illnesses and diseases.

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“We need research in biotech to come up with a cure, big (pharmaceutical companies) hate cures,” Applegate said.

Jacobs said that the opioid crisis is “tearing apart families” and that sober living homes and residential treatment facilities need more regulations. Levin noted that there are a disproportionate amount of residential treatment facilities and sober living homes in the 49th district, and added that there are rights for such establishments and for the communities surrounding them.

The Democratic candidates must receive 60 percent of the caucus vote for approval at their party’s state convention on Saturday, Feb. 24 in San Diego in order to be considered for endorsement of the California Democrats. DP www.danapointtimes.com

DP SOAPBOX Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor DROPPING THE HAMMER ON THE SMOKING BAN JIM DOWNEY, Dana Point

As usual, three Dana Point city councilmen took the easy way out to address a problem by using the hammer without any consideration of the impact on many of their constituents—not just smokers, but bar, restaurant, coffee shop and other businesses that will be affected by the reduced number of customers. Had they taken the time to look around and see how other more enlightened and considerate countries and cities have addressed the issue of smoking, perhaps they could have devised a better solution. Many countries have followed the example of Japan. Twenty years ago, Japan enacted and enforced very stiff fines for anyone that deposited a cigarette butt on the street. I wonder how many, if any, tickets have been issued for littering when a person disposes of their butt on the street? Why not attack the persons that are the problem rather than all of us considerate smokers?

Ten years ago, Japan banned smoking in any public areas including streets in busy shopping or tourist areas. But being considerate of other people and especially foreign tourists, Japan also set up many enclosed, outdoor, controlled smoking areas all around the cities and tourist areas.

Japan also allowed restaurants and bars to set up enclosed ventilated areas within their premises and on their property outdoors. Why can’t Dana Point councilmen take a considerate and enlightened approach and do this? Their present approach will have an impact on businesses in Dana Point.

I for one will not visit a restaurant or bar in Dana Point again until the situation is corrected. I also have volunteered to work at many functions in Dana Point for years.

This will end. And I will be sure to vote for anyone that challenges these three inconsiderate councilmen in the next election. I believe many other smokers and business owners will follow suit.

COUNCIL NEUTERS FISCAL WATCHDOG JULIAN JOSHUA, Dana Point

This past week, Mayor Viczorek and Mayor Pro Tem Muller agreed with Councilman Tomlinson’s Orwellian assault on free speech and open government and adopted a proposal to disband the current Financial Review Committee (FRC), firing all members before their terms expired.

Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

The FRC, the City’s fiscal “watchdog” has officially been defanged.

Earlier in the meeting, the Council majority voted against Council members Lewis and Wyatt who had agreed with the FRC’s unanimous proposal that the over $1 million annual City Attorney contract go out to competitive bidding for the first time in 16 years. This is unacceptable.

In the past year, the FRC has thrown a spotlight on critical matters like annual spending exceeding revenue almost every year in the last decade, waste in the city’s vehicle policy, failure to recoup costs of services to developers through user fees (not increased in 20 years), and excessive legal costs. In some cases, the Council majority clearly was not happy with FRC’s findings. That is not a bad thing: the FRC has been able to act effectively precisely because it was an effective watchdog independent of the Council majority.

Councilman Tomlinson decried this oversight role as a “politicization” of the review process, forgetting that every action in the public sphere is essentially political, especially if you don’t like it. It’s actually Tomlinson’s proposal that has now effectively “politicized” the Committee.

Mr. Tomlinson makes the Orwellian claim that letting the majority appoint the Committee would ensure it is truly independent. It seems to me that what was really irking him was precisely the fact that the Committee has demonstrated its independence of the Council. Sadly, this Committee has now been converted from an independent watchdog into a poodle of the majority.

The election of two new Council members last year on a bi-partisan reform platform shows that residents want accountability, and above all, transparency. This neutering of an important fiscal watchdog must be remembered when the Council majority faces reelection in November.

TCA MISSION STATEMENT CONTRADICTS ACTIONS TONY HAYS, San Clemente

The stated mission of the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) (as quoted from their website) is, “The TCA were created with the very clear mission of enhancing mobility in Orange County and Southern California by developing and operating publicly owned toll facilities as a part of the regional transportation system.”

Making decisions as to whether toll roads are the best solution to Orange County’s traffic problems is not part of the TCA’s mission, nor are there any criteria as to when the agency’s mission is to be accomplished, so its job, presumably, is to keep building until the whole of Orange County is covered in toll roads and it looks like a plate of spaghetti from the air. Either

that, or the California Legislature at some point decides that the TCA is doing more harm than good and shuts them down.

When should that time be? How about now? Write to your legislators, or visit www. notmytollroad.com and sign the petition.

THREE BLIND MICE SHOOT THE MESSENGER! (FRC) JIM KELLY, Dana Point resident

Our city has once again been denied “Best Practices Analysis” by voting not to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to see what the market place has to offer for its legal services as recommended by the Financial Review Committee(FRC). The City Council has failed to do this for the last 16 years. To issue an RFP is in no way a negative implication on our current attorney, it is simply the best way to make sure that the citizens of Dana Point are getting the best value for their money.

The FRC was created by unanimous vote by this very same Council last year.

It is made up of highly qualified and dedicated people that have functioned very well in its first year of existence while working with the city’s financial staff.

They have brought to light problems that needed addressing by the City Council that the financial staff would have difficulty doing without the FRC’s oversite.

Council members Muller, Viczorek and Tomlinson demonstrated their lack of open market competitive business experience by fearing that to issue an RFP for City Attorney services would be a rejection of our current city attorney. It is not. In fact, in my extensive experience in responding to, and creating RFP’s, the incumbent vendor has an advantage over other bidders because of their knowledge of their client. An RFP simply would have assured that the residents of Dana Point would get the best value for their money at this point in time.

To reject a recommendation by a “blue ribbon” committee that was hand-picked by each Council member is absurd and outrageous. The three blind mice’s hatred and disrespect for the other members of this Council is both palpable and disconcerting. It is blinding to their thought processes.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion in the paper, e-mail us at letters@ danapointtimes.com or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times reserves the right to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not responsible for the claims made or the information written by the writers.

34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 phone 949.388.7700 fax 949.388.9977 www.danapointtimes.com

HOW TO REACH US CITY EDITOR Daniel Ritz, 949.388.7700, x113 dritz@picketfencemedia.com SPORTS Zach Cavanagh, 949.388.7700, x110 zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com ADVERTISING PRINT AND ONLINE

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PICKET FENCE MEDIA PUBLISHER Norb Garrett EDITORIAL Group Managing Editor > Rachael Mattice City Editor, DP Times > Daniel Ritz City Editor, SC Times > Eric Heinz City Editor, The Capistrano Dispatch > Emily Rasmussen

> Debra Wells (San Juan Capistrano) Real Estate Sales Executive > Jennifer Guy ART/DESIGN Art Director > Jasmine Smith Graphic Designer > Chelsie Rex OPERATIONS

Sports Editor > Zach Cavanagh

Finance Director > Mike Reed

Special Projects Editor > Andrea PapagianisCamacho

General Manager > Alyssa Garrett

ADVERTISING/MULTIMEDIA MARKETING Associate Publisher > Lauralyn Loynes (Dana Point) > Susie Lantz (San Clemente)

Accounting & Distribution Manager > Tricia Zines SPECIAL THANKS Robert Miller CONTRIBUTORS Megan Bianco, Victor Carno, Jake Howard, Tim Trent

Dana Point Times, Vol. 11, Issue 8. The DP Times (www. danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes. com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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DP GETTING OUT Dana Point

YOUR SEVEN-DAY EVENT PLANNER

EDITOR’S PICK

Partnering with the Brown family, the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center is celebrating Bruce Brown’s life and accomplishments with a special remembrance exhibit. Photo: File

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24: A LIFE WELL LIVED’ EXHIBIT OPENING AT SHACC In a tribute to the master, the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center is celebrating Bruce Brown’s life and accomplishments with a special remembrance exhibit. Partnering with the Brown family, it will offer a unique, in-depth look at the life and times of the creator of The Endless Summer. 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente. 949.388.0313. www.surfingheritage.org.

The List What’s going on in and around town this week COMPILED BY VICTOR CARNO

Friday | 23 VFW DANA POINT POST 9934 FLAG RETIREMENT CEREMONY 5 p.m. The public is welcome to bring worn or tattered American flags, for a formal, dignified ceremony. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Dana Point Post 9934, along with local Boy and Girl Scout troops, will hold a ceremony on the beach at fire rings at Capistrano Beach Park to retire hundreds of flags. A presentation will be given explaining the importance of disposing of aged flags with dignity. Capistrano Beach Park, 35005 Beach Road, Capistrano Beach. www.vfwpost9934.org.

ADULT COLORING CLUB 10 a.m. Bring out your inner artist during the Dana Point Library’s adult coloring club. Supplies provided. The class occurs every Friday 10 a.m.-noon. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517.

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LIVE MUSIC: WATERMAN’S HARBOR 4-7 p.m. Join Waterman’s Harbor for live music with Hans & Janine every Friday.

Waterman’s Harbor. 34661 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point. 949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

ORANGE COUNTY WINE CRUISE 5:30 p.m. Join Dana Wharf for a 90-minute evening cruise aboard the luxury catamaran. The cruises run Friday and Sunday evenings. Tickets are $49. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. 34675 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT OVERVUE 8-11 p.m. A rotating lineup of musicians performs at OverVue Lounge at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott every Friday and Saturday night. 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point. 949.661.5000. www.lagunacliffs.com.

Saturday | 24 SATURDAYS AT THE SWALLOW’S INN 2:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Live music from rotating bands at the Swallow’s Inn. Burgers and wings from Lisa’s Kitchen also are available.

31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

(Cont. on page 8) www.danapointtimes.com

GETTING OUT (Cont. from page 7)

Sunday | 25 GUIDED NATURE HIKE 8-9:15 a.m. Join an Orange County Parks Ranger for a one-mile hike around Bell Canyon in Caspers Wilderness Park.

Parking is $5, the hike is free. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.923.2210. www.ocparks.com/ caspers.

FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shop for a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, plants and artisanal goods from organic growers along the north side of Avenida Del Mar. Parking is a premium, attendance is free.

243 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente.

949.361.8264. www.san-clemente.org.

YOGA ON TAP 11 a.m. Yoga on Tap is held at Left Coast’s tasting room in San Clemente.

This is a one-hour yoga class, followed by a pint of beer. It’s a great way to get to know your local fellow yogis and beer drinkers. The cost is $10. Left Coast Brewery, 1251 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente. 949.276.6014 or www.leftcoastbrewing.com.

Monday | 26 KOI FISH FEEDING 12:45 p.m. Every day, visitors are welcome to help Mission San Juan Capistrano feed their koi fish in both courtyards. Fish food is free for Mission Preservation Society members and $1 for non-members. 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano. 949.234.1300. www.missionsjc.com.

BINGO AT GOODY’S 7 p.m. Every Monday, Goody’s hosts a Bingo night for a charity of the week.

Cards are $1 per sleeve, and raffle prizes are offered. Goody’s Tavern. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949. 492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

COUNTRY DANCING AND ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR 7 p.m.-Midnight. Stop by the Swallow’s Inn for country dancing with DJ Patrick and a happy hour that lasts all day.

Enjoy a steak dinner for $13 when you are finished with the dance floor. 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.3188. www.swallowsinn.com.

Tuesday | 27 TODDLER STORYTIME 10:30 a.m. Join the Library for stories, activities and songs for children under 3 years old. “Stay and play” with puzzles and toys after story-time. Registration is Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

not required. Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517. www.ocpl.org.

Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point.

949.764.3474. www.watermandp.com.

STAND-UP COMEDY 101 7-10 p.m. Students of Stand-Up is hosting a six week workshop for beginners interested in comedy. This workshop will teach basic joke writing techniques, setups, punchlines, and how to minimize stage fright. The six week workshop is $265 and a 20 percent discount is offered for returning students. Camino Real Playhouse. 31776 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano. 949.489.8082. www.studentsofstandup.com.

HAPA J’S TACO TUESDAY 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Join Hapa J’s for a taco Tuesday that reaches beyond your average chicken or carne asada tacos. Enjoy seared ahi poke, kalbi short rib and kalua pig tacos in addition to the more traditional selections. 2016 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.276.6675. www.hapajs.com.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 6-10 p.m. Singer/songwriters perform at The Point Restaurant open mic every Tuesday. Bring your instrument and your voice; The Point supplies the sound system. 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949.464.5700. www.thepointrestaurantandbar.com.

FREE COMEDY AT BLOOMS IRISH SPORTS BAR 8:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, free comedy at Blooms Irish Sports Bar with food and

drink specials. There will be local and professional talent. 2391 S. El Camino Real, San Clemente. 949.218.0120.

Thursday | 01 COASTMASTERS’ (TOASTMASTERS) 7-8:30 a.m. Join the members of the Coastmasters every Thursday to improve speaking and leadership skills. 34451 Ensenada Place, Dana Point. Adjacent to Baby Beach at OC Sailing and Events Center. www. coastmaster.org.

HAVE AN EVENT? Submit it to Dana Point Times by going to www.danapointtimes.com, and clicking “Submit an Event” under the “Getting Out” tab.

KARAOKE AT GOODY’S 8 p.m. Karaoke every Tuesday night at Goody’s Tavern in San Clemente. 206 S. El Camino Real. 949.492.3400. www.goodystavern.com.

Wednesday | 28 CASA KIDS: STORY TIME 10-11 a.m. Casa Romantica welcomes children ages 1-7 for a picture book reading every Wedneday in their courtyard. A question and answer session and a dance will be held after each story. Admission is free. 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente.

949.498.2139. www.casaromantica.org.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME 10:30 a.m. Join the library for stories and activities for children 3-5 years old. “Stay and Play” with puzzles and toys after story time. Registration is not required. Dana Point Library. 33841 Niguel Road, Dana Point. 949.496.5517. www.ocpl.org.

FRENCH CONVERSATION CLUB 2-4 p.m. Every Wednesday. Look for the table with the French flag surrounded by a group of people speaking French. No cost to join. Café Calypso. 114 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. 949.493.5228, or 949.369.5482.

Photo: Marvel Studios

At the Movies: Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Saves Studio’s Day

BY MEGAN BIANCO, DANA POINT TIMES

B

OLD CAPISTRANO CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET 3-6 p.m. Stop by and check out some locally grown, organic produce and artisan goodies at a farmers market that has been going strong for over 15 years. Free admission. Historic Town Center Park.

31852 El Camino Real, San Juan Capistrano.

949.493.4700. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.

MIXOLOGY UNIVERSITY 7 p.m. Every Wednesday, Waterman’s Harbor bartenders and mixology experts teach guests how to make the restaurant’s cocktails. Guests will have the opportunity to make and taste three cocktails.

Event is $25. Waterman’s Harbor. 34661 Page 8

y now, it’s pretty obvious that Marvel movies are fool-proof, no matter how underwhelming or barely decent the quality of the blockbuster might be. The mega franchise celebrates its 10th anniversary this year since 2008’s Iron Man, and even when critical disappointments like Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor: The Dark World (2013) or Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) occur, they still do well financially. But the current Marvel release, Black Panther, is one of the more original superhero films to come out in terms of direction.

Days after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), Prince T’Challa of Wakanda (Chadwick Boseman) is still mourning the death of his father, King T’Chaka (John Kani). At the same time, a new villain, Erik Stevens (Michael B.

Jordan) is on Earth ready to overthrow the Wakanda government in revenge for the murder of his own father by T’Chaka.

T’Challa’s former flame and Wakanda spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and his precocious, tech-savvy little sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) work alongside T’Challa to better Wakanda as a nation. Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya and Angela Bassett co-star.

Black Panther is directed and co-written

by Ryan Coogler of Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015) fame, and this is another success in his rise from indie cred to studio filmmaker. Much like the Guardians of the Galaxy flicks, Panther’s atmosphere and environment aren’t as typically comic-book style as you would think with something like Spider-Man or Batman. The characters are fresh, and some political questions are brought up in a surprisingly fluid way. DP www.danapointtimes.com

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

FROM THE MAYOR

Meet the Festival of Whales Logo Contest Winner

Welcome to the 47th Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales

T

he migration of gray whales along Dana Point’s beautiful coastline is one of the most spectacular sites one can experience. Whether standing on the shore, the cliffs or taking in an adventure at sea, the thrill and beauty of seeing these giants of the ocean never disappoints. It’s for this remarkable e perience that Dana Point celebrates the estival of Whales every year.

Over two weekends in March, Dana Point is alive with activities. icking off the estival is the memorable parade down Pacific Coast Highway ending with the Street air at La Plaza Park. estival activities range from rt in the Park, classic car displays, the Diamond Dig for kids and band performances at Baby Beach.

Whale watching excursions take place every day of the Festival.

This year, we have a very special treat. Serving as grand marshal of the estival of Whales is the commanding officer of the .S. Marines Corps’ 5th Marine egiment, Colonel eorge C. Schreffler III. Dana Point is home to the 5th Marine egiment Support roup, one of the largest and most successful Marine egiment Support roups in Orange County. We are proud of our Marines and are very pleased to honor Col. Schreffler III and his 5th Marines as a part of this year’s celebration. he Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash is not to be missed. Building and racing a boat made out of cardboard and duct tape requires creativity, ingenuity and a certain bravado. nother one of my favorite events is the Whale of a Pancake breakfast at Baby Beach.

Don’t forget to make time to shop and dine around town. Our local merchants are what make Dana Point special for residents and visitors alike. Be sure to visit www. festivalofwhales.com to learn about all of the family-friendly events offered. Shuttle services and water taxis are available to take you to and from events.

This is the time of year that makes us proud to be a part of this special coastal community. I hope you and your family and friends join the fun at this year’s Festival of Whales.

I look forward to seeing you!

Mayor Richard A. Viczorek

FRANKIE MICHINOCK

I

s we embark on the 4 th annual Festival of Whales, it is important to look back at the natural and human history of this iconic celebration. Scientists believe gray whales have long used the Dana Point Headlands as a

BY ANDREA SWAYNE, EVENT COORDINATOR wayfinding landmark on their annual roundtrip migration between their cold Arctic feeding grounds and the warm water birthing and calving lagoons of Baja Mexico. It is this annual 10,000-mile magical migration that served as the original inspiration for the Festival.

Whale watching in the area was the idea of the late San Clemente High School science teacher Philip rignon who convinced sportfishing company owner Don Hansen to run whale watching excursions for students. Hansen started these trips from the San Clemente Pier in the late 1960s, where his fishing operation was then running. Hansen moved to Dana Point as Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching ust before the Harbor opened in 19 1 and put the city on the map as a great place to see whales in their natural environment. lthough, that first year, the estival of Whales, created by Hansen and rignon, was a yet unnamed and informal celebration of the annual migration of the huge marine mammals, so began the 4 -year tradition of celebrating the big grays. he idea for the estival’s creation is also credited to two local women. rignon gave some credit for the idea to his San Clemente High School colleague Patricia Cassi. nd the late Orange County/Dana Point historian Doris Walker is credited with organizing the first estival of Whales Parade in 19 3. It began as a costume parade for children, and under her guidance continued to grow each year. It is now an epic kickoff with floats, bands, giant helium balloons and more, parading down Pacific Coast Highway on opening day.

As the Festival nears its golden anniversary, its original spirit continues to flourish, making it one of the most highly anticipated, fun and exciting events of the year. Join us and be amazed, entertained and inspired to appreciate and protect the ma estic ocean life right off the coast of beautiful Dana Point. •

The Festival of Whales: A Brief History

Festivalofwhales.com

of people. I wanted it to resonate with everyone who calls this town home.”

When speaking about the technicalities behind her design, Michinock spoke confidently.

“I wanted the whale to be the main focus, held by the waves and supported by Dana Point, Michinock explained. “I have always loved Disney and have been inspired by their three-tier visuals too.”

She said the whale tail is meant to be “held” by the waves in the sea and its central position is symbolic to the mammal’s cultural and historical relevance in Dana Point.

The orange dot in the background represents both the sun and the point in Dana Point, a key geographical location in Orange County.

Color choice was also a large focus for Michinock in her winning design.

“I usually don’t focus too much on colors,” she admitted. “I prefer to work in gray-scale. However, in this design, I relied heavily on my understanding of the Pantone scale that I recently studied in college. fter graduating from California State niversityullerton in spring 201 with a double ma or in illustration and graphic design, Michinock is actively pursuing her passions in Orange County. hese days, she said she is excited by innovative and creative package design, the intersection of beauty and tangibility.

I’ve always been focused on function-first art. If it isn’t useful, I’m not interested,” Michinock said. •

t shouldn’t have been a surprise when Frankie Michinock, 23, of Laguna Niguel, admitted that she didn’t have a printed copy of her award-winning 2018 Festival of Whales graphic. fter being identified as one of the top five logo designers from over 0 entries by the Festival of Whales Foundation Board of Directors, Michinock—who is rather humble—was blown away after being named a finalist, and later received just under 1,000 votes in the public voting section hosted on social media. Not long after the polls closed on social media she was crowned, leaving little time to absorb the news in full.

“I still can’t believe this. I’m in shock,” Michinock exclaimed while looking overwhelmed with the attention. “It’s unbelievable. I can’t thank my friends, family and everyone who voted enough.”

Home town pride and pressure This was Michinock’s third time entering the Festival of Whales logo design contest. The Laguna Niguel resident and Dana Hills High School graduate placed fourth her sophomore year of high school in 2010 and second in 2012, but said she has always identified with Dana Point as home and definitely felt motivated and a bit of pressure—from her home-town pride while designing this year’s award-winning graphic.

Michinock said that it was during her time at Dana Hills, under the motivational tutelage of Visual and Performing rts Department Chair Natalie Hribar-Kelly, that she began to believe in her skills in the arts.

For her latest entry, Michinock said she was inspired by the graphics on the trolleys that circulate Dana Point for the design.

“I wanted to give my design a timeless feel,” Michinock said. “All of the designs (in the past) were incredible, but I thought it was important to create a graphic that appealed to a wide variety

South Orange County local Frankie Michinock stands with her award-winning logo design at Ken Sampson Overview Gazebo in Dana Point. Photo: Daniel Ritz

OTHER LOGO CONTEST FINALISTS

SECOND PLACE

Mika Denny Santa Ana

PAGE 3

THIRD PLACE

STEPHEN DORSEY Sabin, MN

danapointtimes.com

FOURTH PLACE

TORY ELENA Ventura

FIFTH PLACE

VICTOR SOKOLOW Capistrano Beach

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

Cetacean Creation

Dana Hills students set sail in search of inspiration amongst the waves

BY DANIEL RITZ

A

nxious energy rippled through the air as 58 Dana Hills High School (DHHS) students prepared to board Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching’s boat the Dana Pride.

Each year, students from DHHS fine art classes including .P. studio art, video production and drawing and painting classes set sail out of the Dana Point Harbor in order to gain inspiration for creative projects to be displayed and sold during the annual Festival of Whales celebration.

DHHS fine art teachers rista odriguez and Chau Tran, whose classes were attending this year’s Festival of Whales inspiration trip, voiced that this whale watching experience has more to offer their students through the challenges it presents, than its leisure.

“The tones of the water, the texture of the skin of the animals, it all becomes so much more real. You can emulate as many things as you want, but there is nothing like the real thing,” Tran said.

For some students, the Festival of Whales inspiration trip is a routine day on the water, for others, never before explored territory, but for all, growth is formed from stepping outside of

Might as Whale Take a Selfie!

the stable platform of the classroom, and stepping foot into the wind and the waves.

Sky Hernandez, a unior at DHHS, had never been on a boat before this trip. When asked how that could be, she responded simply, saying that she was afraid of the ocean.

“I’ll go to the beach sometimes, but I have never been on a boat. To be honest, I’m afraid of the ocean, Hernandez said, adding that her older sister inspired her to attend. odriguez voiced that this is not an uncommon experience for students in her DHHS classes.

“For a lot of us, the ocean and things like boats are second nature, odriguez said.

“But we have to remember that for some, just because it is close doesn’t mean it’s their reality. Boats are expensive and time consuming; it’s amazing to be able to bring these kids into a new world right in their own backyard.”

For some DHHS Students, in retrospect, the most inspiring moments may have been what they have learned about themselves as much as any natural elements.

“It’s beautiful, I had no idea. I’m a little shaky, but I like it, Hernandez said calmly, sitting on the back deck of the Dana Pride. Succumbing to sea-sickness earlier in the trip, she now sat firmly planted on the deck, eyes peeled for her prized gem a gray whale.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Melanie Shams, a senior at DHHS, combs the deck of the Dana Pride like a sailor who has earned her sea legs.

That’s because she has. he 1 -year-old video production student is attending the trip to work on her video editing and interviewing skills. Shams, who aspires to be a lawyer, seems to float along the boat as others warily cling to the rails for support.

Her comfort is evident; managing her movement on the boat as opposed to surviving the rise and fall of each step, Shams is taking advantage of the opportunity to intertwine her passion and her education.

Occasionally cracking a smile, Shams maintains an obvious sense of control amongst her classmates, keeping her own personal progression to herself.

Once the Dana Pride returned to the Harbor, the students seemed to have settled in. Quietly and contently taking in their surroundings, a majority appear more contemplative; sitting along the railings with their feet hanging over the passing waves below.

It’s astonishing, odriguez said. What you learn when you aren’t in complete control of all of the elements.” •

Find a Photo Opp Stop, snap a pic and post it to Instagram with the hashtags #festivalofwhales and #danapointharbor for a chance to win great prizes!

Festivalofwhales.com

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47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

Festival of Whales Merchandise MERCHANDISE BOOTH LOCATIONS March 3 • Street Fair at La Plaza Park • Dana Wharf (In front of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in the center of the large parking island) • El Torito Courtyard

Parking and FREE Shuttle Information The FREE shuttle runs each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and services most parking lots and event locations. Daily and $3 per hour ($6 minimum) parking is available at Doheny State Beach at the numerous automated payment machine kiosks located throughout the park, or better yet through the Passport Parking app available for smartphones and tablets at www. ppprk.com/park. he benefit of the Passport Parking payment application is, in addition to making the initial payment for parking, time can also be added remotely from your phone or tablet.

March 4 • Ocean Awareness Day at Baby Beach • Dana Wharf (In front of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in the center of the large parking island) • El Torito Courtyard March 10 • Dana Wharf (In front of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in the center of the large parking island) • Along the Harbor walkway • Near the Clam Chowder Cook-Off at Baby Beach March 11 • Near the Concert on the Water/Spirits Garden at Baby Beach • Dana Wharf (In front of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching in the center of the large parking island) • Along the Harbor walkway

Getting Around the Festival

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! The Dana Point Festival of Whales 2018 merchandise offering will include short sleeve T-shirts in youth and unisex adult sizes. Youth sizes will be available in tropical blue and indigo blue and adult sizes in ice gray, white and navy blue.

Adult long sleeve tees and zip-front hoodies will be available in charcoal gray and navy blue. Five-panel snapback trucker hats will come in charcoal and white/navy. A sport pack backpack and classic tote bag in white will also be offered.

Items may also be purchased online at www.festivalofwhales.com

Walking Directions from OCTA Bus Stop For those guests that are utilizing the OCTA bus stops on PCH, you can reach the Festival by walking down Dana Point Harbor Drive to the Harbor’s Golden Lantern entrance area or you can enter Doheny State Beach (direction sign at bus stop near bridge), walk along the barrier fence, then proceed toward the beach to the marked Festival of Whales shuttle stop. Ride the shuttle FREE to all event locations.

Parade Day Shuttle (March 3 only) FREE shuttle service will be available one hour prior to the Festival of Whales Parade. Park in the Harbor or at Doheny State Beach and ride to the drop-off location for the northerly Parade Announcer Stand. At the conclusion of the Parade, meet at the drop-off location and the shuttle will return you to the Harbor.

Street Fair Shuttle (March 3 only) FREE shuttle service will be available from all Harbor locations to the Street Fair from Noon to 4 p.m.

Water Taxi Daily service during the Festival will be offered between Dana Wharf and the Ocean Institute from noon to 5 p.m. Round trip tickets are $5 per person. Take in all the great sights from the water! Your captain will share interesting facts and features about the Dana Point area and its fascinating history.

Whale of a Concert Shuttle (March 11 only) FREE shuttle service will extend until 6 p.m.

Event Map

Festivalofwhales.com

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danapointtimes.com

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

FESTIVAL Schedule of Events WEEKEND ONE SATURday, March 3 Whale of a Sand Sculpting Competition 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Baby Beach 15 Festival of Whales Parade 10 a.m. Pacific Coast Highway 1

SATURday, March 10

SUNday, March 11

Whale of a Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Baby Beach 15

Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Baby Beach 15

Whale Walk Painting 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Doheny State Beach 16

Boat Builders’ Breaky and BBQ on the Beach 8 a.m.-Noon. OC Sailing & Events Center 15

Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Harbor walkway near Mariners Village 6

Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Harpoon Henry’s 13

Sailing & Stand-up Paddling Clinic 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Westwind Sailing, OC Sailing & Event Center 7

Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Harpoon Henry’s 13 Street Fair 10 a.m.-3 p.m. La Plaza Park 2 Ocean Institute Education Center 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ocean Institute 5 SoCal Woodies Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11 The Legendary Corvette Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11 Sailing & Stand-Up Paddling Clinic 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Westwind Sailing, OC Sailing & Event Center 7 Art in the Park 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive 12 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Harbor walkway near Mariners Village 6 Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

WEEKEND TWO

SUNday, March 4

Ocean Institute Education Center 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Wyland Art Lessons in the Wild 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. OCean Adventures catamaran, Dana Wharf Dock 3

SoCal Woodies Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11 The Legendary Corvette Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11 Art in the Park 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive 12 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Harbor walkway near Mariners Village 6 Ocean Awareness Day 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Baby Beach 15 Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ocean Institute 5 Diamond Dig 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Baby Beach 15 Whale of a BBQ 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Baby Beach Park 15 Kids Fishing Clinic and Trip Noon-12:30 p.m.; 12:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m.

Dana Wharf Docks 3 Harbor Music Series Noon-3 p.m. Dana Wharf, Mariners Village 10

Whale of a Beach Cleanup - FESTIVAL OF WHALES TOAST TO THE COAST 9 a.m.-Noon. Doheny State Beach 16 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Harbor walkway near Mariners Village 6 Wyland Art Lessons in the Wild 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. OCean Adventures catamaran, Dana Wharf Dock 3 Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Harpoon Henry’s 13

British Invasion Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11 Sailing & Stand-up Paddling Clinic 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Westwind Sailing, OC Sailing & Event Center 7 Art in the Park 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive 12

British Invasion Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Harbor walkway 11

Harbor Music Series Noon -3 p.m. Dana Wharf, Mariners Village 10

Antique & Classic Boat Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. East Marina Parking Lot 6

Whale of a Concert on the Water Noon - 5 p.m. Baby Beach 15

Art in the Park 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive 12

Whale of a Concert BBQ and Spirits Garden Noon - 5 p.m. Baby Beach 15

Dana Hills High School Young Artists Show and Sale 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Island Way and Dana Point Harbor 12

Kids Fishing Clinic and Trip Noon-12:30 p.m.; 12:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m.

Dana Wharf Docks 3

Seventh Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Baby Beach 15 Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Walking Tour of Town Center 2 p.m. Blue Lantern Street/Pacific Coast Highway 8

Harbor Music Series Noon -3 p.m. Mariners Village 10

Whale of a Rubber Ducky Derby 2 p.m. Baby Beach 15

Harbor Music Series Noon-3 p.m. Dana Wharf, Mariners Village 10

Drone Demo 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Dana Wharf Whale Watching 3

Capt. Dave’s Presents “Entangled Whales: What Can We Do?” 2 p.m.-3 p.m. OC Sailing & Event Center 9 Drone Demo 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Dana Wharf Whale Watching 3

Festivalofwhales.com

Ocean Institute Education Center 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Whale’s Tale Tallship Sailing Adventure 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Whale of a Pizza Party 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Baby Beach 15

Drone Demo 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Dana Wharf Whale Watching 3

Marine Mammal Lecture Series 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Harpoon Henry’s 13

Ocean Institute Education Center 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Capt. Dave’s Under the Sea Eco Carnival Noon-2 p.m. Capt. Dave’s Dolphin Deck near Baby Beach 4

Dana Point Historical society Walking Tour of Town Center 2 p.m. Blue Lantern Street/Pacific Coast Highway 8

Purple numbers coincide with map locations on page 6.

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Drone Demo 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Dana Wharf Whale Watching 3 FILM Screening: ‘Sonic Sea’ 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Ocean Institute 5

Whale Watching Every Day of the Event Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Ocean Institute 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Whale Watch from the Bluff Headlands Nature Interpretive Center 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

EVENTS & ATTractions

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

The Festival of Whales Parade

to first, second and third places. 6 per rubber duck or two for $10. Attendees need not be present to win. 15 Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash March 10; 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Westwind Sailing hosts the 3rd annual Cardboard Classic & Dinghy Dash, a fun-filled, family oriented day that includes a cardboard boat building contest (Cardboard Classic) and race (the Dinghy Dash), exhibition booths, food, music and awards. It’s fun for competitors and spectators alike. Teams will work through the morning designing and building their crafts with cardboard and duct tape and then compete by age division in the afternoon, racing in the Harbor with nothing but a paddle and their cardboard ships. $40 per team. Sign up at www.festivalofwhales.com. 15

Purple numbers

coincide with map locations on page 6.

Annual Events

The Festival of Whales Parade March 3; 10 a.m.

The Festival of Whales Parade kicks off the two-weekend celebration of the California gray whale migration with a route along Pacific Coast Highway beginning at Selva Road and ending at Golden Lantern. The parade embraces the Festival’s “Magical Migration” theme, with parade floats, costumes and giant helium parade balloons. The parade also includes a variety of bands, classic automobiles, business and military entries. www.festivalofwhales.com.1 Street Fair March 3; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Pet Project Foundation hosts the Street Fair and Whales and Tails Wag-a-Thon at La Plaza Park. Shop at over 70 vendor booths, enjoy music, food trucks, a kiddie area, pet costume contest, souvenirs, a chance to win great prizes and more. www.petprojectfoundation.org 2 Sand Sculpting Competition March 3; 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

OC Parks presents a day of fun, sun and creativity for families, friends and sand sculpting enthusiasts. Contestants may choose to build whales, ocean creatures, pirates and ships, surfing or tropical island-themed creations.

Walk-up entries accepted. 15

Doheny State Beach Whale Walk Painting March 4; 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Help paint a life-sized whale to add to the collection on the Doheny State Beach “Whale Walk” near Boneyard Beach Café. Paint and brushes will be supplied. Free and open to the public. 949.233.0476 or edneely@dohenystatebeach.org. 16 Ocean Awareness Day March 4; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Presented by the Dana Point Harbor Association, Ocean Awareness Day features interactive displays, demonstrations and entertainment showcasing ocean and environmental programs and issues related to our ocean.

949.923.2255, www.danapointharbor.com. 15 Diamond Dig March 4; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club hosts the pirate-themed Diamond Dig at Baby Beach.

For one hour, guests dig for buried treasure, including toys, prizes and for one lucky pirate, a beautiful piece of diamond jewelry donated

by Marinelli Fine Jewelry. Tickets are $20.

949.204.7084 or www.monarchbeachrotary. com. 15 Whale of a Rubber Ducky Derby March 4; 2 p.m.

The Whale of a Rubber Ducky Derby is a fun spin on the traditional “Rubber Ducky Race” at Baby Beach. Duckies may be purchased the day of the event at the Dana Point Woman’s Club booth at Baby Beach. Prizes will be awarded Festivalofwhales.com

Whale of a Beach Cleanup – Festival of Whales Toast to the Coast!

March 10; 9 a.m.-noon Bring work gloves and a recyclable bag or bucket and help clean up Doheny State Beach.

Meet Park Naturalist Vicki at the lifeguard headquarters and learn more about how to help maintain our precious coastal resources.16

Arts and Culture

Art in the Park March 3, 4, 10, 11; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Local artists display an impressive variety of fine art and craft for sale at the corner of Island Way and Dana Point Harbor Drive. The Dana Point Historical Society will provide free information on local history and display historic photos, books and gifts for purchase. 12 Dana Point Fine Arts Association Show & Sale March 3, 4, 10, 11; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

The Dana Point Fine Arts Association hosts an art show and sale on the Harbor Boardwalk adjacent to the boat docks in Mariner’s Village to the east of The Coffee Importers and Harpoon Henry’s. Watercolor, oil, acrylic, colored pencil, pastels and photography by many awardwinning local artists will be available. www. danapointfinearts.org. 6 Dana Point Historical Society Walking Tour of Town Center March 3, 4; 2 p.m.

See and hear the stories of historic landmarks such as S.H. Woodruff’s 1920s planned community and Bluff Top harbor views, circa 1818 to 1939, that represent the area’s early history.

949.248.8121 or museum@danapointhistorical.org. 8 PAGE 8

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Dana Hills High School Young Artists Show and Sale March 10; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

High school art students display artwork for show and sale in a variety of mediums on the Harbor walkway at Island Way. 12

CLASSIC CAR AND BOAT DISPLAYS

SoCal Woodies car show March 3, 4; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The best from the Southern California Chapter of the National Woodie Club. The Club’s goal is to promote the woodie car, and the role it has played in automotive history and California surf culture. 11 Pacific Coast Corvettes Presents the Legendary Vette March 3, 4; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Harbor walkway will be replete with several generations of Corvettes. Enjoy a variety of beautifully restored and preserved examples of the classic American sports car known colloquially as the Vette. 11 Antique & Classic Boat Show March 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Antique & Classic Boat Society will display a variety of vessels. The ACBS is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of historic, antique and classic boats, as well as providing education about the vessels’ heritage.

6 British Invasion March 10, 11; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Stroll the Harbor walkway to see a unique display of fine British motorcars including ustinHealeys, Jaguars, Triumphs and more. 11

DANA WHARF WHALE WATCHING AND MORE Marine Mammal Lecture Series March 3, 4, 10, 11; 10-11 a.m.

This special lecture series includes continental breakfast at Harpoon Henry’s. It’s perfect for those who want a one-on-one educational e perience. irsten Donald, March 3 Pacific Marine Mammal Center; Alisa SchulmanJaniger, (March 4) California Orcas/Gray Whale Census; Todd Mansur, (March 10) Gray Whale Foundation; Justin Viezbicke, (March 11) NOAA Fisheries Entanglement Response. www.danawharf.com. 3 (Cont. on page 10)

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

restaurants and organizations and then vote for your favorite. aste every entry for 10. Prizes awarded for People’s Choice, Best Booth Design and Mayor’s Choice. he Perpetual rophy will be presented at 4 p.m. ame booths for all, and a beer and wine garden for adults over 21 with a valid ID. www.fishforlife.org. 15 Boat Builders’ Breaky and BBQ on the Beach March 10; 8 a.m.-noon Breakfast is served by the Veritas Lodge at the OC Sailing & Event Center. uel up while watching or participating in the Cardboard Classic/ Dinghy Dash boat building contest and race at Baby Beach. 1

Diamond Dig

Whale of a Concert BBQ and Spirits Garden March 11; Noon-5 p.m.

En oy scrumptious barbecue specialties and a Spirits arden for those over 21 with a valid ID while en oying the Concert on the Water at Baby Beach. 15

Purple numbers coincide with map locations on page 6.

Cont. from page 8 Kids Free Fishing Clinic and Free Fishing Trip March 4, 11; Noon–12:30 p.m.; 12:45 p.m.-5:15 p.m. ree dockside fishing clinic where children will learn hands-on fishing techni ues from the e perts and have the chance to win fun prizes. fter the clinic, Dana Wharf will run a fishing trip from 12:45-5:15 p.m. ree for kids with a paid adult. 46 license and e uipment.

949.496.5 94, www.danawharf.com. 3 Wyland Whale Watching Art Lessons in the Wild March 3, 10; 10-10:45 a.m.

Learn from one of the masters of marine art with a dockside presentation and art lesson aboard the OCean Adventures catamaran, via video feed, by renowned environmental artist, Wyland. uests will learn how Wyland has created some of the most well known marine wildlife paintings and sculptures. 5 per child. Children receive a free whale watching trip ticket to use after the lesson. www.danawharf.com. 3 Drone Demo March 3, 4, 10, 11; 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. here will be a 30-minute presentation during the 2.5-hour delu e whale watching trips demonstrating how drone operators get the perfect shot while maintaining a safe distance from whales and other marine wildlife. dult guests receive a copy of Dana Wharf’s DVD, the Shores off Dana Point 20 value . 3

DOLPHIN SAFARI WHALE WATCHING AND MORE Capt. Dave’s Under the Sea Eco Carnival March 10; Noon-2 p.m.

Bounce the day away in the under-the sea bounce houses, take photos at the selfie station and learn how you can do your part to keep our ocean clean. Dive deep with Captain Dave’s

one-of-a-kind underwater viewing pod simulation, and more. ll ages are welcome. Carnival is free; face painting is available for a small fee.

949.488.2828, www.dolphinsafari.com. 4 Capt. Dave’s Presents: ‘Entangled Whales: What Can We Do?’ March 10; 2-3 p.m.

Learn about recent disentanglements that Captain Dave and others were involved with, including the first disentanglement effort of a blue whale that recently made national headlines. Discover more about what is being done, including new e uipment Capt. Dave is developing for tracking whales. OC Sailing and Events Center, 34451 Ensenada Place.

949.488.2828. www.dolphinsafari.com. 4

LIVE MUSIC

Harbor Music Series March 3, 4, 10, 11; Noon-3 p.m. he Dana Point Harbor ssociation hosts live music soloists and small ensembles in a variety of styles in the Dana Wharf Courtyard, and on the grassy area at Harpoon Henry’s near Mariner’s Village. 949.923.2255. www.danapointharbor.com. 3 Whale of a Concert on the Water March 11; Noon-5 p.m.

Head to Baby Beach for a free outdoor concert.

Bands perform on the water atop a floating stage. he concert features three bands: nesha ose & Midnight Whiskey Noon-1 p.m. , he rip 1:30-3 p.m. and he PettyBreakers 3:30-5 p.m. . 949.248.3530. 15

FOOD OPTIONS

Whale of a Pizza Party March 3; 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. rab a slice of Beach Harbor Pizza and a drink, served up by the Veritas Lodge ad acent to Baby Beach during the sand sculpting contest. 15 Whale of a Pancake Breakfast March 4; 8-10:30 a.m. oin the Dana Point Woman’s Club for a pancake breakfast ad acent to Baby Beach. While there, purchase a rubber ducky for the club’s ubber Ducky Derby later in the day. 15 Whale of a BBQ March 4; 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. hamburger and hotdog barbecue will be served up by the nights of Columbus ad acent to Baby Beach during Ocean wareness Day. 15 Seventh Annual Whale of a Clam Chowder Cook-Off March 10; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sample a variety of tasty chowders from local Festivalofwhales.com

OCEAN INSTITUTE WHALE WATCHING AND MORE OCEAN institute education center Weekend on the Wharf March 3, 4; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

E plore the history of sailing along the California shore. Learn how sailing impacted development of Dana Point via interactive history discussions about ichard Henry Dana r. See a whaling e hibition, tour the historic tall ship Brig Pilgrim, and more. Discounted admission 5, this weekend only. 949.496.22 4. www.ocean-institute.org. 5 OCEAN institute education center Magical Migration March 10, 11; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ake a hands-on ourney into the mysterious and captivating world of whales and e plore

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a variety of fascinating phenomena uni ue to these magnificent animals. ollow the migration of the gray whale as you move through the facility, starting in Ba a, moving on to the California Coast, and ending up in laska. ickets 10 for non-member adults, .50 for non-member seniors and children. Members and children under 2 are free. 949.496.22 4. www.ocean-institute.org. 5 Whale Watching Eco Tours aboard the R/V Sea Explorer March 3, 4, 10, 11; 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. oin marine educators in e ploring the ocean from top to bottom while searching for some of the world’s largest and smallest creatures during the 1.5-hour cruise. 949.496.22 4. www.ocean-institute.org. 5 Whale’s Tale Sailing Adventure aboard the Spirit of Dana Point March 3, 4, 10, 11; 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

E plore how time and discovery have shaped man’s perception of the gray whale on this tall ship sailing adventure while gaining insight into man’s evolving relationship with the ocean and the giants that roam the California Coast. dults 60; children 12 and under; minimum age 4 are 40. Members receive a 10 percent discount. Weekend admission to the Institute is included with the sail ticket purchase.

949.496.22 4. www.ocean-institute.org. 5 Film Screening: ‘Sonic Sea’ and Q&A with Filmmaker March 11; 6-8 p.m. he Ocean Institute is honored to host a screening of Sonic Sea, an Emmy-winning film about protecting sea life from the destructive effects of oceanic noise pollution. Learn more about the film, noise pollution and the Natural esources Defense Council during a uestion-and-answer-session with co-director and co-producer Daniel Hinerfeld after the film. ickets 10 in advance or 15 at the door. Cash bar, for those over 21 with valid ID food and refreshments available for purchase.

949.496.22 4. www.ocean-institute.org. 5

SAILING AND PADDLING

Sailing Rides March 3, 4, 11; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ake a sailing ride and learn how to steer and sail a Capri 14. ges 5 and up. ickets are 15 per boat with a three-person ma imum per boat. Call Westwind Sailing for details.

949.492.3035. 7 Stand-Up Paddling Clinics March 3, 4, 11; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. oin the S P craze during a 45-minute clinic.

Each clinic is held on the hour, depending on weather and conditions. ges 12 and up; 12to 14-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. ickets are 10 per person. Life ackets are provided. Call Westwind Sailing for details.

949.492.3035. 7

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

Set Your Sights on Whale Watching While in Dana Point for the Festival of Whales, there are many options for visitors to see ocean wildlife up close.

Choose from three businesses offering different whale watching experiences.

Captain Dave’s Whale Watching Safari

Captain Dave’s provides trips aboard their customized catamarans, which allow guests to get up close and personal with wildlife. The Mantue’a offers eye-to-eye underwater viewing pods and a hydrophone to hear below the surface. Multiple trips are planned for both weekends of the Festival. Tickets vary depending on the trip and range from $20 to $65.

24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive. 949.488. 2828. www.dolphinsafari.com.

Dana Wharf Whale Watching

Hop aboard one of Dana Wharf’s adventure cruises for a chance to catch a glimpse into the huge variety of underwater wildlife with their multiple whale watching trips every day. Cruises depart on the hour and are narrated by expert captains aboard a variety of vessels. Tickets vary, but range from $15 to $55.

34675 Street of the Golden Lantern. 949.496.5794. www.danawharf.com.

Ocean Institute

Join the Ocean Institute’s scientists on a whale watching cruise aboard the R/V Sea Explorer. The 2.5-hour cruise will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 3; 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 4; 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 10; and 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. Tickets are $45 for adults, $35 for seniors and active duty military members and $25 for children.

24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive. 949.496.2274. www.ocean-institute.com.

Land Locked? Walk along the bluff-top Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center’s 3 miles of trails to view the whale migration from above.

The Center is open daily from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and the trails are accessible from 7 a.m. to sunset. 34558 Scenic Drive. 949.248.3527. www.danapoint.org.

47th annual festival of whales March 3-4 & 10-11, 2018

Whale Entanglement and How Whale Watchers Can Help

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BY DAVE ANDERSON

here are a remarkable number of year-round whales and dolphins just off of the coast of Dana Point.

Throughout the year, various species can be seen including blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales, and the gray whales that Dana Point is celebrating with our annual festival.

With so many beautiful animals to encounter, like it or not, whale watchers are on the front lines for protecting and helping whales, regardless of if they’re on a commercial whale watching vessel or operating their own recreational boat. Anyone who watches whales may be the first to spot one in trouble, and as a result, most rescues begin with a sighting from a whale watching boat. Without help, injured or entangled whales can suffer greatly and die.

In 2016, the most recent year that official federal data became available, 71 whales were reported entangled off of the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. This includes 54 reported humpback whales, four reported endangered blue whales and one killer whale. 2016 represents the highest annual total of reported whale entanglements off of the U.S. West Coast since NOAA Fisheries began record keeping in 1982. An estimated 308,000 dolphins and whales worldwide die every year because of fishing gear entanglement.

The majority of these entangled whales were spotted and reported first by whale watchers.

Many of these vessels not only reported these animals to the proper authorities, but also stayed with the whales until trained rescue teams could arrive. This action resulted in some whales surviving their entanglements.

Unfortunately, however, the majority of whale disentanglement efforts fail to remove all of the entangled gear, and as a result, the entangled whales often die later.

The vast majority of whale and dolphin entanglements worldwide are caused by active fishing gear. Dungeness crab traps are the primary source of entanglements off of California.

In 2016, 19 humpback whales were reported as entangled in commercial crab trap fishery gear.

The rope and buoy attached to the crab traps are what entangles the whale. So, if we eliminate the rope and buoy, we could end the majority of the entanglements.

As I write this, I am in Australia to meet with the president of Fiomarine Industries, an innovative company that has designed and built an electronic pop-up buoy called the Fiobuoy. The device allows the rope and buoy to stay coiled up on the bottom of the ocean until a fisherman flips a switch on his boat. A sonic release is triggered and the buoy and rope float to the surface. The Fiobuoy will automatically provide its location to the fisherman and the local ish

Tips for Safe Whale Watching Whale watching is fun, but there are important precautions you should take to ensure your safety and the safety of the whales. We asked National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Education Coordinator Alicia Keefe to share guidelines for whale watchers and boaters at this year’s Festival of Whales and beyond.

Photo: Craig DeWitt/Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari

and ame uthority to prevent loss, or fishing in restricted areas. The buoy has a fail-safe electronic and galvanic release that can be set to release whenever a fisherman chooses. he Fiobuoy has the potential to eliminate most entanglements.

An individual buoy can cost about $10,000. I convinced the CEO of Fiomarine, John Fiotakis, to send me one of these buoys in the hopes we could get crab fishermen off of California to try it. John assured me that if he received an order of 200,000 Fiobuoys, the equivalent of the number of Dungeness crab traps currently operating off of California, he could mass produce them and lower the price to about $300 each.

Crab fishermen and conservation organizations have formed a working group off of Central California to solve the problem of entanglement. Conservation groups like the Center for Biological Diversity have sued to stop the problem. And lawmakers are considering legislation to prevent it. Commercial crab fishing has not changed much in the last century. Maybe it’s time to bring crab fishing into the 21st century. If not Fiobuoy then some similar technology can certainly be fine-tuned to eliminate these entangling ropes and buoys.

After all, how much is a whale worth?

If we can end the Dungeness crab trap entanglements here in California, then we can do the same on the East Coast as well, where endangered right whales risk extinction because of entanglement in similar gear, (along with some other issues, but the biggest cause of death is entanglement), according to a recent NOAA report. And then the U.S. can be a model to help solve this problem worldwide, where we are losing nearly 1,000 dolphins and whales every day to entanglement.

After whale watching the last few weeks off of New Zealand and Australia, I can once again Festivalofwhales.com

tell you that we have some of the best whale and dolphin watching in the world in Southern California. Thankfully, most whales we see off California are healthy and free of entanglements.

What you can do to help whales If you spot an entangled whale, please call 1.877.767.9425 or hail the U.S. Coast Guard on Channel 16. For your safety, do not approach the animal or attempt disentanglement.

Remain at a safe distance, and if possible, stay with the whale until trained rescue teams arrive or another boat can relieve you. Make a note of the location and species of the whale or a description. Without getting too close, try to get photos or videos of the entanglement, which can provide helpful information to rescuers.

This stage is critical as most reported whales are lost if no one stays with them.

Buy .S. caught fish. We have more restrictions on our fishing and less bycatch than many other countries. These restrictions mean that fish cost more to catch in the .S. and imports are likely cheaper. That is unfair to .S. fishermen. Importing fish caught without as many rules means more whales, dolphins and other animals die. The Marine Mammal Protection ct MMP specifically bans this type of trade and prohibits importing seafood that is caught with more bycatch than our U.S. fisheries allow our fishermen to have. However, this law is not being well enforced.

You can support new laws that protect whales and dolphins with the enforcement of the MMPA. • Capt. Dave Anderson, along with his wife Gisele, owns Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari.

He formed Orange County Whale Rescue and has been involved in many whale disentanglement efforts.

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Guidelines for all whale watchers • Whale watching can be a positive and enriching experience when conducted responsibly. We must remember that our presence has an effect on whales and their habitat. Just like us, whales need space to find food, choose mates, raise young, socialize and rest. When we get too close, approach too fast, or make too much noise, we can interrupt natural behaviors and cause unnecessary stress.

• Stay at least 100 yards away from all marine mammals.

• Be cautious and quiet when around areas of known or suspected wildlife activity, at haul-outs, and bird colonies.

• It is illegal to harass marine mammals, which means to disrupt their natural behaviors including feeding, nursing, resting and migration. To report violations, call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline: 1.800.853.1964.

Additional guidelines for boaters • Look in all directions before planning your approach or departure from viewing wildlife.

• Reduce your speed to less than 7 knots while in the presence of marine mammals.

• Move parallel to the animal’s direction of travel and keep their path clear. Do not approach from the front or from behind.

Avoid any abrupt course changes.

• When whales are traveling close to shore, stay on their offshore side.

• If a whale approaches you, put the engine in neutral and allow the whale to pass.

• View whales for no more than 30 minutes. This will reduce the cumulative impact of all vessels and give consideration to other viewers.

For more information, visit www.bewhalewise.org.

The website is continually updated with new information.

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PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE ARCHIVES

GUEST OPINION: On Life and Love after 50 by Tom Blake

Romance at the Bargain Box Thrift Shop in San Clemente

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he Bargain Box Thrift Shop, located at 526 N. El Camino Real in San Clemente, is a wonderful place.

It’s run by volunteers from the Assistance League of Capistrano Valley. All proceeds from sales there are put back into the local community.

The funds are used to provide new school clothing to families who need assistance in the Capistrano Unified School District. Also funded are new school clothing and toddler clothing giveaways at Camp Pendleton.

The Thrift Shop is the main source of income for the Assistance League of Capistrano Valley philanthropies.

Working at the thrift shop, volunteers Nancy Cormier and Donna O’Donnell meet a lot of ON LIFE AND interesting people. They LOVE AFTER 50 said they had no idea that

By Tom Blake their shop was also a place for senior romance—until two weeks ago.

That’s when a couple named Craig and Ilda Kendall came in to their thrift shop to do some serious shopping. Craig told Nancy and Donna, “The Bargain Box Thrift Shop has special meaning to us.

That’s why we stop here whenever we are near San Clemente.”

The two women were curious, particularly because Craig and Ilda said they live in Calimesa, near Big Bear Lake, not exactly in the South County area. The women wanted to know more about this attractive couple.

Craig said, “Your thrift store was the perfect place for me to propose to Ilda.

You see, we both love antiques, nice clothes and jewelry. Our families both spent time on the beach in San Clemente when we were kids. We are amazed that San Clemente has retained its friendly, beach-town atmosphere.

“In 2010, when Ilda and I were here, it just hit me, and I asked her to marry me right in the shop.”

“Eight years ago?” Donna asked, thinking Craig and Ilda probably married shortly after that.

Ilda said, “To celebrate our wedding, and to ‘pay it forward’ to others less fortunate than us, we stopped here today. As always, when here, the volunteers are so friendly and kind. It is obvious you love working here.”

“So, when did you tie the knot?” Donna asked.

“Three weeks ago,” Ilda replied.

Donna and Nancy were dumbfounded.

They looked at each other and said this is a story for Tom Blake’s On Life and Love after 50 column in the newspaper.

Craig gave Donna and Nancy their email address and telephone number, and then Nancy took a photo of them as they left the Thrift Shop.

The two women sent me an email. My challenge was to contact Craig and Ilda, to gather a little more information. Because my partner Greta and I were going to Palm Springs on Valentine’s Day for a week, time was of the essence.

As Greta and I were driving on Palm Canyon Drive into Palm Springs, my cell phone rang. It was Craig and Ilda. I explained where we were, and Craig said, “That is an amazing coincidence!”

He and Ilda were on their way to Palm Springs as well. We thought about meeting

Photo: Gilloon. Courtesy of the Surfing Heritage & Culture Center (SHACC)

DANA COVE Taken early in the 1960s, this photograph shows people enjoying the beach inside Dana Cove before the Harbor was built.

The Surfing Heritage & Culture Center (SHACC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, promote and accurately present surfing’s heritage and cultural impact for the appreciation and education of current and future generations. To purchase these and other historic surf culture images, go to www.shaccprints.org.

Every week, the Dana Point Times will showcase a historical photo from around the city. If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, send the photo, your name for credit as well as the date and location of the photo to editorial@danapointtimes.com.

for dinner, but it was Valentine’s Day and the restaurants were already booked.

Greta and I just happened to have some wine with us, and we ended up meeting Craig and Ilda at the Palm Springs Tennis Club where we were staying. We popped the corks and got to know them in person.

Craig is 72. Ilda is 67. They knew each other in 1962 when living in Riverside. It was apparent from the conversation that Craig had had a keen eye for Ilda since then, although both had married and gone their separate ways.

After Craig was divorced and Ilda was widowed, they reconnected on Match.com and had their first date at the Five Crowns Restaurant in Corona Del Mar in 2010. At that time, Craig lived in Running Springs and Ilda lived in Crestline, near Big Bear.

Greta and I could not believe that a se-

nior romance that began at the Bargain Box Thrift Shop in San Clemente eight years before led to a totally impromptu meeting with Craig and Ilda at the Palm Springs Tennis Club on Valentine’s Day, 2018.

Never give up on love; you just never know where or when it’s going to happen.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and a former Dana Point businessman who has authored several books on middle-aged dating. See his websites www.findingloveafter50. com; www.vicsta.comand www.travelafter55. com. To receive Tom’s weekly online newsletter, sign up at www.findingloveafter50.com.

Email: tompblake@gmail.com. DP PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our community, Dana Point Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the Dana Point Times or Picket Fence Media. If you would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

Pet of the Week: Chestnut Sudoku

BY MYLES MELLOR

DANA POINT TIMES

T

his handsome guy is Chestnut, a ragdoll mix looking for his purrfect home. Found as a stray, Chestnut is still learning to trust and can be timid initially. He is finally starting to come out of his shell and is figuring out which are his favorite toys. Chestnut would likely fit best with a quiet family.

If you would like to know more about Chestnut, please call the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter at 949.492.1617, or visit with him at 221 Avenida Fabricante, San Clemente. DP

Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles come in three grades: easy, medium and difficult. Level: Medium

Last week’s solution:

Chestnut. Photo: Courtesy

Page 9

See the solution in next week’s issue.

www.danapointtimes.com

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS Dana Point Point Dana

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Dolphin Report

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dana Hills High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.

Girls Basketball Can’t Connect Late in Second-Round Loss

Dana Hills’ Colin Reider wrestles in preparation for the CIF-SS Masters meet on Feb. 23. Reider is Dana Hills’ first Masters qualifier since 2013. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

Master Grinder Dana Hills wrestler Colin Reider rode his work ethic, grinding style to CIF placing, Masters qualification

BY ZACH CAVANAGH, DANA POINT TIMES

W

hen following the results of the Dana Hills High School wrestling team all season, senior Colin Reider wouldn’t necessarily have been the pick for last man standing.

There were more than a few Dolphins with technical talent and multiple podium finishes. But Reider wrestles with his head and placed no higher than seventh this season.

When the dust settled and other wrestlers were thrown to the side in the CIF-SS Coastal Division tournament at Westminster High School on Feb. 17, there was Reider on the podium in fourth place at 138 lbs. as Dana Hills’ first CIF Masters qualifier since 2013.

“It’s still unreal,” Reider said. “Going into CIF, I was thinking that I just wanted to place (in the top eight) and then making it as far as I did … I made it on the first day.

I won the first three matches. After that third match, I was crying. I just couldn’t stop. Even thinking about it still, I’ll get a little teary eyed.”

Reider won his first three matches by pin, including his quarterfinal win over the No. 2 seed to punch his ticket to the

Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

semifinals and Masters qualification.

“You should have seen how emotional he was when he beat the guy in the quarterfinals,” Dana Hills coach Reza Abedi said. “That guy was clearly better, but (Reider) just drilled his head. He wrestles with his head, just put his head down and that’s how he beat that guy. He literally grinded that guy down and made him quit.”

The match was perfectly emblematic of Reider’s style. While it was usually one-point decisions and not always pins, Reider is a hard worker that brandishes his physicality over technical ability.

“I’m not the most built guy,” Reider said. “I’m pretty athletic, but for me, it’s toughing it out. Coaches say you’ve got to want it. At this point for me, it’s all a mental game. I don’t have advanced moves. I’m only getting to where I am because I’m not quitting.”

After a long and demanding season, that mental fortitude is key for Reider as he moves on to the Masters meet on Feb. 23 at Temecula Valley High.

“That’s how you win matches from here on,” Abedi said. “After league finals, the kids that mentally stay sharp can win. I don’t doubt it if this kid goes top 10 and goes to state because that’s how he is.”

Reider is the last Dolphin competing, but he’s not the last one in the wrestling room. His teammates still join him in practice with senior captain Levi Jones as a grappling partner.

It’s different for Reider, but he’s trying to stay level in hopes of moving on one more week.

“I never felt like I was the best on the team or anything,” Reider said. “But being the only one going on, it’s made me see everything different. I’m trying to keep the same head going into Masters as I did CIF.” DP

Dana Hills High School battled back and forth through three quarters with Summit of Fontana on Feb. 17.

The Dolphins grabbed a lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but that was ultimately their last breath. Dana Hills inexplicably lost its shooting touch and energy as Summit went on a 21-0 run to pull away in a 64-49 win at Dana Hills.

“Nothing would go in,” Dana Hills coach Anne Honey said. “Normally, in the fourth quarter is our explosion quarter, and we couldn’t buy a basket. We were getting opportunities, but we just couldn’t put the ball through.”

Dana Hills had won its first Sea View League title since 2013 and first outright league title in program history. The Dolphins also earned a first-round bye in Division 2A but lost their first playoff game for the third consecutive season.

Maya McArthur was a force down low for Dana Hills and led the team in points with 17. Maice Saia scored 14 points with four 3-pointers, and Olivia Chambers scored 12 points.

Girls Water Polo Can’t Ride Wild Card Momentum After blowing past Palm Desert in their Division 3 wild card game, 16-5, on Feb.

14, Dana Hills continued on the very next day on the road at Claremont in the first round.

The Dolphins run ended abruptly with a loss, 13-7.

Julia Reznicek scored a hat trick to pace Dana Hills. Ally Meredith, Cate Hill, Lauren Bellavia and Kat Bescansenceny each scored a goal. Hill, Bellavia and Meredith each added two assists.

Kaylyn Pierce made eight saves in net.

Dana Hills finished third in the South Coast League this season.

Boys Soccer Falls in First Round Dana Hills made its first playoff appearance since 2013, but the Dolphins are still looking for their first playoff win in after a first-round loss at Estancia, 4-1, on Feb. 16.

Dana Hills got a strong start as Bobby Reynolds scored in the third minute off an assist from Kasra Diba, but the high did not last all that long.

Estancia tied the game up before halftime and put in three goals in the second half. One of Estancia’s scores was an own goal off a Dana Hills defender.

Dana Hills finished second in the Sea View League this season.

Girls Soccer Downed by JSerra Again After a JSerra uniform violation, Dana Hills had the luxury of a first-round home game, but the Lions ruined any celebration with a 6-1 victory.

The Dolphins lost to JSerra for the second consecutive season and in the first round for the fourth straight season.

Dana Hills scored in the first half and trailed by one at halftime, but the defending CIF-SS champion JSerra scored four second-half goals to pull away.

Dana Hills finished third in the South Coast League this season. DP

Dana Hills’ Maya McArthur attempts a shot in girls basketball’s CIF-SS Division 2A second-round game against Summit of Fontana on Feb. 17. Photo: Zach Cavanagh

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Hundreds will gather to celebrate the life and work of Dana Point icon Hobie Alter in the Hobie Vintage Surfboard Festival at La Plaza Park. Photo: Courtesy of Hobie Surf Shops

On Display First annual Hobie Vintage Surfboard Festival will be hosted in Dana Point’s La Plaza Park

BY DANIEL RITZ, DANA POINT TIMES

O

n Sunday, Feb. 25, hundreds of surfers and their surfboards, will gather for a first of its kind event as Hobie Surf Shops, The Vintage Surfboard Collectors Club (VSCC) and the city of Dana Point host the first annual Hobie Vintage Surfboard Festival at La Plaza Park.

Members of the general public are welcome to join the more than 30 members of the VSCC who will be bringing their vintage collections of skate and surfboards. Along with the assuredly eclectic mix of boards on display to buy and sell, there will also be special “Best of Show Hobie Surfboard” and “Best of Show Hobie Memorabilia” awards given out at approximately 2:30 p.m. Winners of these categories will each win $500 gift cards from Hobie.

Randy Hild from the VSCC said he believed the event held equal opportunity to educate as well as celebrate.

“We not only want to celebrate the past life and work of Hobie Alter; we want to share his passion and contributions with a new generation. There’s a spider web of Hobie throughout the history and culture of surfing in California,” Hild said. “That’s why we’ve partnered with the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center and have a display from them in each of our stores.”

Page 12

Other collaborative partners and sponsors include Crank & Grind, Surfboards and Coffee, Surfers Healing, The Ocean Institute and The Surfrider Foundation.

Hild credited Dana Point City Manager Mark Denny with the idea of the VSCC and Hobie collaboration, saying that Denny approached him after the VSCC swap event at Doheny in late 2017.

“Mark appreciates that Dana Point has made significant contributions to surfing history and culture. After recently losing Dana Point icons like Hobie Alter, Bruce Brown and John Severson, we want to celebrate these origins,” Hild said.

“So much of the history of surfing happened right here,” Denny said. “It’s really cool that we can have events like these and celebrate the culture of this city literally blocks from where legends like Hobie left their legacies.”

Tracey Engelking works in marketing and events at Hobie Surfshops and said that she is excited for the day’s finale when Gary Larson will shape a unique Hobie Surfboard glassed with cloth from iconic Hawaiian shirt producer Reyn Spooner.

She was also excited that the store will be full of experts that can guide and educate on the various surfing artifacts normally hung high in the rafters in Hobie Surf Shops.

“We have an amazing variety of boards and memorabilia here in our Dana Point store and we are excited to bring them down for people to touch and feel while surrounded by a community of experts that can teach them all about them,” Hild said.

The event will begin at 8 a.m. La Plaza Park is located at 34174 Pacific Coast Hwy. For more information, visit www.hobiesurfshop.com or call 949.496.2366. DP www.danapointtimes.com

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DP SURF

GROM OF THE WEEK

RYANN DALY

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

A

San Onofre, pictured here in the early 1930s. A lot’s changed since then, but not everything. The stoke remains the same.

Photo: Don James/Surfing Heritage and Culture Center

No Surf? How About a History Lesson?

With a downer surf forecast for the rest of the winter, here’s a brief look back at the evolution of San Onofre

BY JAKE HOWARD, DANA POINT TIMES

S

o, anyone else notice it’s been an unusually slow winter for surf? We had that one run of swell in mid-January, but otherwise, it’s been a slow stretch. And now we’re starting to stare March in the eyes with no real signs of improvement.

Thumbing through the forecast on Surfline’s mobile app this morning, I’m not holding my breath for anything over kneeto waist-high for the next couple of weeks.

“It’s a good time to get stuff done—like work—I guess,” commiserated one of my friends.

With that in mind, in another of my futile attempts to “get organized,” last weekend I was going through some of my old writing files when I stumbled upon a research project I’d worked on for Jim Kempton some years back. You’ve most likely read Jim’s eloquence in the San Clemente Times. At the time I did this project for him, he was running the San Onofre Foundation. He’d asked me to compile as many factoids about San O as I could dig Dana Point Times February 23-March 1, 2018

up. A bit of a history nerd myself, I jumped into the effort in earnest.

To be honest, I don’t know what Jim ever did with the work, but as I was reading over it yesterday, with the surf as flat as it was and a lull in the competitive action, I wanted to share some of the little gems I found.

For starters, the name. It is likely the park gets its name from Saint Onophrius, an obscure Christian monk who lived as a hermit in the Egyptian desert. The name “Onofre” is commonly used in Spanish and Portuguese, and when early Spanish explorers made their way north from San Diego in search of an inland route to Monterey, some historians believe they named the area after the saint.

Originally, San Onofre referred to much of the expanse of coast between the communities of San Clemente and Oceanside.

It’s worth noting that some people in Italy pray to Saint Onuphrius when they have lost something, as it is thought that repeating the prayer while looking for something—such as lost keys or a misplaced iPhone—will help in finding it. Given how many sets of keys are lost and never found in the sand at San O every summer, the effectiveness of this prayer is debatable.

The oldest “beach shack” at San O dates back 9,000 years. It was known as the village of Panhe and was established by the Acjachemen Nation, the park’s original inhabitants. The remains of the village can still be found on the state park grounds. It’s also the site of the first baptism in California.

On the surfing front, anybody who rides waves around here should have a brief appreciation for just how San Onofre came to be one of the birthplaces of surf culture on the West Coast. It was first surfed in the early 1920s, although it’s still debated who the first person to surf at San Onofre was.

Some say it was Laguna Beach’s George “Peanuts” Larson. Others contend it was Matt Brown and Lorrin “Whitey” Harrison. Given that was nearly 100 years ago, the mystery will probably never be solved conclusively, but it’s fun to banter about.

By the late 1920s, you could find an average of 50-75 surfers at San Onofre on any given day. Back then it cost “two bits,” or two quarters, to get in for the day. Today, that number of surfers in the water has blossomed to hundreds and it costs $15 to get into the California State Park for the day.

The San Onofre Surfing Club was loosely formed in 1951. In early 1952, the club tightened up its program by hiring paid gate guards who checked for the official club windshield decal. The original logo of the San Onofre Surf Club was fashioned by artist Don Smith, a machinist for Disney. The first formal meeting of the San Onofre Surfing Club was called to order by Dr. Barney Wilkes on the beach on April 24, 1952. This meeting established the club bylaws (as prepared

by Andre Jahan), annual dues, the club budget and banking procedures, membership cards, decals, beach access control, beach maintenance as well as rules of conduct and access as agreed upon with the Marine Corps.

It wasn’t until 1971 that a decree from then-President Richard Nixon created San Onofre State Beach. He was supported by then-Governor Ronald Regan. Today, San Onofre State Park is one of the most popular parks in California, drawing millions of visitors every year.

Unfortunately, as I write this, Southern California Edison is in the process of burying spent nuclear waste from the shuttered power plant on the shoreline. It’s anybody’s guess where this next chapter in our local history is going to take us. DP

Page 14

n eighth-grader at Marco Forster Middle School, 13-year-old Ryann Daly’s one of the next generation that’s leading the charge in Dana Point. A distinguished member of the Dana Point Surf Club, she first jumped on a board when she was 7 years old and has hardly stepped off since.

“I love to surf at Salt Creek on a daily basis, but sometimes I switch it up and go to San O,” Daly said. “I really like Creek because it has diversity and provides different types of waves to perform on.

“I love the ocean and being surrounded by people who enjoy it just as much,” Daly continued. “I am my happiest when I am out in the water seeing friends and surfing fun waves, especially in the summer when the water is warm and we spend all day at the beach.”

Hard to argue with warm water and summer days on the beach with friends.

But Daly’s also putting in the hard yards and working to improve her skills.

When asked where she thinks the sport will take her in 10 years, she explained, “I plan to work hard on improving and reaching the goals I have set for myself. I want to continue to have fun with this amazing sport and keep a healthy, happy lifestyle.

I hope to surf for Dana Hills High School next year and throughout high school. I plan to keep traveling and finding new and exciting waves around the world.”

With an outlook and attitude like that, there’s little question that Daly’s well on her way to achieving whatever goals she sets for herself. DP

Ryann Daly. Photo: Courtesy of the Daly Family

SURF FORECAST Water Temperature: 57-60 degrees F Water Visibility and Conditions: San Clemente: 5-8’ Fair Catalina: 15-20’ Fair-Good Outlook: The swell combo gradually builds over the weekend with 2-3’ surf at the better breaks and occasional sets to 4’ at best south exposed spots.

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