…..Between Storms……Story & Photos by John Vonderlin

Between Storms: Visit to Pomponio Beach

Story & photos by John Vonderlin

Email John ([email protected])

Hi June,

Pomponio Creek was running high and had formed a lagoon at its beach. While where the creek entered the ocean was easily fordable, I didn’t feel like clomping around in my rubber boots, so I used the “People’s Bridge” to cross it. This natural bridge, formed by a large tree trunk that spans the creek right below Highway 1, allows access to the southern portion of the beach without bushwhacking or wading.

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If you’re allergic to poison oak or hate to get your feet wet it’s a handy, if slightly derring-do, method to reach the best flotsam-collecting area.

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This particular day a crab pot buoy with its attached 150- foot rope heavily entangled in kelp was the only prize I found. The rope was the most tar-fouled one I’ve ever seen. The tar was substantially different from the tar balls that came ashore a few weeks ago. It was stickier and smelled different. I suspect it was the remnants of the heavy fuel oil from the Cosco Busan. That’s fine with me though, as that gives it more cachet when I use it in my still-growing “Battering Ram” artplay project. That’s the one composed of battered, oozing creosote, telephone or power poles, that I wrap in coils of the rope I recover and untangle. Enjoy. John

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