Many thanks, Al. I did not know about the Vantuna Research Group. They are doing important work to save our coast and habitat. I really enjoyed watching their film, nicely done. As a side, wearing suba gear and slowly swimming through a kelp forest is one of the wonderful experiences a person can enjoy.
Very interesting Al,
Since the reef is actually just below where my home sits, I have followed the project since before its inception.
First – It is in one way, a good thing as it does appear to be very successful in generating a great marine habitat and reproduction site. VRG should be recognized for a good concept.
But my concern is and has been its location just within the outfall impact of the Montrose Superfund DDT deposit. The semi-treated sewage ocean outlet (maybe at most two mies south) is just offshore of White Point which is pictured in several shots in the early portion of the film.
My home above the Trump Clubhouse and golf course allowed me to observe the dumping of the rocks into the ocean and generate a visible plume of the DDT laden bottom sediments.
There were warnings posted to not eat several varieties of bottom and shellfish from the area long before the reef project was initiated. Where the reef was constructed, I previously observed dumping of a heavy drilling mud type material in one attempt to cover the DDT sediments. That was reported as not successful for it was too irregular and the contamination extended beyond the area they attempted to cover.
I have regularly observed what I assume to be research vessels in grid pattern working this area as I assume they are sampling to continue to identify the spread and concentration of the pesticide.
And the continued movement of the Palos Verdes landslide will definitely continue to bring silt and material in the shore current onto the reef. You could see how extensive that impact had been and it is definitely still moving as I can attest as I drive through the area almost daily. (Last Tuesday and
Wednesday the L A County Sanitation district was again repositioning upslope the two above ground sewer lines that stretch across the landslide). Right now the movement is slower for water lubricates the material and drought means slower rate of movement.
I did write to object to the reef construction. My point remains that I judge life growing in that contaminated environment should not be encouraged. And unless the landslide is halted, its continued push of material will just slowly rebury the area. When we get rain again, the landslide will begin to quickly bury the reef.
The concept definitely worked but it is in the wrong place. Why they could not find a spot with significantly less contamination or sediment movement I did not understand. There seemed to be grant money that had to be spent and millions were spent on the experiment.
Don Bell
Hey Don, thanks for your perspective on this. I am sure the whole thing is an experiment, the take away is that the ocean does have the power to heal itself very quickly. Maybe next time they will do it in a better location?
flies, sand & surf 
Many thanks, Al. I did not know about the Vantuna Research Group. They are doing important work to save our coast and habitat. I really enjoyed watching their film, nicely done. As a side, wearing suba gear and slowly swimming through a kelp forest is one of the wonderful experiences a person can enjoy.
warren
Very interesting Al,
Since the reef is actually just below where my home sits, I have followed the project since before its inception.
First – It is in one way, a good thing as it does appear to be very successful in generating a great marine habitat and reproduction site. VRG should be recognized for a good concept.
But my concern is and has been its location just within the outfall impact of the Montrose Superfund DDT deposit. The semi-treated sewage ocean outlet (maybe at most two mies south) is just offshore of White Point which is pictured in several shots in the early portion of the film.
My home above the Trump Clubhouse and golf course allowed me to observe the dumping of the rocks into the ocean and generate a visible plume of the DDT laden bottom sediments.
There were warnings posted to not eat several varieties of bottom and shellfish from the area long before the reef project was initiated. Where the reef was constructed, I previously observed dumping of a heavy drilling mud type material in one attempt to cover the DDT sediments. That was reported as not successful for it was too irregular and the contamination extended beyond the area they attempted to cover.
I have regularly observed what I assume to be research vessels in grid pattern working this area as I assume they are sampling to continue to identify the spread and concentration of the pesticide.
And the continued movement of the Palos Verdes landslide will definitely continue to bring silt and material in the shore current onto the reef. You could see how extensive that impact had been and it is definitely still moving as I can attest as I drive through the area almost daily. (Last Tuesday and
Wednesday the L A County Sanitation district was again repositioning upslope the two above ground sewer lines that stretch across the landslide). Right now the movement is slower for water lubricates the material and drought means slower rate of movement.
I did write to object to the reef construction. My point remains that I judge life growing in that contaminated environment should not be encouraged. And unless the landslide is halted, its continued push of material will just slowly rebury the area. When we get rain again, the landslide will begin to quickly bury the reef.
The concept definitely worked but it is in the wrong place. Why they could not find a spot with significantly less contamination or sediment movement I did not understand. There seemed to be grant money that had to be spent and millions were spent on the experiment.
Don Bell
Hey Don, thanks for your perspective on this. I am sure the whole thing is an experiment, the take away is that the ocean does have the power to heal itself very quickly. Maybe next time they will do it in a better location?
Shows the power that the ocean has to heal itself with a little help. Very encouraging.
Sent from my iPad
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Hi Al,Thanks for the film of a great restoration.Jerry