Editor’s notebook -- Danette Goulet

I had an epiphany the other morning.

I was driving down Pacific Coast Highway and was just at the top of

the hill at Seapoint Drive. As is my habit, I looked out over the ocean

taking in the view. What I saw made me sigh and smile contentedly. The

waves looked small but clean, there were about a dozen surfers bobbing

there just south of Lifeguard Tower 16 and a smattering farther down

along the surf zone. I took a snap shot in my mind.

Then it occurred to me -- there is a plan floating out there, just

waiting for the approval of two more state and federal agencies, to

destroy this view and the south end of this beach.

I personally reported on the proposed $100-million Bolsa Chica

restoration plan, which would restore full tidal flooding to the wetlands

by cutting away a 360-foot stretch of beach to create an inlet.

At the time I reported this, I did it in a detached, nonpersonal way.

Sure, there were some concerns in the back of my mind, but I was in my

objective reporter mode -- a mode I will return to when the project is

back in the news lest anyone worry about fair coverage.

But looking at this area Saturday morning, as someone who lives, works

and plays in Huntington Beach -- someone who cares about this place -- I

realized the idea stinks.

Although I would like to see the wetlands rejuvenated, I don’t think

it should be done at the expense of this popular and beautiful beach.

We lament the selfish decision of the duck hunters 100 years ago, to

block off the passage of water at the other end of the wetlands, so that

hunting would be easier and more fruitful. They took it upon themselves

to make a major change to something created in nature. It is something

man has done with ever increasing frequency over the years. But in recent

years, environmentalists have begun to try to preserve the integrity of

nature. The California Coastal Commission was created to protect nature.

Protect it from those who would destroy its integrity. And yet, they have

failed in that charge by approving this plan and have become the

destroyers. Despite good intentions, the plan will destroy one part of

nature to benefit another.

Although they are not being self-serving as the duck hunters were, if

this plan makes it through, they are no better.

I don’t know what the answer is to restoring the wetlands. Perhaps it

is to cut the inlet back where it was (Sorry Jack in the Box.) Or perhaps

it is an area already destroyed by man and that’s it.

But let’s not destroy yet another treasure in nature in an attempt to

right an old wrong.

Some say, we have plenty of miles of beach, and so people think losing

this one section is no big deal. But that is what they once thought of

the thousands of miles of wetlands that stretched the length of the

California coast.

* DANETTE GOULET is the city editor. She can be reached at (714)

965-7170 or by e-mail at o7 danette.goulet@latimes.comf7 .