New simplicity for a new year

Simplicity.

The silhouette of a solitary surfer.

Pink clouds touched by the warmth of dawn.

Dolphin fins arching through cool ocean waters.

A child’s fingers wrapped around my hand.

The flutter of a hummingbird outside my window.

New Years Day: 2006.

The earliest hint of dawn sprinkles the eastern sky with rays of light streaming upwards from the horizon. The night’s stars vanish into blue grey, while the lap of tiny waves beckons me from my sleeping bag.

I pull on paddling pants and a warm hat and quietly slip toward the water. My traveling companions snooze in their tents, soon to peek drowsily toward the beginnings of this new day. Husband Steve doesn’t grumble, but reluctantly follows. We drag our kayaks down the sand and slip into the cool liquid of morning.

We paddle east across the bay of Ensenada Blanca toward the mounting colors of the dawn. Soft vermillion gives way to hues of persimmon, cardinal and scarlet. Clouds hug the horizon and scatter the sun’s rays across the horizon. The sea turns deep red with reflected light. Water droplets sparkle as they drip from our paddle blades. We float in still waters.

We need no words at this honored moment. The tip of our sun, giant orb of life giving light, breaks through the cloud layer and spreads wide her brilliant glow. While all the world is not at peace, in this moment, for us, there is nothing but the rock of the tidal currents, the call of the seabirds, and the flash and twist of small fish. There is nothing but this perfect moment. We breathe in the pungent moist air and offer thanks for this bounty.

As if to remind me of the richness -- and fragility -- in which I float, an osprey tugs with talons on the slope side, ripping vine scraps to add to her nest. Osprey had slipped to the brink of extinction in the not-too-distant past, a casualty -- along with other raptors -- of DDT. Through a banning of the pesticide (although it is still used in some foreign countries) and a careful program, which included the introduction of artificial platforms for nesting, the bird’s numbers continue to rise.

We can learn from our mistakes, and we can alter our courses of action. The Sea of Cortez in the area of Loreto offers a prime example of marine preservation. Citizens, concerned by the dwindling resources of the sea caused primarily by trawler and purse-seiner fishing, petitioned the government in 1992 to protect the waters. With persistence and vigilance, their efforts were rewarded. In 1996, President Zedillo decreed the waters from Isla Coranado south to Isla Catalina to be included in Parque Marino Nacional Bahia de Loreto (Loreto Bay National Marine Park). The establishment of the park prevents commercial fishing while working to study and implement plans to expand the growth of dwindling species.

We in the States have much to learn from these efforts. Our own waters, once abundant with species, are overfished. Pollutants continue to haunt our beaches, and programs to clean up our inland partners’ contributions seem stalled or nonexistent.

There are bright spots. Programs that rebuild wetlands, such as those instituted by the City of Laguna Niguel, Irvine and Costa Mesa, are making tremendous contributions. These treatment wetlands naturally filter neighborhood wastewater, removing pollutants and debris before the waters reach the ocean. As an almost generous side effect, these wetlands also provide much-needed resting areas for migratory waterfowl.

Simplicity. The reintroduction of what has been lost to development. Let nature work her bountiful magic. Legislate the effects of man to insure a balanced ecosystem.

Floating on the Sea of Cortez, time is temporarily frozen. Before me, a space for quiet reflection, to review what has transpired in the past 365 days and craft promises for the year to come. What conservation actions can I take in support of my beloved seas?

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water when I brush my teeth.

Brush down the driveway instead of using the hose.

Wash only full loads of laundry.

Pick up beach trash.

Properly dispose of solvents and non-biodegradable products.

Refrain from eating endangered seafoods.

Recycle everything!

Buy less stuff.

Simplicity. Happy New Year. We’re off to a great start!

* Catharine Cooper can be reached at ccooper@cooperdesign.net or (949) 497-5081.

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