Have Harbor Seals Occupied Children’s Pool Forever?

• You saw the picture, there was no beach before the sea wall in 1931. Rocks were subject crashing waves.

• An 1887 geodetic map showed “seal rock” off La Jolla and the myth was born that the sea wall had been built on it

• Then it was claimed the seals had returned to Children’s after centuries of yearning for their home

• Let’s look at that map on the next slide. People who make this claim never have a copy with them.

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The 1887 map

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A 1989 map using the same features, but showing “seal rock” is out in the ocean

Note: none of the plans of 1989 have been carried out. The lifeguard tower has been condemned, and the City has fought restoring Children’s for 5 years.

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Now Let’s Put Them Together, and note the City has a new Seal Rock on the map

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The old seal rock? Probably gone, like Cathedral Rock shown in the old map

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And the Aligator Head mentioned at the end of the article, a rock arch up the coast, did fall in the 1980’s.

Very little can be found about the old seal rock, but one stated recollection was the barking heard all the way to shore.

Harbor seals don’t bark.

Those were sea lions.

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