Lagoon

The river mouth is once again blocked with sand, and this pool of slimy water is probably going to be with us for the rest of the summer. For various ecological reasons, it's against the law to open a channel to let the water out, and multiple agencies must be involved if there is any work done. The San Lorenzo River flows into the ocean right here at the edge of the amusement park. You may be able to see the railroad bridge back there to the right of the turquoise structure; the river comes down there from the hills. Every year the tides play havoc with the river mouth, arranging the sand so that the water is unable to flow out to sea.  A couple days ago I saw the Fish and Game folks out with their nets, working on the annual fish count. The lagoon creates a cozy habitat for steelhead, even though it doesn't look too pretty to the beachgoers. It is always interesting to see which birds will start hanging around this pool as the lagoon gets juicier.