1995
Photo by: Roscoe Foto
2015
Photo by: Latitude Fine Arts Academy
Lens: Climate, Weather and Ecosystems
This beach is extremely iconic due to its culture and community, but I want to focus more on the damage that has been caused by extreme weather conditions. This has affected the environment and the ecosystems that thrive here for many years. In December 1995, Ventura Pier experienced the worse storm in centuries and was badly damaged by twenty-foot waves. Fast forward to December 2015, and this beach and its historical landmark is still here, but being violently hit by massive storm. The pier was damaged again and some of the pillars underneath were broken. The beach ecosytems are at risk when there is such a dangerous surf. The impact leads to beach erosion, transporting and deposition of sediments, and coastal flooding. The bottom of the ocean floor near the beaches changed significantly from sandy bottom to a rocky bottom. This affects the animals and microorganisms that live and feed here. When I visited this beach after the storm, there were rocks everywhere, covering the sand for miles. The waves had deposited so many rocks here that the beach was completely unusable fo recreational activities. The city did have trucks come in to move the boulders off the beach so that it could be open for use again. Many people were attracted to the area to see the aftermath of the storm and what changes has occurred. After visiting again, in 2018, the beach has not quite recovered from the storms and it possibly never will. Especially if these type of weather systems continue to hit Ventura Beach as bad as they have in the past. I’m sure that with climate change and global warming increasing, rip currents will become stronger and the waves will be more massive, and the damage to property and the beach environment will rise drastically. However, if you haven’t visited this beach, I highly recommend it. There is camping, surfing, walking along the boardwalk to Surfer’s Point, lots of restaurants, and of course the historical pier that has withstood the many elements nature has to offer.
Photo by: Ventura River Ecosytem
Photo by: Colesse Bell
Photo by: Colesse Bell
Photo by: Colesse Bell
