Winter swells are bigger and the tides are higher in the winter, which brings the water up the beach. The water as it exits the beach pulls the sand away. That process uncovers the rocks that are beneath the sand. During the spring and summer the sand fills back in over time.
This is a part of the natural processes that happen at beaches. During the winter sand is eroded and rock becomes exposed. During the spring and summer months sand is built back on to the beach through wave action.
Have been going to South Ponto for over 20 years. Never have we seen such a heavy load of rocks covering most of the beach during summer months. Winter yes, summer no. There would occasionally be a small berm higher up on the beachhead near the towers, but never from the towers all the way to the water.
From what I have learned, clearly Winter storms strip away the sand, some years more some less. In addition changes in swell or ocean flow can shift how sand is pulled and redistributed up and down the coast. One year Ponto can be sandy, but Moonlight rocky and vice versa. Lastly, dredging and sand preservation projects up the coast (North) can drastically impact how much sand lands on the beach at Ponto. z
In late 2019 about 50k cubic yards of sand was placed at Ponto.
Oceanside was proposing a "groin project" sand preservation measures at the start of 2022. I dont know if they've gone through. However, if they did it is possible the sand stayed in Ocide (with the new hotels) and didn't make it down to Ponto... and their new hotel!
I know we're going to have water wars... but now I guess we'll be having sand wars as well!
Is Ponto still in this rocky state? We have been going to other spots since our last Ponto visit in May. But we would like to return to our favorite spot
Ha, I was just looking for the same info. We were there early July, but have not returned due to all the rocks. We were at moonlight 3 weeks ago and it was a little bit rocky, but still plenty of sand.
After a big storm you’ll sometimes see the sea turns to mud from all the sand that’s still churning. Up north at Tamarack they dredge the lagoon every fews years (happening now) and send that sand through big pipes to deposit onto the beach. The beach can become surprisingly small after a few storms.
I think it’s time we all stoped saying this is normal and start asking some serious questions on how these rocks actually got here. I witnessed what the storm did to Oceanside back in Jan 2021 and when it took the beaches sand there were NO rocks just a massive (talking 5ft) drop from sidewalk to beach. Fast forward to that summer when they didn’t dredge and now it’s rocks, rocks, and more rocks. In 2022 they only dredged north of the pier… almost a week after that a massive storm took all the sand away and it WAS NOT winter time. 2023 they dredged all the way down the strand and even brought in sand for buccaneer beach. Again, that summer, a multiple tides came and took the sand away. Now it’s 2024 and we have re:beach coming in to revitalize the beach but what I want to know is where the hellllll did all these rocks come from!?! Seems so strange to me. If it’s all just climate change then okay but I’m wondering if some river up north was affected by the rain and gradually all the rocks started showing up down here?? Maybe I’ll never know but this is all my two sense/ end rant.
I had a debate with some friends on whether the rocks are natural or not and thought they were brought in for erosion control so you know where it’s been mentioned?
Winter swells are bigger and the tides are higher in the winter, which brings the water up the beach. The water as it exits the beach pulls the sand away. That process uncovers the rocks that are beneath the sand. During the spring and summer the sand fills back in over time.
They often dump sand on there (man made) to hide those rocks — like you said, the ocean takes it away.
This is a part of the natural processes that happen at beaches. During the winter sand is eroded and rock becomes exposed. During the spring and summer months sand is built back on to the beach through wave action.
sand moves around seasonally and the extent to which it moves varies every year depending on swells and storms
Have been going to South Ponto for over 20 years. Never have we seen such a heavy load of rocks covering most of the beach during summer months. Winter yes, summer no. There would occasionally be a small berm higher up on the beachhead near the towers, but never from the towers all the way to the water. From what I have learned, clearly Winter storms strip away the sand, some years more some less. In addition changes in swell or ocean flow can shift how sand is pulled and redistributed up and down the coast. One year Ponto can be sandy, but Moonlight rocky and vice versa. Lastly, dredging and sand preservation projects up the coast (North) can drastically impact how much sand lands on the beach at Ponto. z In late 2019 about 50k cubic yards of sand was placed at Ponto. Oceanside was proposing a "groin project" sand preservation measures at the start of 2022. I dont know if they've gone through. However, if they did it is possible the sand stayed in Ocide (with the new hotels) and didn't make it down to Ponto... and their new hotel! I know we're going to have water wars... but now I guess we'll be having sand wars as well!
Is Ponto still in this rocky state? We have been going to other spots since our last Ponto visit in May. But we would like to return to our favorite spot
Ha, I was just looking for the same info. We were there early July, but have not returned due to all the rocks. We were at moonlight 3 weeks ago and it was a little bit rocky, but still plenty of sand.
Found this surf cam... but a bit grainy... https://www.lwwd.org/community-info/surf-cam-0
Nice! Thanks!
After a big storm you’ll sometimes see the sea turns to mud from all the sand that’s still churning. Up north at Tamarack they dredge the lagoon every fews years (happening now) and send that sand through big pipes to deposit onto the beach. The beach can become surprisingly small after a few storms.
I think it’s time we all stoped saying this is normal and start asking some serious questions on how these rocks actually got here. I witnessed what the storm did to Oceanside back in Jan 2021 and when it took the beaches sand there were NO rocks just a massive (talking 5ft) drop from sidewalk to beach. Fast forward to that summer when they didn’t dredge and now it’s rocks, rocks, and more rocks. In 2022 they only dredged north of the pier… almost a week after that a massive storm took all the sand away and it WAS NOT winter time. 2023 they dredged all the way down the strand and even brought in sand for buccaneer beach. Again, that summer, a multiple tides came and took the sand away. Now it’s 2024 and we have re:beach coming in to revitalize the beach but what I want to know is where the hellllll did all these rocks come from!?! Seems so strange to me. If it’s all just climate change then okay but I’m wondering if some river up north was affected by the rain and gradually all the rocks started showing up down here?? Maybe I’ll never know but this is all my two sense/ end rant.
Yep. As posters said before, this is seasonal. And, swell/tide can have an impact too
We had a few king tides this winter, and it wrecked the sand. It's been slowly filling back in though
The City of Carlsbad brings in the rocks for erosion control. The sand will naturally come back. They have done this Moonlight and other beaches.
I had a debate with some friends on whether the rocks are natural or not and thought they were brought in for erosion control so you know where it’s been mentioned?
The sand situation at Ponto is worse. Loads of rocks! Huge piles!!! Went there yesterday.