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Has the Children's Pool in La Jolla gone to the Birds?

By William Johnson

Industry Observer with Retired

April 27, 2008 12:02 PM

Experimenting with my new Flip videocam yesterday, I was in La Jolla at the coastline in downtown La Jolla and shot this short video and uploaded it on YouTube. It is a scan of the beach at the Children's Pool and adjacent bird sanctuary that has had so much controversy of late. Humans and Seals both want to occupy the same beach. The story is a fascinating one and is a real human and wild animal interest story that dates back to 1887 when it is believed that the area under the seawall that was built in the late 1920's by the late Ellen Browning Scripps had been a seal rookery for the eons prior. Before the building of the seawall, the area was as Seal Rock. In 1930 the State of California deeded the beach and the adjacent waters to the city with the proviso that it be maintained as a Children's bathing pool. It then became know as the La Jolla Children's Pool. Who will finally win out in this territorial battle?

For more on this story check out www.helpsealthedeal.com and www.childrenspool.org

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Missy Caulk

Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI

Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

William, you did it !! Excellent job on your flip ! Now tomorrow check Google and you will be at the top for La Jolla Children's Pool.

Apr 27, 2008 12:12 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Missy, Really? I look on Google in the morning. The video looked a bit crude. I forgot to take with me the very handle to steady it that I mentioned to you in a comment but thought I would try it out anyway. I wish I could say I love the Flip but it doesn't allow for very much zoom. I honestly feel like I would like to return it. Other video cams provide a much greater latitude in focus and zoom. The sound volume is also not so hot. I am still thinking on this. At the very least I will need to do some editing and I am not sure I will be satisfied with the Flip. Many thanks for dropping by on this post in particular and I may need to do some counseling with you about where to go from here.

Apr 27, 2008 12:23 PM

Roberta Murphy

San Diego Previews Real Estate - Carlsbad, CA

Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes

William: I bought the Flip video camera and still get an error message on uploads.

You re-motivated me to get at it again!

Apr 27, 2008 03:08 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

LOve this video, William. Such a neat area. I just bought a Flip camera, and like Roberta, am having some issues. Still working on it, since the videos on my trusty Kodak v705 sometimes are fine and other times yield an error after uploading, even though all is well when viewed on the computer.

Jeff

Apr 27, 2008 03:37 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Jeff, I appreciate you dropping by. I am really disappointed with the quality Jeff. After I uploaded the video to YouTube, I did a search on You Tube and most of the video of the Children's Pool was so much more clear and usable. I am not at all sure this small device is really worth the effort. Poor sound, poor picture quality, poor zooming and I also have trouble getting it to turn on and especially turning it off. Pushing the button doesn't always do it.

Apr 27, 2008 04:14 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Roberta, Uploading seemed easy enough but the quality remains a real issue. Not to mention the functionality. Not sure about this one. From the piece I read here on AR it sounded like this little device was too cool and too cleaver. Maybe it is me but nothing cool about not being able to turn it off or the zoom not going close enough in to see the subject. Jury is still out but I am suspecting if I am to post video, it will require something better than the flip.

Apr 27, 2008 04:18 PM

Joan Mirantz

Homequest Real Estate - Concord, NH

Realtor, GRI, CBR, SRES - Concord New Hampshire

Hi...no comment on the video...I'm not a good judge I seldom watch them. The one link you have to purchase to read the story...why do they want to destroy them? Especially if the public want them to stay?

Apr 27, 2008 04:49 PM

Susie Blackmon

Ocala, FL

Ocala, Horses, Western Wear, Horse Farms, Marketing

My Flip hasn't been used much but I do plan to get it out of my purse more often. You are right about the zoom, etc., and turning the !@#$ thing off. However, I love the convenience of carrying the Flip, and downloading. Your video made me feel like I was right there. The only thing missing was your voice!

Apr 27, 2008 06:23 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Joan, I will go back and check those links.

As to the other question, I thought the seals were pretty cool. It is not like all our beaches are subject to seals, frankly other than here at Seal Rock, I have not seen any where else on any beach with seals. If you noticed in the video, the bird droppings have turned whole rock areas white and the stench from that the day I was there was horrific. Why anyone would want kids to use that particular beach with all the bird dropping so near by is anyones guess. Maybe its one of those things that once you get used to the smell, maybe it is doesn't bother them. When the wind shifts it smells to high heaven.

Apr 28, 2008 07:12 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi, I wasn't even thinking about my voice with all the birds and the sounds of the water. Nature sounds are way more attractive than my voice talking about it,lol. Easy upload of camcorder is great, otherwise I think this devise is destined to be returned?? Thinking seriously about that. Surely a better alternative?

Apr 28, 2008 07:16 AM

Lynda Eisenmann

Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA

Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

HI William,

Unlike the rest of you, I'm flipless at this point. As for the chidren's pool, did I miss something in your video? Was there, is there actually a child's pool? I think all I saw was the beautiful pacific and lots of birds???

Apr 28, 2008 12:25 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Lynda, I am not sure that being flipless would be a bad thing although I am still evaluating it and will decide if it meets my need as a blogger. In the experimental video I shot on Saturday, the cove at the end (left side as you watch the video) is where the Children's Pool is. The rocks where the birds is where I was standing and is perpendicular to the Children's Pool. The name Children's pool is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is designated as an area that children can swim in the water and feel somewhat protected by the seawall that acts as a breakwater and makes the water calmer. It was so designated as more safe for children than other beaches with more wave activity and undercurrents.

Apr 28, 2008 02:19 PM

Lynda Eisenmann

Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA

Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hi William,

Got it thanks! Keep up the good work, who knows maybe you're the next Cecil B. Demille. (We're probably only a few who know who that was, lol.)

Apr 28, 2008 02:36 PM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Lynda, Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I do know of who you speak of and from all I know of the man, there is not even a remote change that I will ever be compared to him. But the thought was very special and thank you for that.

Apr 28, 2008 02:46 PM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

That was cool William! The flip is sure handy for quick shoots and such. How did you like it?

Apr 29, 2008 07:45 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

Hi Sally, I am not sure I do. Quick is one thing but I am more into quality than expediency and I am not sure that I can that with this camcorder. I am still experimenting at different ranges, different subjects etc. In an interior, if the home is small it just doesn't get interior very comprehensive, it seems a bit limiting. Do doing things outside where you can get close enough or far enough away, it probably will work. The way it downloads though is quick and easy and uploading to YouTube easy as well. I am not sure I will invest in MixPro just yet as I don't see much application for it as yet. Maybe as I learn things about video ,I will better understand all this.

Apr 29, 2008 09:10 AM