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THE RANCHO SANTA FE NEWS
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MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 31, N0. 20
MAY 26, 2017
RSF Garden Club readies for botanical gardens day trip tour By Christina Macone-Greene
Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) breaching in an attack. Stock photo
Recent shark attack, sightings: Should they be a cause for alarm? By Adam Sullivan
REGION — As swimmers, surfers and beach enthusiasts flock to our local shores, so do the sharks. News outlets and social media platforms have been filled with sightings, spottings, close calls and even an attack in recent months, begging the question: Why? Are there more sharks than usual, or are we just better at noticing them? And if there is a population surge, then why? A shark bit a Vista woman April 29 at San Onofre – sending her to a hospital in critical condition. The very next day, eight more sharks were spotted at Capistrano Beach. Oceanside lifeguard officials closed down the city’s beaches north of the pier and harbor following a shark
sighting three weeks ago. And on May 10, swimmers and paddle boarders in Dana Point were fortunate to have an Orange County Sherriff’s Department helicopter overhead, because they spotted 15 great white sharks only yards away from the group. We are well over the statistical average of shark sightings and attacks, so what gives? Experts have hypotheses that could explain the surge in shark population. One theory posits that, because great whites have been a protected species for years, their population is growing. Another theory is that, like humans, sharks prefer shallow “hot spots” because that’s where the easy meals come from. Seals and sea lions — breakfast and lunch, to a shark — have
been protected as well, so their populations have been similarly thriving. Die-hard surfers are generally the last to leave the water, for any reason. “They’ve been there forever,” said Oceanside resident Jamey Stone, who has been surfing North County San Diego for the past three decades and said he is undaunted by the recent sightings. “It’s just that now, because of cellphones and drones, we just see them more often — not to mention over-fishing.” The other obvious question is what to do if you’re caught in the water, and you spot that telltale dorsal fin? Ralph Collier, form the Shark Research Committee tells us the main thing to do is also the most difficult: don’t panic. “Try
to keep sight of the shark at all times,” cautions Collier, “so you can determine if the shark’s movements are smooth and leisurely, or erratic and agitated.” Collier’s information comes from a handy Q&A on Surfline.com : “If the latter,” he says, “move swiftly to shore, a rock, or even a floating kelp canopy. Adult white sharks tend to avoid kelp forests and canopy’s [SIC], and in fact several divers during the Twentieth Century escaped aggressive white sharks by using these two natural barriers.” Even with the recent increase in apex predator appearances, it’s still unlikely that the average swimmer will have an incident. Just remember to keep your wits about you, and one eye on the environment.
RANCHO SANTA FE — The Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club recently announced its field trip to the Huntington Library. The famous Pasadena venue is known for its art collections and stunning botanical gardens. According to RSF Garden Club Executive Director Shelly Breneman, there are a few spots available for the June 1 day trip tour. “It’s going to be fantastic,” she said. “We’ve rented a charter bus, and we are driving up to the Huntington Gardens.” At the Huntington, guests will have a couple of hours to tour the expansive grounds followed by a high tea at noon. Breneman shared that the tea is a full-service experience. After the tea, attendees will be able to spend a couple more hours in the garden, or if they so choose, at the museum. Guests can devote their time wherever they want at the Huntington. Breneman wants people to know that she kept the cost at a competitive price point of $95 for garden club members and $105 for nonmembers. In addition to preparing for the field trip, Breneman is also gearing up for the Garden Club’s annual meeting on May 24.
“Our annual meeting serves two parts,” she said. “It’s when we vote on our new board of directors.” She added that the ballots were mailed off a few weeks ago. The other portion of the meeting is when grants are awarded. The Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club is celebrating its third consecutive year of “grant-giving” tradition. “The official announcement went out on Feb. 1, and the deadline was March 17,” Breneman said. “So it was a condensed period for them to get their grants in to us, but we did get 27, and we have narrowed it down quite a bit.” Since that time, site visits have taken place. Breneman admits she has enjoyed the process. “I have worked in nonprofits for a long time, and I’ve usually been on the other side of writing the grants and asking for the money,” Breneman said. “It has been a fascinating time, and I have seen so many great projects.” Those interested in the Garden Club’s upcoming Huntington Library field trip, club membership or future events, can call (858) 756-1554 or visit www.RSFGardenClub. org.
Rancho Santa Fe Covenant residents meet the candidates By Christina Macone-Greene
RANCHO SANTA FE — A large number of Covenant residents attended the Rancho Santa Fe Association’s May 11 Annual Meeting held at the Garden Club. While Association members listened to various updates, the evening also served as a platform to learn more about the two candidates wanting the two available seats on the board: Rick Sapp and Stephen Dunn. During the evening, Covenant residents were told that even though it is an “uncontested election,” voting was imperative to meet the quorum conditions. According to Association Assistant Manager Christy Whalen, nearly 600 households need to participate in this election. After business matters were discussed, members
had the opportunity to hear the candidates. First up was Dunn, who shared that he moved to Rancho Santa Fe with his family 21 years ago from Kansas City. While Dunn and his wife enrolled their children in R. Roger Rowe School, Dunn signed himself up at the RSF Golf Club. Dunn’s educational background is in engineering. His career spanned in areas of real estate development where he learned the vital roles between cities, counties and the community. When elected officials and staff got along well, Dunn said, it made for a highly efficient area. He then praised the RSF Association. “I commend the board and staff for moving forward,” he said.
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One issue that Dunn raised related to the cost of water at the Golf Club. The club pays a high price
a big proponent of looking into solving those cost issues and making water more affordable at all levels. Sapp was next up. He and his family moved to the Ranch 12 years ago from London following his retirement from Goldman Sachs. Since then, Sapp has dedicated his time volunteering in various dimensions including, but not limited to, serving as the Pacific Ridge School board chair, serving on the RSF Foundation investment committee and as a Stanford University trustee for five years. He was appointed to the board when Ann Boon resigned in July 2016. Since his appointment, Sapp has served in a variety of capactag for keeping the fairways ities such as being co-chair of the Technology Commitgreen. Dunn wanted members tee and member of the Auto know that he would be dit and Finance Commit-
tee. Most recently, he has become a member of the Ad-Hoc Committee on water rates. “Many good things are going on in those committees,” Sapp said. “I believe in the process of continuous improvement in any organization.” Sapp pointed out that he wanted to deliver more error-free services to members. “Finally, I believe we owe members timely communications in what we are doing,” he said, noting that communication is currently done via letters and email blasts. “Look to us for the first source of news.” Sapp ended his commentary by conveying the urgent need for voter participation in the upcoming election. “We need for you to vote,” he said.