Cave Collapse Timely

Many of us in the More Mesa Shores community of 100 homes adjacent to More Mesa have worked to close the nearby caves after years of mounting safety concerns. Firefighters regularly use private gates for access to handle the number of incidents that happen at the caves. It’s incredibly lucky that no one was inside during the collapse.

Every week night and especially weekends during good weather we see young people carrying six-packs, logs and overnight bags on their way to the caves and late next morning dragging back out. For some, not all, it’s party central and not all gang types. We talked to many warning them about the dangers, but youth can choose to be in denial. We worried about the innocent ones coming for an overnight adventure to enjoy nature. Unfortunately, many visitors leave debris from cooking, illegal firepits, beer cans, broken bottles — too many tossed over the side, littering the rocks below on a “world-class beach” with shards of glass — and ugly graffiti murals that greet passersby on land and sea.

Is this what happens when More Mesa is owned by offshore investors who have no local interests to safeguard the property or the public?

We couldn’t be happier about the collapse of these caves, and no lives lost.