Earlier this year, one of the iconic Encinitas “boat houses” was available for a rare public tour and we were there.  The Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association took advantage of  a recent vacancy, and allowed the curious a look through the port-holes of the recently renovated SS Moonlight.  More than 1,000 visitors strolled her decks, led by DEMA volunteers.

Any local can point you in the direction of the sister ‘boats’, the Moonlight and the Encinitas.  These two whimsical houses were built by Miles Kellogg in the late 1920’s.  Miles used timber salvaged from the 1888 Moonlight Beach Dance Pavilion, after the popular nightspot closed during Prohibition.  How’s that for an early example of ‘going green’ and recycling? Over the years, they have been rented out to the adventurous, and are a well known (but unofficial) landmark in downtown Encinitas.

“A cabin on the SS Moonlight is not for sissies…”

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“A Podunk school on the outskirts of some forgotten desert city? Nope. How about 3 acres of prime coastal real estate 1 block from the beach? Yep.”

At the corner of Fourth and F Street in Encinitas sits a paradox. A huge parcel of prime coastal real estate wearing nothing but some dilapidated buildings and a rusty chain link fence.  Born in 1953, and closed in 2003, here sits Pacific View Elementary School, still waiting for a community-approved purpose in life once again.

“A new issue hits the table…much like that unwanted second helping that’s  plopped on your plate after you’re all finished eating…”

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“With Proposition K, are we pouring sand on top of a sieve?”

In a few weeks Encinitas residents will have another opportunity, or duty, to vote on an additional tourist tax.  In the name of preserving our beaches, Proposition K will demand a 2% tax on short term rentals that were previously excluded from a similar tax on visitor’s hotel and bed & breakfast rooms. Will this help in funding a solution to this vexing problem of replenishing sand loss?

“An ongoing sand ‘hand out’ or a permanent solution?”

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