
OR

Everyone has a strong opinion, no middle-of-the-road here…
“The children or the seals?”
The Children’s Pool in La Jolla was built in 1931 with the funds and support of grand dame Ellen Browning Scripps, for the purpose of providing a safe place for children to enjoy the sea. Long before there were State Beaches lining our coastline, access was much more limited and safe areas like this one were a precious commodity.
In the 1970’s, harbor seals and sea lions began to take to this sheltered beach, their population growing beyond the size of their favored Seal Rock, located nearby. As their numbers continued to grow, human occupation of the Childern’s Pool became more difficult. Eventually, the pool became unhealthy due to bacteria levels resulting from the animals’ waste.










