PE class stacks riprap along Carlsbad's coast

A tale-tell sign that spring has arrived along the beaches of North County is the appearance of rock sculpture. Made by informal artisans, they’ll find various-sized riprap rock that has been added for erosion control. The rocks are carefully stacked, one on top of the other, counter-balancing each one, and not always placed upwards in descending size.

Such was the case on April 2 near Carlsbad’s Agua Hedionda Lagoon’s jetty. Three students from a Carlsbad High School surf PE class decided not to go in the water after the morning’s rainstorm. Instead they became the first this season to build some sculptures along the mouth of the lagoon near Tamarack Avenue.

Cole Troya, J.P. Sampson, and Noah Sampson worked on three sculptures. Walkers passing by stopped to admire their work. They spent about ten minutes on each one.

Unfortunately the tallest one, at six feet, fell down as they walked away. I asked if they were going to rebuild it. Cole, a junior, said, “Nah, its part of the whole process.” He’s been building rock sculptures for over three years. “We’ll do probably another fifteen more over the summer, “ he added.

“We do it when we’re bored,” said J.P.