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Community
Become a Pacifica Coastal Observer. Share what you notice, contribute local knowledge, participate in observation projects, and help shape how the Pacifica Coastal Observatory grows.
A community initiative helping Pacifica observe, understand, and thrive alongside our changing coast—across generations.
OUR CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY
Pacifica's relationship with the Pacific Ocean is both extraordinary and challenging.
The ocean gives this community beauty, wildlife, recreation, identity, wonder and connection. It also continually reshapes our coastline and challenges how habitat, public access, infrastructure and people coexist along its edge.
What if understanding the Pacific more deeply could help us build a more resilient, sustainable, vibrant and connected Pacifica?
PCO brings community observation, science, environmental data, memory, education and art together to deepen our understanding of this coast—and put what we learn to work.
WHY AN "OBSERVATORY?"
When most of us hear the word observatory, we imagine a telescope pointed toward the stars.
But a telescope is only one instrument. An observatory is also the people who study what it reveals—and the institution that preserves, interprets, and shares those observations across generations.
PCO begins with that same idea—turned toward the coast.
AN OBSERVATORY DOESN'T JUST LOOK. IT KEEPS LOOKING.
A single observation captures a moment. Sustained observation creates a record. Over time, patterns emerge, cycles become clearer, and change becomes visible.
PCO brings together what people observe with what science and technology can measure to deepen our understanding of this coast over time.
PACIFICA IS ALREADY OBSERVING.
Scientists, surfers, whale watchers, photographers, naturalists, artists, educators, public agencies, community organizations and residents already observe this coast in different ways.
PCO doesn't seek to own or replace that work. We are creating an elevating commons for it — a shared civic framework where different ways of knowing can remain their own while becoming more meaningful in relationship to one another.
An observatory is more than the sensors that gather data. It is the people who give that information context, meaning, and purpose.
WE ARE THE OBSERVATORY.
The Pacifica Coastal Observatory
Three Programs. One Coastline.
Our Shared Horizon
The community record.
A growing archive of the observations, photographs, stories, and memories that document Pacifica over time.
Explore Our Shared Horizon →Coastal Dashboard
Making Coastal Science Legible
Brings environmental data, scientific observation, and emerging PCO tools together to help us see patterns and understand change.
Explore the Dashboard →Luminous Echo
Data becomes experience.
Translates coastal observation and environmental data into public art, light, sound, and shared experiences.
Explore Luminous Echo →Program 1
Our Shared Horizon
The community is the Observatory.
Pacifica is already full of people paying attention—to ocean swells, seasonal wildlife, changing weather, the shoreline, and one another. Our Shared Horizon gives those observations a place to meet.
One observation is a moment. Thousands of observations over years become a record of a place.
Photographs. Stories. Memories. Sounds. Art. Wildlife sightings. Storms. Changes we notice along the shore. Our Shared Horizon will gather what Pacificans observe today so that, over time, we can better understand where we've been, how our coast is changing, and the future we share.
BE PART OF THE OBSERVATORY
Tell us what you observe.
Contribute to one of our first community initiatives, or share an observation of your own.
Share your observationShared Horizon: Initiative 01
Fixed Observation Locations
Repeated community photography from the same places over time.
Shared Horizon: Initiative 02
Seasons of Pacifica
Pacifica's annual cycle contains recurring natural and cultural events that do not fit neatly into four conventional seasons. PCO wants the community to help identify six distinctive Pacifica seasons that together represent the full cycle of the year, and especially the observations that tell us when one season is giving way to another.
What tells you a new season has arrived?
Whale migration · winter storms · wildflowers · fog · crab and salmon · peak surf · first rains · Fog Fest · upwelling · seabirds · kelp · recurring jellyfish strandings
Share a seasonal observation
Shared Horizon: Initiative 03
Winter Storm Observations 2026–27
Let's watch the coast change.
PCO will document repeat locations along the Pacifica coast before and throughout the winter storm season, building a visual record of changes to beaches, bluffs, seawalls, and coastal infrastructure.
Share a storm observationWe begin before the storms, because the "before" is part of the record.
Participation
What do you observe?
The Seasons of Pacifica and Winter Storm Observations experiences are being built now and will open for community participation soon. In the meantime, become a Pacifica Coastal Observer and add what you are already noticing to Our Shared Horizon.
A Program of the Pacifica Coastal Observatory
The Coastal Dashboard
World into Data
The Coastal Dashboard is where the science of the coast comes together. While Our Shared Horizon preserves what people observe and experience, the Coastal Dashboard brings together measured environmental data to help reveal the patterns of the natural world—how waves, tides, weather, water conditions, wildlife and the changing shoreline relate to one another over time. We begin with the science that already exists. Phase One will bring together relevant publicly available coastal data and observations from established scientific and citizen-science networks, translating them into a shared view of Pacifica's coast.
As the Observatory grows, PCO aims to deploy its own hyperlocal sensors and monitoring tools to fill important gaps and deepen our understanding of conditions along the Pacifica coastline. The goal is not simply more data. It is greater understanding. By bringing measurements together, preserving them over time, and making their relationships visible, the Coastal Dashboard can help researchers, educators, civic leaders and the public recognize patterns and better understand the coast we share. The Dashboard will offer different ways to explore the coast—including curriculum-connected experiences for students and educators, and an accessible public experience designed for anyone curious about the natural systems shaping Pacifica.
The telemetry dashboard below shows illustrative data representing the type of real-time information the Coastal Dashboard will provide.
Photo credit: Chris Campo
"This Coastal Dashboard demonstrates how real-time oceanographic and ecological data will be presented to the Pacifica community. We are actively collaborating with local schools and research partners to transform complex coastal datasets into immersive, interactive educational tools for classrooms, community science, and municipal planning."
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PREVIEW DRAFT — Telemetry displays and data integrations are currently in staging pending formal partner accords.
Our Local Whale Sightings
Coastal Dashboard Demo · Illustrative DataSighting Density · Pacifica Nearshore Zones
Rockaway
▲Pacifica Pier
▲Sharp Park
Mori Point
Pedro Point
Montara
Half Moon Bay
Pillar Point
Low▲ Upwelling hotspotHigh
Photo credit: Chris Campo
Most Sighted Individual · YTD
Secret Smiley
Humpback Whale · #PCO-2026-01
30 Confirmed Nearshore Sightings (Sample)#1 Resident Visitor off Pacifica Pier
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Interface concept designed to display regional cetacean telemetry and coastal oceanography. Displayed metrics and numbers are representative placeholders for demonstration purposes only. Built for future integration with regional research platforms, local observer networks, and educational institutions.
NOAA PACM · Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Low-frequency whale calls detected by bottom-mounted hydrophones, transmitted to NOAA's Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map (PACM).
Illustrative23 miDetection RangeLow-frequency acoustic radius
24/7Continuous MonitoringYear-round passive recording
Species Detected · Central CA Shelf · PACM 2023
Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliae
Year-round presence90%
Gray WhaleEschrichtius robustus
Spring migration75%
Blue WhaleBalaenoptera musculus
Summer–fall peak60%
Fin WhaleBalaenoptera physalus
Migratory transits30%
% of monitored days with confirmed acoustic detections · SWFSC shelf stations
Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map (PACM). 2026. Woods Hole (MA): NOAA NEFSC v1.3.4. Data represent offshore shelf detections; nearshore presence inferred from surfacing records. PCO nearshore hydrophone deployment will provide hyper-local acoustic coverage.
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Interface concept designed to display regional cetacean telemetry and coastal oceanography. Displayed metrics and numbers are representative placeholders for demonstration purposes only. Built for future integration with regional research platforms, local observer networks, and educational institutions.
Photo: Chris Baldwin
Wave Energy Index
NOAA Buoy 46026 · Updated Hourly2.5m / 8.2ft
Significant Wave Height
Dominant Swell Period: 14.5s WNW (285°)
2.1mM
1.6mT
2.6mW
3.2mT
2.4mF
2.8mS
2.5mS
Nearshore Wave Power Density
28.5 kW/mwave crest power
812 GJ/km absorbed YTD34.2Jan
32.8Feb
31.4Mar
23.7Apr
20.8May
17.8Jun
11.4Jul
kW/m of wave crestPartial month
Source: NOAA National Data Buoy Center · Buoy 46026 (San Francisco, 37.759°N 122.833°W) · Wave power density derived from significant wave height (Hs) and dominant period (Tp). U.S. Government data — public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105).
Beach Sand Retention · Three Zones · Pier as Dividing Line
2026–2027 Seasonal Coastal Outlook
NOAA Climate Prediction Center & USGS CoSMoS Predictive Model
ENSO Status
Strengthening El Niño
SST Anomaly +1.8°C Trend
Projected Winter Swell Shift
+35% Frequency
High-energy events (Hs > 4.5 m)
Modeled Intertidal Sand Drawdown
−6 ft to −10 ft
Beach Blvd Corridor
Risk Factor
Elevated
Winter storm-surge toe scour along armored zones
Predictive oceanography models combine NOAA buoy telemetry with USGS CoSMoS storm-surge downscaling to forecast seasonal shoreline impact.
Model forecast issued July 2026. Projections carry inherent climate variability; intended for scenario modeling only.
Photo: Chris Baldwin
Linda Mar Beach
Natural Beach · No Seawall
Avg Beach Width
200–350 ft
Annual Net Change
±0.1–0.3 ft
San Pedro Creek sediment feed + natural dune system. Seasonal variation only.
South of Pier
Sharp Park · to Mori Point
Avg Beach Width
40–80 ft
Annual Scour
0.5–1.2 ft/yr
Seawall-backed; moderate scour. Mori Point headland provides partial southern shelter.
North of Pier
Beach Blvd Armored Zone
Avg Beach Width
0–30 ft
Annual Scour
>2.5 ft/yr
Reflective wave dynamics; high energy transfer during winter swell cycles. Nearshore buffer optimization reduces toe scour along seawall foundations.
Sources: NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) · USGS CoSMoS (Central California) · US Army Corps of Engineers (Sec 204 Study) · City of Pacifica Resiliency Plan · Sharp Park Beach Management Plan · NOAA Office for Coastal Management
NOAA Buoy Station 46026 (San Francisco) operated by the National Data Buoy Center (ndbc.noaa.gov). PCO correlates wave power density with coastal erosion and reef attenuation models.
Data shown is illustrative, representing the format and type of information the live Coastal Dashboard will provide.
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Conceptual imagery only — the final artistic design has not been determined
A Program of the Pacifica Coastal Observatory
The Luminous Echo
Coming Soon
"Transforming observation into experience — helping a community see, feel, and remember the life of its coast."
The full reconstruction of the Pacifica Pier will take years — but the conversation about its future must begin right now. We do not intend to wait while this temporary devastation fades into a distant memory.
An Open Invitation
We are actively seeking collaborators to help shape this vision.
Scientists & Researchers
Bring your data, your models, your fieldwork. We offer a public platform to make your coastal research visible and meaningful to the community.
Artists & Designers
Help us define what this installation becomes. We are looking for bold creative voices to shape the aesthetic language of the Luminous Echo.
Technologists & Engineers
From sensor networks to real-time data visualization, there is deep technical work to be done. Join us in building the infrastructure.
Whether you're a scientist, artist, or simply a neighbor who loves this coast — sign up and be part of what comes next.
Aerial photo: Chris Baldwin
Why the Pier
Why the Pacifica Pier Matters.
Recent damage has created an important opportunity: not simply to rebuild the Pier, but to reimagine what it can become. For the Pacifica Coastal Observatory, the Pier represents an extraordinary future platform for observation—extending the work of the Observatory physically into the Pacific Ocean.
For generations, the Pacifica Pier has been one of the defining landmarks of our community. It is where children catch their first crab, families gather to watch the sunset, people scan the horizon for whales, and visitors experience the power of the Pacific Ocean up close. More than just a structure, it is a civic front porch—a shared place at the threshold between community and coast.
That position also gives the Pier remarkable potential as an instrument of observation. Extending hundreds of feet offshore, a future Pier could support sensors and monitoring systems that help us observe waves, weather, water conditions and marine life while creating opportunities for science, education, public art and community participation.
The Observatory does not depend upon the Pier to exist. The community is the Observatory. But a renewed Pier could become one of its most powerful instruments—a place where people, science and technology meet the ocean, and where what we learn about this coast can be experienced and shared.
"The community is the Observatory. The Pier can become one of its most powerful instruments."
Photo: Chris Baldwin
The Ground Floor
The Collaboration Platform
Participation paths
The Pacifica Coastal Observatory is an emerging civic institution shaped by people who care for, study, and experience this coast.
There is more than one way to help build an observatory. Each begins with a relationship to this place.
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Advisory
PCO is currently forming its Board of Advisors and Community Advisory Council. We welcome expressions of interest from people who can contribute scientific, educational, civic, cultural, technical, or deeply local knowledge.
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Institutional & Technical Collaboration
Researchers, educators, community organizations, foundations, technology partners, and other institutions can help develop the Coastal Dashboard, observation methods, educational experiences, public art, and long-term Observatory infrastructure.
Interested in helping shape the horizon? We invite you to connect.
Initiate a Collaboration InquiryThe Founder
Chris Baldwin
Founder & Executive Director
For more than 26 years, Chris Baldwin has operated at the vital intersection of high technology, environmental science, and human narrative. As a veteran documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, and founder of Shoulder High Productions, Sustainability Media, and Conveyance Media, Chris has spent his career translating complex global systems into deeply human stories.
His work has served the anchors of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley — collaborating with institutions like the California Academy of Sciences to document biodiversity from Madagascar and Venezuela to the High Sierras, and serving Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital with a career-long dedication to honor and compassion. His corporate and media portfolio includes organizing complex, highly technical productions for leaders such as Cisco Systems, HPE, CrowdStrike, Intel, PG&E, and Bloomberg TV.
Crucially, Chris has spent the last 20 years collaborating with the Long Now Foundation to document their Seminars for Long-Term Thinking and the 10,000-Year Clock, a project funded by Jeff Bezos. This deep immersion in multi-generational engineering and institutional foresight heavily informs his approach to local environmental challenges. Having studied Wildlife Management and Socio-Economic Development with the School for Field Studies in Kenya, and having traveled the globe — including an intensive three-month journey documenting the world's top educators for the Global Teacher Prize — Chris brings a profoundly global perspective home to the California coast.
As a dedicated Pacifica resident, Chris founded the Pacifica Coastal Observatory to apply a lifetime of technological literacy, team leadership, and long-term thinking to his immediate shoreline. By bridging macro-oceanographic data streams with grassroots civic science, he is dedicated to transforming the changing realities of our coastal infrastructure into a transparent, inspiring, and actionable narrative for the community he calls home.
Community signup
Become a Pacifica Coastal Observer
Join the growing community helping observe, understand, and share what is happening along Pacifica's coast. Tell us a little about yourself and how you'd like to participate.
Civic connections
Stay Informed on the Pacifica Pier
The future of the Pacifica Pier is a civic process larger than PCO. Stay connected to official City of Pacifica updates on Pier maintenance, planning, and next steps.
Sign Up for Official City Pier Updates