What's that crane doing in Shell Beach? A homeowner's 40-foot erosion solution

Bluff erosion has been an ongoing concern for some homeowners in Shell Beach.

An analysis by city officials and the owner of a single-family home on Indio Drive found that the bluffs in the area have lost 20 to 30 feet over the last two decades.

Now the property owner, James Gentilcore, is taking the solution into his own hands.

Construction on a seawall is underway at the base of his property at 117 Indio Dr.

Gentilcore declined an on-camera interview but did answer questions over text.

He said he is paying for the seawall himself and construction is expected to take about a year.

"I have lost over 3 feet of my bluff," he said. "[I] had no choice but to take action."

Once finished, the sea wall will be 120 feet long and 40 feet high.

Dr. Pat Abbott, professor emeritus of geology at San Diego State University, said that sea walls could slow coastal bluff erosion — but they're not a permanent solution.

"When you build a wall, you don't stop erosion, you slow it," he said, "You may delay it for a while. Mother Nature is going to keep attacking it with waves, continuously."

The analysis by city officials and Gentilcore said the site continues to experience accelerated erosion due to a combination of "existing subsurface springs, unique geologic conditions, inadequate drainage in the rear yard, and focused wave energy."

The analysis also said growing sea caves and instability could lead to "imminent and catastrophic bluff failure."

"When the waves come in," Abbott continued, "they hit on that wall and bounce back harder than they did before and they can drag the beach sand out with them."