"Steinhardt and Griggs have created a delightful and insightful tour of California's coastal edge, past, present, and future. They do a masterful job of weaving together the interconnections of the changing natural world over different time scales with the changing societal landscape and human interventions to modify the coastal edge as population grew and societal priorities changed. I recommend this book to all who are interested in one of the most beautiful coasts in the world." -Jerry R. Schubel, Ph.D., President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific

"This book captures the magic of the coast. It has an intimate blend of nature, science, politics, policy, culture, history, and adventure, and there is a well-informed urgency that gives readers more than just the information and heightened awareness they need to bring about real change to our ocean policies and practices: It is a personal call to action. Dive in!" -Sam Farr, former congressman and ocean advocate

"Kim Steinhardt and Gary Griggs each have had a long love affair with the California coast. You can see it in their personal stories, and how they worry about the long-term effects of human interaction between land and water. This is a must read for anyone who shares their love for the coast and concern for its future." -John Laird, California Secretary for Natural Resources, and Chair of the California Ocean Protection Council