Santa Barbara Current

Santa Barbara Current

As I Was Saying...

The Perpetual Pismo Paradox

By John Summer

Sep 16, 2026
∙ Paid

Oh, where to turn?

We’ve been having discussions lately about tar seeping up on our beaches. That’s what the Chumash called “pismo”… and they used it to waterproof their boats for centuries.

It occurs naturally.

And it has forever.

I recall having to clean off my Adidas after an innocent jog along Haskell’s Beach in the ‘70s. What the heck? Oil spill? Nope.…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Santa Barbara Current to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 Santa Barbara Current · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture