Real estate agent 10 yrs ago: "its a great property a couple of blocks from the beach" Real estate agent today: "its a beachfront property"

The land is literally falling out from under the building next door and yet these eejits are calmly standing around...I'd have been long gone by then.

TheRichest: “Seaside homes that only cost 1$!”

Don’t worry the next row of houses will have a great view in a couple weeks!

Whoa! I lived in these apartments on Esplanade Blvd back in 1962-63. I don't remember them being so close to the ocean! Dang! Mother Nature takes back her land.

That's what I call living on the Edge!!!

Ya um I couldn't sleep there not knowing if ill wake up falling off a cliff

"Hey! Let's build on a cliff of semi-compacted alluvial soil instead of bedrock and see what happens!"

My question is, why haven't the authorities not condemned these buildings? I saw people walking in and out of them on to the balconies.

At 1:28 I can see the apartment I lived in for 4 years. It's much closer to the edge of the cliff than it used to be. It was such a spectacular place to live, but we all knew that all those buildings were going to fall into the ocean one day.

I lived on Esplanade twice, back in the 80's and 90's. For a total of around 15 yrs. Always a large expanse of sand protecting the cliffs down by the beach . In fact the issue for the apartments at the edge of the cliff here was the erosion from the street side towards the ocean during the winter causing erosion, not the ocean waves hitting the sandstone cliffs, all the rain water funneled thru PVC pipes . Also there were large expanses of ice plant growing from these apartment towards the edges of the cliff, takes a long time for that much surface coverage. Plus all these apartments had enough space for a patio and BBQ set up. However it all went to hell after San Francisco built the huge sewage outfall pipe off Ocean Beach next the the San Francisco zoo. After the huge pipe was put in, the beach sand slowly depleted , normal winter beach erosion but the usual influx/replenishment of sand in the summer stopped completely. Slowly each year the beach area has gotten smaller and smaller until the winter waves started hitting the base of the cliffs directly. 90% of the beach sand is now gone, actually dangerous to walk on now during high tides. Where it shows in the video of waves hitting the boulder pile below the cliff I was easily able to walk on year around, sometimes you could could walk to the Pacifica pier, not anymore.

What amazes me is that most of these apartments are still occupied. Gawd how could you sleep at night? This part of the landscape sits on the Ring of Fire, that threatens San Francisco with earthquakes. So as the plateau is being pushed up by plate tectonics that moves clockwise and submerges at the same time, the coastline stability is undermined and flakes apart. The ocean only helps it along. It would be happening anyway. I guess on a positive note, it means that there is not friction buildup due to resistance of movements with plate tectonic activity and therefore a huge earthquake of the magnitude experienced in San Francisco over one hundred years ago, is less likely to happen. Wow. Credit to the author for having captured it on camera. Phenomenal.

“Well honey, we won’t be needing the lawn mower anymore, go ahead and pawn it!”

Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica. Those apartments 'on the edge' were vacated some time earlier and the ones still occupied shortly after this drone footage. All have since been torn down - nobody lost their lives.

How the hell were these people not evacuated when the ground literally started sliding out from under them?

Monterey California too. Years ago I was house hunting and went to a townhouse complex. The RE agent was inside to greet whoever showed up. I was thinking if I had money to throw away, I would not mind buying it, It was a matter of the whole complex will be submerged in the water. The front row of houses already were sitting concrete reinforcers! It was scary to me. But I am sure some do not mind at all; honey, the view is spectacular!! Portions of Highway 1 will be submerged in water too, given some years. It already happened. Highway 1 was not so close to the ocean decades ago.

While watching this, I just can’t help but to imagine how absolutely stunning the land would be if there weren’t any buildings on it.

Calm and soothing just to listen to. It never ceases to amaze me how many times homes/businesses are demolished simply from the inevitable. Most people never learn. Plain to see that, just look at the people who are walking around right above the ground that is crumbling.

Thank you. I lived nearby in Portola Valley and had friends in Pacifica. Their apartment was far from the ocean in 1985.

This was happening 30 years ago when I lived there and I'm sure for millennia before that. Don't build your house on a cliff side folks. Unless the beauty calls to you and you ACCEPT there's a good chance you'll lose your house some day.

This is what happens when people think they can ignore mother nature and do whatever they want. Like building on a delta and then wondering why it floods so bad. A little common sense would go a long way

The people across the street will soon have water front property

As these residents property taxes continue to rise.

In Delaware we don't normally see how bad the erosion along the Pacific is Duncan, thank you for the drone footage.

Thanks for sharing this. My Fifth Grade students and I are currently studying erosion right now. I will definitely share this with them as well as the other Fifth Grade teachers!

At around 4:30 you can see the cliffs falling down on the right while on the left there is a guy casually standing outside on the second floor. Holy shit, I would be out of there as soon as I can.

We've got a housing tract out here in Henderson, NV.. It's being built on the unlined settling ponds of a long gone chemical plant. You're talking of around 40 years of who knows what dumped out there soaking into the ground. 3 companies went bust trying to get around that. The last spent 6+ months scraping off a layer of that dirt, treating it, and using it to grade pads for housing. The tract is called "Cadence". I used to ask workers and new homeowners if they knew what their houses were being built on, not many, if any, knew. I joked with them that I wanted a picture of the first 3 eyed Koi in their fish pond. It's just a guess, but, I'm thinking that, that's going to be a sequel to "Aaron Brockovich".

The view just keeps getting better and better doesnt it.

Selling nice home in Pacifica California only seconds to Beach , don't let this one slid away hurry ! 🏄

I lived in an apartment down from those, the last one before a stretch of beach above the pier. I watched the pier being built and sadly, saw a helicopter go into the drink when they were building the pier. I used to climb down the cliff in Pacifica to run on the beach every morning. But that was before they evacuated a lot of those dwellings on the cliffs, but I heard about it. I moved maybe 5 hears later, down to my home in Montara just below Devil's Slide in about 1975 or so, and knew about the erosion; one house on the cliff lost about 30 feet of frontage, but I moved away from the area before it was really bad for those residents on the cliff above Pacifica. I wonder of those buildings have fallen down by now! I moved two states away 20 years ago, to the mountains and I miss the ocean but love the snow!

I remember couple of years back looking for apartments there in background. Expensive and possibility of waking up in pacific

This is what mother nature balancing herself and teaching us the life lessons.

The wise man builds his house upon the rock.

Excellent perspectives I could see the whole situation from watching the individual people on their back porches to seeing down the entire coast. This was great!

Some of the best use of a drone ever.

The tenants of the buildings in back are chanting, "Fall Fall fall!". Ocean front coming up🙃

now that is wat i call living life on the edge.... 👍👍

Great footage man. Not that I want that building to go down... it eventually will... I hope there's footage of that when it happens... Cheers

Rolling ocean, cliffs eroding, houses tumbling. Real estate broker: "I've got a place with a great ocean view"

Husband- "Honey, what happened to our backyard?" Wife- "It went swimming..."

The sound of the waves is so soothing.

... absolutely stunning video and sound. I could actually put this on replay and just let it go non-stop.

Would starting berry bushes along the top, eventually help to anchor the rest in place?

In my city we also have cliffs like those and sea erosion has also eaten away a big chunk of land. Some smaller buildings have been lost and what's next is the road. They did build a 'coastal defense' but only time will tell if it's truly effective.

In the late 80's early 90's I live near Santa Cruz. Somewhere between Santa Cruz and Davenport on the coastal hwy there was this really cool point. A path lead to the very tip where you could sit. You had a nearly 360 degree view of the ocean. There was 1 rebar piled into the ground so those feint of heart could hold on to for comfort. About 15 years ago I went back to that spot. It was completely gone. Washed away.

I like that your drone is so quiet! You can hear the waves and the animals very well!! Great footage, too!

I live in Milwaukee,WI and this is happening on a smaller scale between Milwaukee and the states southern border due to Lake Michigan. Many homes have been declared unlivable.

Must have been stunning at one point….but that mighty Pacific just keeps on roaring in. The ocean is stunning to watch.

i came here to watch the whole building fall to water and get washed away i am now dissapointed

Omg I'm SHOCKED people were LIVING there!!! I'm curious what this looks like on 2019 , since it said this was taken in 2016....are they gone?!

Hello and good day! Can I use this video for educational purposes? Thank you and more power!

Who else watch this till the end to see what was going to happen? This takes living into he edge to a whole new level!

Excellent video! Good piloting, good photography, good timing! A vivid demonstration of why you should not build on cliffs near the ocean.

can't believe ppl still live there

DEFINITELY brings new meaning to "Livin on the EDGE" DAMN..so glad I never moved to California!

Duncan Sinfield, It's now 2021. Can we have an update on this. (Or is there one on YT and I haven't found it.) Thanks

After seeing this I wouldn't even want to be walking on that sidewalk.

This video reminds me of one I'd seen either 2017 or 2018 (I think) of a news report of a man who, if I remember correctly lived in PEI Canada, talked to a reporter about how outside his home when he was a little boy he'd go and play in the field that was behind his house. Play baseball I think he said and that the ocean was some distance away. Well now all grown up and probably in his late 50s or early 60s he can now just stand on his porch and see the ocean maybe 30 feet away from his house. That whole field gone! I'm sure if someone can find the video they can correct any distance I've mistaken but like this video it makes me sad that this is happening. I believe the gentleman said he could get a couple of years more before he'd have to move. Imagine visiting your childhood home wearing scuba gear!?! It now being 2019 I wonder if he's moved yet or even still alive.

In Mendocino County I have seen properties valued in the millions for sell, right on the beach, next to a hundred feet drop... Some already fell in... I don't feel safe driving down some stretches of route one, let alone live on either side of that road...but, I must say, US1 on the east coast doesn't even come close when it comes to amazing beauty.

I know I'm late, but I'm wondering if the weight of the buildings adds to the erosion? I see the trail area doesn't look as eroded. Is love to see current pics of the area. Also, I read in one of the comments that the waste water outlet seemed to be creating a lot of the issues here, did they find a solution? I would think with real estate prices in that area that this would be a priority to figure out and fix.

Now THAT'S ocean front property.

WTF are people doing in those homes - those could go any time

I figured those places were abandoned until seeing people in there...That is insane!

The ocean currents take huge amt of sand elsewhere. City of Encinitas, CA started to build a parking lot and restroom and then stopped. 10 yrs later, they did NOT get a new Engineers' study.. Instead they finished building out the restroom and paving the big lot for parking. In those 10 years, the earth/ocean shifted and the first big storm, the restroom & parking lot were buried in water. All that $ spent and the people have no use for it. In nearby Solana Beach, condos r on a ledge that continually cracks and has big pieces falling down to the beach below. Cliff Robertson acted upon the area calling for a cemented cliff to keep the natural erosion.

tear down and remove every stupid building along the coast.. the ocean has the right of way..

amazing footage!

Good Afternoon Duncan. Do you have an update and video on this area along the Pacific Ocean?

How long did that complex stood there already and how long was the erosion ongoing since its completion?

EROSION HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE START OF TIME STOP BUILDING ON THE EDGE DA

At least they don't have to mow the back yard anymore.

Man, that ocean is a beast. Can you imagine trying to fight it? She's relentless, rarely calms and mostly rages. She's a super heavy weight with a perfect record. She's never lost to a ship or continent. Boulders are pebbles and mountains are stepping stones. Stay back - don't temp her or challenge her. She will crush you!!

Nuts. Those houses look quite modern. What kind of developer builds so close to a cliff that's pretty much made of dirt? What kind of planning authority zones it? What kind of insurance company underwrites it? What kind of homeowner buys it? Everyone has taken leave of their senses... And I've just realised - the houses aren't evacuated. Seems that the owners have a death-wish too!

Didn't Jesus warn us on building on sandy ground?

Build on the edge of an unstable cliff, and you don't get to bitch or moan when it falls down.

Who hasn’t had that dream where you’re falling and falling? Occasionally, dreams can come true.

Looking at this video and seeing the sea walls collapsing into the sea it brings it home to me how rising sea levels are now impacting so many peoples lives. All the property along this coast line are worthless now, you couldn't give them away. I see most of them look abandoned anyway. But clearly the properties were all built with no foundation because the foundation is all sand. But I suppose they didn't foresee rapid coastal erosion when they built them. There is nothing anybody can do to save all those properties. You may slow it down with the boulders but it won't stop the destruction. In 20 years or so even the main coastal road may be gone too.

Tenant ordered to vacate: "I have a lot more faith in god than to be worried about this". Well, you're going to meet your maker soon, then.

In the words of Jame Marshall Hendrix: "And castles made of sand, crumble to the sea...ahhh...eventually."

Amazing to see people still living there!

If the authorities had just removed those condemned buildings, when it was still safe, it would have taken a lot of pressure off the cliff-face and possibly slowed the collapse.

" And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

How can 40% of people viewing this video dislike it! That is bizarre. Someone takes the trouble to film, edit, and post a video (ie work and effort) to document and share a thing like this and thousands of people give it a thumbs down? What is wrong with people!

The Sea to Houses : "I'm gonna get yah eventually."

❤It was a great flight. Thank you 👍

Nice flying! Just saw the footage on the Today Show. Amazing to see! The property values around that area must be tanking... sad to say. The views must be awesome overlooking that cliff I guess people take a big risk to have it.

Pretty sad those houses are gonna go. Eventually the city will build a concrete barrier along the edge to stop the erosion, but not until it reaches that freeway in the background.

The fact people are still in that second block is amazing 😂😂😂

To build on clay foundation, at the edge leading to the sea is mind boggling!

This is just one example of why building code should prohibit any construction within 50 to 100 yards of the ocean.......same thing in the carolinas and anywhere along the coastline.........makes about as much sense as building on the side of an active volcano.

Got an update vid ? Should have flown up to apt windows.

I like the fact that real-estate agents know this and can still get the sale

It always astonishes me that people have known that the sea has eroded the land for millions of years, but they still build houses on cliff tops and then complain when they are washed away.

LOOKS LIKE AN EXCITING PLACE TO LIVE FOR SURE. RENT'S PROBABLY CHEAP AS WELL.

one moment you live at the top, maybe tomorrow at the bottom

It's amazing that the engineers for these projects had absolutely no concept of the reasons for building on bedrock and what happens when you build on sand.

how sad to see black tarps flapping in wind, that someone hoped a tarp would stop erosion below. More of this to come.

would like to see how it is now 2020 the houses are all still there

Those people are like...Ehh, I can make it another week.

I used to live there back in the 90's, and it's sad to see this happening. Those people best be moving out of those apartments, real soon.

Mankind - it's safe to build here , we have things under control Mother Nature - hold my beer