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Here is a very interesting “did you know” fact about Coronado. Sure, many of you know that the sand dunes on Central beach spell out the word C-O-R-O-N-A-D-O, but do you know why they were created, how they were created and who the artist is that created them?

Exactly 30 years ago, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1988, Armando Moreno (City of Coronado employee) was tasked with cleaning up the massive amounts of kelp that washed onto Coronado beaches due to a high tide. Armando decided to bury it in the sand and add ice plant to the top of it to create a series of letters. This took place over a two year process. His masterpiece was created, but it wasn’t until Google Earth satellite photos appeared online that anyone (besides Navy pilots) knew about his creation.

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Not only is it an amazing piece of “sand art”, but many Navy sailors and Jr. Lifeguards train and exercise across those very dunes – they may or may not be pleased with Armando’s creation!

After a story in 2011 about these dunes and Armando, it was learned that he had never seen the dunes from above. So, a local pilot, Britt Cooper, took Armando up in the air to admire them from above. The video from that flight is below:

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Now you know the why, how and who regarding the C-O-R-O-N-A-D-O sand dunes. Another reason that makes Coronado such a special place.