Atlantic vs Pacific - My Ocean is Better than Yours

ALICIA: So in the On the Leesh office, Melissa has the title of - among other things - odd man out. This means that she was born and raised on the West Coast. From time to time, we enjoy throwing it down on who's got it better. Is it Edy's or Dreyers? Is it Biggie or Tupac? Is it the Atlantic or the Pacific? In honor of our third oceans week, here's a sample of how Melissa and I throw down. Feel free to weigh in.

MELISSA: While I may be the only West Coast born gal in the office it doesn’t take a genius to understand why the West Coast easily beats out the East Coast. In Ocean v. Ocean I will take the Pacific any day. While I could go on an on by listing all the reasons why the West Coast is great, I would rather send out a rebuttal to Arinella’s slanderous statements about my Beloved Pacific.

ALICIA: Our ocean is older - whether or not this fact is true, we have a longer history of writing stories about our ocean.

MELISSA: Oldersmolder. Everyone knows that younger is hipper. While your Ocean may be in it’s 70's and 80's we are still in our prime 40's. And everyone knows that 40's is the new 30's and who doesn't have a rockin time in their 30's? We may be young but what we lack in age we make up for with amazing scenery, fantastic waves and Sea Otters. (I mean come on. Who doesn’t love a Sea Otter)


(Sea Otter from Northern Pacific Ocean)


ALICIA: Our ocean is more romantic. It's grey and stormy. It pounds against the rocks. That is exactly how I felt after my last break up.

MELISSA: Atlantic more romantic than Pacific? Yeah right! I got engaged on the beach of the Lost Coast in Mendocino, CA and let me tell you there is nothing more romantic. Sky High Rocky Mountains, sprawling beaches and sun for miles and miles. Hmmm…Let's see ladies, would you rather your man proposed to you on the grey, stormy and temperamental beaches of the Atlantic or on the soft sandy beaches of the Pacific, under a crystal blue sky and epic moss covered mountains? (Please See Photos)



(This is a picture taken from the southern route of the Lost Coast from Wikipedia)



(This is one of my personal photos from my engagement trip to the Lost Coast. In June 2005. This is over looking the beach and mountain range covered in beautiful morning fog. And still that Epic Blue Sky. Also that man in the R of the photo is now my husband.)

ALICIA: We have sharks at a much more manageable size. It's less intimidating to go swimming.


MELISSA: I have several things to say about this but first of all...Yes a Shark maybe scary but it is a SHARK! I mean if it weren’t scary or dangerous it wouldn't be called a shark. It would just be just another fish. I don't know about you but if we are going to have sharks I would rather have a real shark. No one needs nor cares about a very tiny shark.

Secondly according to the International Shark Attack File quoted in Surfing Magazine, "There were a record 84 documented unprovoked shark attacks throughout the world in the year 2000. Of those, 34 (almost half) occurred in Florida."

It would appear to me that while we may have bigger sharks in our Ocean your more likely to get eaten by one in the Atlantic! I will take a big shark over those odds any day.

Shark Jumping photo from - New Smyrna Beach, Florida

ALICIA: Cross it, and you're in Europe. What? Awesome.

MELISSA: HA! Cross it, you’re in Hawaii. More Awesome.


ALICIA: It ranges in color from dark and stormy (see #2) to crystal blue. Pick your passion, you can find it.

MELISSA: We got that too, nothing special there.


ALICIA: We've got the National Seashore, Acadia, Biscayne & Dry Tortugas (the Florida Keys), The Island of Saint John (yup the whole island), the Everglades, Cape Hatteras, The Outer Banks and ATLANTIC CITY - take that!

MELISSA: We have Hawaii, Malibu, Big Sur, The Redwoods, The Lost Coast and many others. As far as having Atlantic City go ahead and claim NJ. No one on our Coast wants it anyway.


ALICIA: We've got the Caribbean and other tiny islands that have made Spring Breakers so happy over the years

MELISSA: We have MEXICO, the epicenter of spring break debauchery. Who hasn’t been to a raucous spring break party in Acapulco, Tijuana, or Puerto Vallarta?


ALICIA: I just wrote Caribbean - what's up billion dollar Disney Franchise!

MELISSA: Oh I am sorry did no one tell you that Disney was started in California? Oh yeah that’s right, IT WAS!

ALICIA: We don't have earthquakes - what's up with those?

MELISSA: Yes we have earthquakes but those are just part of Mother Nature. On the West Coast we appreciate Mother Nature and her need to stretch her legs. Why doesn’t the East Coast let Mother Nature take a walk every once in awhile? You keep her pent up and frustrated. Hence your temperamental and stormy coasts, she’s pissed that you won’t let her out. No one likes a caged animal, come on East Coast, get it together.

Also may I point out that while we do have earthquakes we get hardly any hurricane’s where as the Atlantic is always pushing those baby’s around. Yuck!


ALICIA: We have major US cities - Boston, New York, Providence, Charleston, and Miami

MELISSA: We also have some fantastic Major U.S. Cities i.e. San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles and not to mention smaller gems like Malibu, Carmel & Monterey.

ALICIA: Lobster - the real ones. Nuff Said

MELISSA: Dungeness Crab. Back at yah.

ALICIA: According to Wikipedia (which we all know to be accurate) - The estimated population of California, Oregon, and Washington was 47 million. And from EastCoastUSA.com, The east coast population is about 98 million, which is 37% of the total US population. By this fact - people just prefer the Atlantic, Melissa. So, I guess this just about shuts it down? NO COMPETITION!

Keep trying to rock it, Melissa - but you can't compare Love, Alicia the Atlantic Lover

Melissa: No one likes a crowded beach. ;)

Peace out Atlantic. -Melissa. (Pure Bred Pacific Ocean Lover)


P.S. By the way: It is totally Dryers Not Edy’s, Tupac Not Biggie and Best Foods Not Hellmann’s.