Address trouble with reservations for next openings

Apparently, there were a lot of people waiting for a chance to get back to Crystal Cove.

In quick succession during the past two weeks, reservations for 13 renovated cottages at the state park were gobbled up in the time it usually takes a rock concert to sell out. Officially, the second round of bookings for November dates took a couple of hours to fill, about as long as it took people to fill the cottages during the first round for June to October. Unofficially, people who tried unsuccessfully to get a spot at the beachside cottages say they were told it was just a matter of minutes before the place was full.

The virtual “No Vacancies” sign at the state park has raised the ire of those who won’t be waking up to the sounds of the waves crashing on the sand. Most of the complaints have been about the difficulty of navigating the reservation website. A few of the disappointed have even suggested that something untoward must have gone on for the slots to fill so quickly.

There is no evidence to prove such claims, but the speed at which the cottages filled should be a lesson for the States Parks Department. There is much demand for this special strip of California coastline, and when the next bookings become available on June 1 (for December stays), the department would do well to ensure that the reservation system is ready to go.

And those trying to get a cottage might want to get on the phone or Internet before 8 a.m.