* catching up on old backlogged drafts so this review may be a bit out of date Stumbled upon this beach after getting food nearby and decided to post up here for the day and had a lovely time. We went in early August and brought our snorkel gear. Saw lots of little crabs and rock dwelling critters along the rocks on the right side, lots of seaweed/kelp/plant matter to swim through but a good amount of bright yellow garibaldi poking out from them as well! The best part was the harbor seals!! There were some lounging up on rock platforms and we had one curious little guy swimming along with us as well snorkeled the area. The beach was relatively empty on a week day although there were a few people being annoying to the lounging harbor seals and getting a bit too close! read more

Nice free activity. The beach was closed near Sun set time since there were seals on the shore. We looked at them for quite a while. And not too crazy crowded. Can get a bit chilly towards the night. There are bathrooms on site in case the tea you drank is done brewing. Street parking can be found ....eventually read more

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Children's pool is an iconic spot for San Diego. It is on all the lists of things to do, see, visit, in San Diego. Beautiful views, there is also a seawall that provides entertainment during king tides with giant splashes and people getting extra soaked. There are sea lions there, and picturesque sunrises and sunsets. Free 2-3 hour parking not too far away, but fills up fast. There are also paid parking garages nearby. Enjoy my photos and videos, many from the King tides. Wipeout beach is a short walk away, and better if you want to have a beach day. read more

We went straight to the CHILDREN's POOL after having breakfast at Harry's Coffee Shop. We went to see the Sea Lions and their beautiful babies in the middle of PUPPING SEASON. It's where all the females are, MOMS AND BABIES, no males. We were so lucky this time to get a parking spot right as we drove down Coast Blvd. It was close but just far enough to get a THREE MINUTE WALK in along the coast. We got to the Lifeguard Station, and I stayed up at the top, and My Partner went down to the SeaWall. I want to give a special thanks to the LADIES, who were at the top giving information about EVERYTHING. It was particularly informative!!! read more

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I stopped here on a tour, but unfortunately the tour guide only allotted 11 minutes to enjoy this gorgeous spot. He recommended against using the bathrooms here, though some did and said they were gnarly. I spent all 11 minutes standing on the walkway near the seals taking in the scenery and snapping as many photos as I could of the super cute little sunning seal families. It was a gorgeous day and I only wish I could have stayed longer! read more

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It was only recently that we discovered this part of La Jolla, which is another beautiful spot to enjoy the beauty of La Jolla and the sea lions. When driving to GIRARD AVE , turn to COAST BLVD and drive all the way down until you see this Facility called the CHILDRENS POOL. You won't miss it because you'll see a lot of people looking for Parking or already posing for Pictures. Coming from the Parking lot we thought it was just an Ocean view we gonna see, getting closer people are walking down to get to the small Bridge. My family enjoys the view and the closer we kept something to see and take pics of the Sealions and Seals . So walking towards the Bridge it felt so nice the Breeze and a little bit of the water splashing on you. This spot of La Jolla became our regular stop, it's really beautiful here. read more

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It was Seal Pupping Season in June and this brings out so many large crowds of people to the Children's Pool and to La Jolla Cove. The seals are at the cove now and along the walkway/boardwalk they are pupping/birthing. The smell is very pungent and not very pleasant. This does not sway tourists and visitors from coming out to witness the live births. Back in the day we would come here to the Children's Pool to swim and avoid the current and high surf with the sea wall that is there. There were no seals nor sea lions coming here in the space. Now they are safely habituating in 2 larger areas on the outside of the Cove and the Children's Pool. This place is nostalgic and people have returned to both the Cove and the Children's Pool to enjoy the space. read more

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My friend and I went in late March and we managed to luck out with the perfect timing. Came right before sunset when all the seals were returning to the beach. We even saw one pup feeding! It was adorable! We walked out on the wall and I would just caution, it's uneven, so if you're in heels or not sure footed it may be treacherous for you. There are railings so that helps though. read more

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If you've never been to Hawaii, picture this: crystal-blue waters and sandy shores so stunning they could've been lifted straight from a Waikiki postcard. That's exactly what the Children's Pool looked like on this day. For as long as I've lived here, I'd never seen the water this clear or the beach this free of the usual sea lion sunbathers who normally claim every inch of sand. I was completely mesmerized, the kind of awestruck that makes you want to dive right in, snorkel around, and let your inner mermaid run wild. Even better? Watching families and kids splash around, laughing and enjoying the pool it felt like the beach came alive again. If you do visit there are public restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off after splashing in the water. A quick word of advice: if you do visit and the sea lions are hanging out, please give them space. They may look cute and sleepy, but they can get extremely feisty. Don't feed the wildlife, and always leave the beach cleaner than you found it. That way, this magical spot stays beautiful and safe for everyone human and sea lion alike for years to come. read more

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Really great place to take a walk or to take the kids to see nature in action. The sea lions are loud but the seals aren't. Only drawback is the amount of people in the summer, making parking truly impossible. Go during and off time, if possible. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Lovely beach in La Jolla with Lifeguard station right above. While this is a "beach", it is usually closed to the public between December to May during seal pupping season. Even if it is open to the public, I don't recommend letting your children loose here, because seals are in the area year-round. However, it is still a nice spot to visit when you are in the area. You can watch people fish at the seawall, look at wildlife or just enjoy the peaceful beach and waves in general. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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The Children's Pool in La Jolla is so much fun! The beach was closed when my husband and I visited La Jolla in early April, but it was amazing to see the seals! During the Harbor Seal Season, which runs between December 15 thru May 15, the Children's Pool is closed. The cliffs and the coves are spectacular. There are great walking paths that you can traverse in the La Jolla area. The Children's Pool area has a few benches where you can sit down and overlook the ocean. You can watch a lot of the seals and some sea lions just sleeping on the beach! The small beach is partially protected by a seawall. It's a great area for scuba divers since the reefs are just offshore. There are several other beaches nearby, such as Shell Beach to the north and wipeout Beach to the south. Children's Pool is one of the beaches that has a permanent lifeguard station. It's not active during the Harbor Seal Season. This place was wonderful to visit. If you're visiting San Diego or in the La Jolla area, I'd highly recommend visiting the children's pool! read more

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Children's pool is located pretty much in the same area as the La Jolla Cove. It's a good viewing area to see seals and sea lions although when I came in January most of them were hanging out by the cove. During the winter to early spring beach access to children's pool is off limits since many of the seals and sea lions have their pups with them. Even without access to go down to the beach for a closer looks this is a great location to relax, take in the views, and enjoy nature. read more

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California 01-2024 Seal Island at LA Jolla near San Diego. Tony and I happened upon this right along side the beach. You can literally just walk up to it. It's absolutely Free and so is the parking. It's amazing to see the Seals and Sea Lions playing in the water and relaxing on the beach. The seals are more playful. The sea lions more noisy read more

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The pups are in season! The beach was closed but we got to see the baby and mama pups interacting which is super cute! Pulping season is from Dec to May. read more

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A relatively small beach down a cove surrounded by impressive cliffs with various erosion patterns. We visited there on a Sunday around 1:30 pm. It was difficult to fine parking as the shore line was full of pedestrians. The water looked clean, a bit of seaweed but it wasn't that crowded on the beach partly because of the warning sign saying that the bacterial counts were high. The beach site has restrooms but relatively primitive if you are used to the regular kind. Shower stalls are also available and you have to line up for its use. There were a few seals lying lazily on a rock a bit out from the beach. More seals were seen further out on the manmade bank guarding the mouth of the cove. You can walk on top of the bank and watch the seals close by. There are many more beaches along the coast line but only a few were opened to the public. It was a nice place to visit especially to watch the waves come in from an expansive sea vista. read more

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This is a beautiful walk down the coast to see the seals! Recently had some visitors in town interested in seeing the seals, so we headed down to La Jolla. I wasn't really sure where to go (having visited over 15 years ago) so I navigated to the Children's Pool area. We were able to find parking right before sunset, right across the street, as it was pleasantly busy for a Sunday evening in November. I wish I had known there were grassy areas for a picnic so we could've caught more daylight to watch the seals! So heads up to you there's places to play and picnic and run around. As for the children's pool, I know there's some history behind it but now it seems that the seals have taken over. There is a rope that says to stay 50 feet from the seals, and it was REALLY disappointing to see folks sneak wayyy closer than that for their photos. I can promise you, your photo is not that impressive/important for your social media friends if it means you have to get close and stress out the sleeping seals. It was really wild to see some folks also walking on slippery rocks at low tide just to get close to these wild animals. I hope it continues to remain open so everyone can enjoy it. read more

Visiting here during Pupping season was more fun then i thought it would be. Have some friends visiting and they loved it too! We got to see the seals but couldn't go on the beach, was kinda cold anyway. Met some more friends at the Shores afterwards and had a nice lunch sitting outside by the fire. A really nice day overall. Def recommend Children's pool even though you can't go on the beach and get close to seals, you can still see them pretty close up. read more

Beautiful! Enjoyed a walk and weather was perfect. Clean and many benches to sit if you want to just enjoy the area read more

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When you come to the many Oceanside parks for the kids there are those that have the jellyfish that maybe floating in the tide pools. The many areas of the beach are are especially marked for the seals and and the bulks that come to raise their young is never come into those areas of the nursing areas The history along the beaches you find the many things from the ocean life to the wayward sandshark and the sting ray hiding you need to shuffle your feet to let them know thst you are there . Yes for the beaches you Also have the times of dangerous things of stepping on nails or lit ciggerets that is why there is no smoki.ng or drinking on the beach due to the many problems it causes. From the many walks alo.g the beach the mSny beaches are enforcing the rules and if you have beer on the beach that is a hefty fine to make beach areas much safer . The children's pool has been one with a long line of line of history from the 1800s when the first beach users came to the beach in the long suit size dresses and the men wore the PJ style style swim suit. For the read more

It may be awkwardly named (don't ask me why, I'm not a local), but the real draw here, besides the spectacular view and accessible beach) is, let's face it...the seals. Just about anytime you visit, you are guaranteed to see hordes of seals, young and old, lounging, resting and/or barking as they climb all over each other, take in the sun, and bask in the attention of all the tourists (myself included). It's free, it's fun. Just keep your hands to yourself! read more

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Loved stopping by. The Children's Pool had great views of the ocean and was great to see seals and sea lions! It was fun to watch them all sunbathe, swim, and to hear the sea lions vocalize! Definitely a great place to see wildlife. Lots of walking paths along the coast and plenty of parking. read more

Children's Pool - seals on the beach - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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The Children's pool also known as Casa Beach, is worth a visit if you're already by La Jolla Cove. It's a small beach area where you can see seals and sea lions swimming and lying on the beach. Free admission. You should be able to find free parking nearby, try to avoid going during the busier hours of the day. With the weather in San Diego, there is never a bad time to go. I recommend coming here to enjoy the beautiful views and capture some awesome pictures. read more

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Located off 850 Coast Blvd, in La Jolla. This is a little pool area where the sea lions come to lay on the beach. Free parking but spaces are limited. You can catch a good sunset from here as well as seeing all the sea lions laying on the beach sleeping or drying off. There is also restrooms below the Lifeguard station. Overall a cool spot to catch a sunset and possibly sea lions sleeping or drying off on the beach . read more

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Super cute place to come and visit the lazy seals What more can I say except these seals are fun to watch and basically are napping constantly. read more

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Parking is a big of a nightmare. But the walking all along the road that leads to the Children's Pool and beyond is beautiful. A real jewel of San Diego read more

Children's Pool - Thinking of Bryan who loved sitting on this bench. All in La Jolla - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

This is a very cool place to observe harbor seals and their pups whether they are on the beach or playing nearby in the ocean (December - May) in San Diego. My wife and I went on a beautiful day in February. Thirty to forty adults seals and another dozen pups easily spotted on the beach or within the ancient breakwater. read more

After our Big Sur reservations were canceled due to COVID (aside: they opened restaurants but cancelled CAMPING? What kind of horse manure is that?) we opted to Air B&B a house in San Diego and try to salvage a vacation. The house is a whole other review... but suffice to say our day at "Children's Pool" was a novelty at best. Heading down on a Friday helped a little bit with parking-- we actually found a couple of 2 Hour spots just down the street. Thanks to the Mayor of SD for directing local parking enforcement to lighten up, because we had occasion to stay a little longer than posted. A short walk to this diminutive stretch of imported sand just behind a somewhat ugly concrete break wall, Children's Pool is one of the small shore access spots here in La Jolla proper at the base of the cliffs. It is well-known for being a harbor seal and sea lion haul out area, and it has the stank to prove it; it seems the pinnipeds don't miss an opportunity to vacate their bowels on the rocks, and the stench is palpable. Considering this factoid, Children's Pool has one of the highest bacteria counts of any CA beach, regularly earning F scores from water quality organizations. All that aside, this seems to be a big draw. There's a big lifeguard station on the bluff above, and they bark orders at people for most of your stay: "Get away from that nesting seagull!" "Kayaker, stay outside the break!" "Guys, you can't launch your kayak here!" The last one was classic SD lifeguard awesomeness, as they watched two divers set up their inflatable, load all their gear, walk it down to the water, and then and ONLY THEN told them they were prohibited from launching. Awesome move. Baby seagulls and baby humans and quite a few people trying to find something to do here. You can't really swim, there's no waves, and the water gets deep in a hurry. Maybe you can take a couple of photos here? To send to Aunt Gertrude in Greenfield, IN? I idly walked the short beach along the tide line looking for sea glass and a few shells. Found a baby abalone she'll and a few decent pieces of glass, so not a total waste of time. Thought about walking through the cave on the north end, but wasn't motivated I guess. It's sandy. There's ocean there. But this is not a beach. read more

Children's Pool - Mama hull with two chicks - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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The Children's Pool is awesome! It's the best place in San Diego to see a bunch of sea lions. It's not the kind of place you hang out for more than 10-15 minutes but it's really cool to get to see the sea lions all takin it easy on the beach. The baby sea lions are really cute and there's always a few of them around. read more

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When you visit San Diego, you'll hear a lot about La Jolla. This well-to-do suburb of San Diego is known for two things: its picturesque beaches and its sea lions/seals. Children's Pool is a great spot to check out the seals and sea lions. You'll learn the difference between the two animals (even though they look the same, there are three main differences that will help you differentiate between them). Beyond the animals, you'll also have scenic views. Children's Pool, while not exactly a pool for children, is a great spot in La Jolla to get yourself a good helping of the animals and the views. read more

I have not been to the Children's Pool in a very long time, at least for several years. It made me very sad to be here the other day, for so many reasons. The beach was filled with both children and adults swimming and sunning on the beach. I cringe at the thought of all the seal and sea lion feces that pollutes this man-made beach, and seeing anyone swimming in it makes me ill. The seals and sea lions congregate on these sands throughout the year, and especially when the Children's Pool is closed from December 15 through May 15, which is when pup season occurs. During those five months, the seals and sea lions congregate on this beach in even larger numbers. You can imagine their bodies carry bugs and diseases. Since the Children's Pool is enclosed by the semi-circular 'viewing wall' (Point Mencinger seawall) that surrounds the cove-like area of the beach, bacteria marinates in the water there and I don't have to tell you it is very unhealthy. I also would never touch that sand, but that's just me. The kids out here (and some adults) chase the seals. The Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act became a Law that people are required to keep a distance of 150 feet away from the seals and sea lions, but I see it ignored all the time. If provoked, these wild animals will bite. And worse, if nursing seals and sea lions are frightened, they might abandon their pups and head to the sea. It is not cool to bother or harass them, so stop! Also, sea lions are food to sharks and there have been several instances when the Children's Pool has been closed because of shark sightings. When I moved to California in the early 90's, this beach was so clean. If you look at the older pictures on this timeline from just 8 years ago, the water was clear. Now all you see is the black stuff floating in the water close to the shore. There is a lot of political controversy about this challenging issue available online if you care to Google or Wikipedia it. I won't go into it here, as my review was not meant for that purpose. I only seek to make both tourists and locals aware. For these reasons, I implore you to rethink whether or not you would allow your kids to swim at the Children's Pool. I sure wouldn't. read more

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Children's Pool A seawall was build in 1930s to create a beach for little kids so they can have a natural "Children's Pool." https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sdentertainer.com/lifestyle/la-jolla-childrens-pool/%3famp Located in La Jolla, CA! Beautiful cliff side views! It's magical! This is a mix of a man made wall plus the ecological reserve that surrounds the area. Wild life is so active here especially Sea Lions; you "sea dogs!" Came here on a glorious Saturday after lunch! Parking was packed. It was a nice walk to get here. Drive slow and hope someone leaves. Be prepared to walk. If you have kids and picnic, it would be ideal to have a beach wagon or a the backpack chairs that can carry your snacks etc etc! We were greatest at the top of Children's Pool with a friendly seagull who leaned how to say " Yum! yum!" There is a life guard station above the Children's Pool that will tell you the water stats. Right below it are restrooms and showers. You can also access the sea wall and walk on it: Tide Permitting! Uneven steps so pay attention! This little spot has alot of kids! The water is so clear! You can see the rocks and the sand! And if you look out, you will most like see a sea lion swimming! Keep your distance! They are wild animals! There are a lot of vendors here especially the ice cream truck selling popsicles that are geared to lure your kids. A guy selling corn in a cup! And bacon wrap hotdogs. Bring your snacks for the littles! You can easily break the bank if you don't. Enjoyed my day here. And getting the walk in! As absolutely needed! We also got lucky to see 4 weddings being celebrated near the cliff tops here! Beautiful place to enjoy Mother Nature Beauty with Vitamin Sea and D! So get your walking shoes and your patience for parking and head outside! read more

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If you're looking to see some pretty scenery and wildlife in San Diego, Children's Pool is the place! Children's Pool was recommended to us by a friend that previously lived in San Diego and said we had to stop here for the scenery. The Children's Pool is located in the heart of the La Jolla's downtown shopping district, and we were surprised to see all the free parking right next to the beach. It's so cool to walk alongside the beach and see the seals! Usually you can see them on the beach and rocks and the scenery is truly stunning! read more

Beginning of May, around 12PM - Lots of sleepy seals on the rocks and beaches. Someone really had the overly excited tourist in mind when they built out the walking areas of Children's Pool so humans can observe the seals safely. Signs are clear, and guard rails are in place. There is an area where you can walk out the rocks and get within a few feet of interacting with them. Fortunately, it seems everyone around me kept a respectable distance. The seals made for some adorable and hilarious pictures. They also seemed very accustomed to people, and minded their own business. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I love stopping here and seeing the seals. It's one of San Diego's best free attractions. I could spend hours here with a cup of warm tea watching the pups. We came around sunset. It was a little chilly for us natives, so don't forget to bring your sweater or sweatshirt and your camera. Also not a bad idea to have a towel in the car. If you walk out on the walkway, sometimes the water will break and your get a wee bit wet. As a reminder, you cannot actually go onto the beach, you can only watch the seals from afar, so maybe a set of binos also, or a camera with a good zoom. read more

Children's Pool - Beaches Near Me - La Jolla, California

While this location can get crowded and the parking at times can be difficult, all of your endeavors to get here will be worth it. This location is, without a doubt, one of the most serene, beautiful, intriguing and natural locations that you'll visit in California. The view is spectacular. The seals and sea lions are a dream to watch. You could stand and marvel at them in their natural habitat for hours. Bring a jacket if you plan on going in the morning, as the sea breeze can make it kind of cool. Make sure to wear water/beach-friendly shoes, too, just in case you want to walk out on the stone catwalk breaker (which is regularly splashed with sea spray). You can also walk down to portions of the beach to get a closer look at the seals, sea lions and the coves. Absolutely beautiful. read more

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A man made structure in La Jolla creates a safe beach and provides a pathway for humans to get closer to the ocean! This is a fantastic place in San Diego! I had this bookmark and Chel brought us here! I didn't know how awesome it really was until I actually came here to experience it in real life! It was such a wonderful visit that Alana and I brought Yuri to see it one week later. There's a sea wall that you may walk on. The wall separates the wild ocean from the calm beach! On the wall, it's so cool to be above the waves and look down at the water. Sometimes, especially at high tide, the waves might hit the top of the wall, so be careful because you might get wet! The first time we visited with Chel, there were baby seals swimming on the beach side of the wall! They were so cute! I could watch them for hours! One baby seal was trying to scoot up on the rocky shelf near the wall, but the waves pulled him back. The other baby seals looked so happy playing in the ocean! On the beach, people set up canopies for shade so they could hang out longer. The children looked like they were having fun! It's a really nice, safe, clean beach! I wouldn't mind returning to watch the sun set and maybe having a picnic! Bonus: the street parking is free! Let's go! read more

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Before coming, I saw reviews about the side with wall having seal poo.... So we went to the other side and didn't notice any of that there. We were there when there were pups with mamas. A sign let us know not to get too close (though it appeared some either didn't see or didn't care), and we heard an announcement reminder to not get too close. The waves on the side without the wall were like normal beach waves. Sandy, beautiful, and still got to be close to seals! It was fun to see them playing in the water and our kids playing on the shore. Super neat! There is a restroom in the building between the two sides. We didn't need to use it, so can't really update on the inside. But, good to know it's available! Parking was like normal southern CA beach parking - circle till you find something. Haha! read more

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This is an excellent spot to visit. I arrived around 8 a.m. mid-June, before anyone else arrived, and there were numerous seals on the beach, some of them just waking up. As a bonus, there were pelicans. Once people started to arrive, the seals started to go back into the water, so get there early, before there's a crowd. You don't have to go close to the spot to get an awesome view (and you shouldn't--please observe the ropes!). There are plenty of benches and viewing spots from above. read more

Beautiful beach, tide pools, and great place to see seals and sea lions on the sandy beach and on the rocks. Walk along the wall to get great perspective of the water and wildlife. Minutes walk from Shell Beach and Scripps Park, I recommend visiting all 3 places. Street parking available, lots of great restaurants and art galleries nearby. read more

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