<div> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks, Mike for posting this. Paddles in and around Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbors offer some fascinating <br>
sightseeing!<br>
Ann<br>
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-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Mike Bode <mikebodeusa@ca.rr.com><br>
To: ckf paddlewise <ckf@paddlewise.net><br>
Sent: Mon, 2 Jun 2008 1:30 pm<br>
Subject: [CKF Info] Long Beach to Cabrillo, pics and TR<br>
<br>
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Hi Paddlers!<br>
<br>
Patrick Martin and I paddled from Long Beach to Cabrillo (and back)
yesterday. Check out pics and trip report: <br>
<br>
Pics at: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" target="_blank" href="http://gallery.ckf.org/thumbnails.php?album=275">http://gallery.ckf.org/thumbnails.php?album=275</a><br>
<br>
Long Beach to Cabrillo Beach, June 1, 08<br>
<br>
Neither Patrick Martin nor I could remember anybody having posted a
trip report about a paddle from Long Beach to Cabrillo Beach. We had
started talking about another “connect-the-dots” paddle and this one
would add another leg to our California coastline resume, which, after
this weekend, now extends roughly from just south of Point Conception
to Alamitos Bay.<br>
<br>
Patrick opined that there was probably good reason why we’d never heard
of anybody doing this particular trip before, and we both had some
trepidation about it. We expected foul, polluted water, the
penetrating odor of oil, exhaust fumes, and guano, and heavy boat
traffic that would make us constantly have to scurry out of the path of
one oil tanker, car carrier, or garbage barge to another in an
energy-sapping exercise of life-or-death escape maneuvers. And the
usual strong westerlies that would come up in the afternoon would
certainly make this a grueling day paddle that we wouldn’t want to
repeat.<br>
<br>
But none of this turned out to be true. Although the South Shore
Launch Ramp where we put in required a little forbearance in terms of
floating trash, water quality, and personal amenities, it served its
purpose. Patrick and I got there around 7:30, despite having gotten
lost on the way a couple of times, paid the $10 parking fee, and, by
8:20 were on our way. We passed the Queen Mary on our way out Long
Beach Harbor and also paused to marvel at the immense cruise ship
moored just next door. <br>
<br>
Our pace was leisurely and we stopped often to look at the sights the
harbor had to offer. We were both particularly intrigued by the flocks
of red, white, and blue California Harbor Cranes all neatly lined up in
rows, noisily feeding on the countless containers that were being moved
in or out of wherever it was that they had to be moved into or out of.
Contrary to our expectations, everything we saw in this industrial
landscape was surprisingly neat, clean, and orderly. The whole
horizon, as we paddled along, seemed to be a huge layout of some giant
child’s brand new Tonka Toys.<br>
<br>
Soon we came in sight of Angels Gate lighthouse and we headed out
toward it. We stopped, took some souvenir pictures of this beautiful,
old structure, and then continued on to Cabrillo Beach where we finally
landed shortly after 11:00am. It had taken us about 2 ¾ hours, which
was not bad considering our many stops to sightsee.<br>
<br>
After a 45-minute break, we got back in our boats and headed back to
Long Beach. We had some help from a slight breeze from the west for
most of the way and, just like the leg out, we encountered almost no
harbor traffic at all. It was about a 16 NM paddle, roundtrip, with
all our detours and meanderings, a longish trip for us, since neither
of us has managed yet to get back the good conditioning we had built up
last year.<br>
<br>
After loading up, we adjourned to a local eatery for burgers and
shortly afterward, refreshed and strengthened, got back on the road for
home. We had car pooled, and, since Patrick was driving, I for one had
a very relaxing trip home.<br>
<br>
What a nice surprise this trip was. Though not a “Beginner Paddle”
because of the distance, potential winds and harbor traffic, it’s an
entertaining change of pace with lots to see for folks with an eye for
industrial art and an appreciation for the day-to-day workings of one
of the world’s busiest seaports.<br>
<br>
You can put this trip on your calendars!<br>
<br>
Mike Bode<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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