We made it through the “Slow” season to another Summer! After four years on the job here in the Marine Bureau I’m not certain we ever have a “Slow” season in the Long Beach Marinas. I started my Parks, Recreation & Marine career in Community Recreation Services where you ramp up for Summer during the first five months of the year, Speed at 100 miles an hour for the three months of the summer season, then throttle back to close out the year as all the kids head back to school.

 

Our Long Beach Marinas system is a whole different animal. We are go, go, go year-round….. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Whether it was watching our Beach Maintenance crew respond to, AND HANDLE, an unprecedented Southern California storm season that kicked off with Hurricane Kay in September 2022 and closed out with 989 tons of storm-related debris being removed from our beachfront in March 2023; supporting our Marine Maintenance team as they maintained and upgraded our facilities, especially our boatowner and public restrooms, through a Citywide Emergency Declaration to address homelessness in January 2023; or leading our Marine Operations staff as they provide slip opportunities to current and new customers; your Marine Bureau has and will continue to maintain, monitor and improve this world-class municipal marina system.

 

With that being said - Of all the special events, weather, maintenance & repair throughout each season of the year nothing quite compares to the expected exhilaration of summer. More sunshine, more warmth, more boaters, more kids, more events, just more everything.

 

If you are looking forward to this summer as much as I am make sure to add some May/June events to your calendar. Take the kids or grandkids to the Touch-a-Truck event on May 7 at Granada Beach. You might see me and my sons there. If you want to enjoy an adult beverage or two check out LA Beer Week at Shoreline Park on June 10. The Juneteenth Celebration at Rainbow Lagoon on June 17 is a tremendously fun event and is growing each year. Just three fun events coming your way to get your summer started.

 

Ending on a safety topic note I need to ask those of you that may keep a firearm aboard your vessel for some assistance. Further down in this Marina Reader issue is an article on California Safe Storage Laws. If you do have a firearm aboard make sure to stow it unloaded, using a state-approved firearm safety device (FSD), in a locked container, with ammunition stored elsewhere on the vessel. While you may keep the firearm there for your safety make certain you are abiding by all applicable Federal and State laws to ensure the safety of everyone that may board your vessel.

 

Stay Well and Safe Boating,

Todd Leland

Interim Marine Bureau Manager

Marina Offices are open and accepting new vessel permit applications. To provide more comfortable and efficient customer service we are transitioning to a hybrid front desk/window service at ABM and Shoreline offices. Note – Many requests can still be readily handled by phone or email. 

 

Dock Carts have been and still are high value theft targets. Our Marine Patrol has begun focused efforts to locate and retrieve dock carts that have been removed from our Marina footprints unlawfully. As a permittee you can help maintain our cart inventory – PLEASE return carts to the head of the gangway after every use. Leaving dock carts in the parking lots leave them exposed to easy theft. 

 

Unauthorized commercial activity is ILLEGAL IN LONG BEACH – Please do not engage in unauthorized commercial activity at, on or near Long Beach Marinas property. Violators can and will be cited and punished to the full extent of applicable law. Reminder – Unauthorized Commercial activity will put your slip permit in jeopardy of cancellation.

 

DID YOU KNOW Each Summer in the United States, over 650 million long-distance travel trips are made. France’s Eiffel Tower iron expands in the summer heat, making the tower grow more than 6 inches. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans eat over 7 billion hot dogs.

SAVE THE DATE June 13, 2023

2023 Boat Owner’s Association Annual Meeting

Find out about current and future City plans involving our marinas. Attend the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association General Membership Meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at the Long Beach Yacht Club, 6201 Appian Way, Long Beach.

 

Speakers will include Todd Leland, Acting Marinas Manager, and an Officer from the Long Beach Marine Patrol. Appetizers, coffee, tea, and water will be served. A no-host bar will be available

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Advance reservations are required, and may be made by emailing member.services@lbmboa.org, and leave your name, telephone number, email address, and number of members and guests attending. You may also leave this information by calling (562) 433-0074. There is no cost to current members of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association; non-members may join at the door by paying the $20 annual membership donation.

Gun ownership is a constitutional right in the United States per the Second Amendment. Federal and State laws for gun ownership require permitted gun owners to handle, maintain and store their weapons in a safe manner. 

 

According to the California Attorney General, the safest way to store a gun is with a state-approved firearm safety device and by keeping the weapon in a locked container. Owners should also ensure that the firearm is not loaded. Boaters should store their guns and ammunition for these guns in different locations on their vessel or elsewhere.

 

California gun laws require owners to make sure that a gun is stored unloaded, and in a place not accessible by children and adults prohibited from possessing a gun. This is required per Penal Code 25100 PC. California law makes it a criminal offense for a firearm owner to: store a loaded gun in a home, or within an area of the owner’s control (vessel/vehicle), and do so when the owner knows, or should know, that a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state law or federal law could access it. This means if an owner knows that a child or an adult who cannot possess a firearm can get to the stored weapon, he/she should:

 

Make certain that it is unloaded

Store it in a place outside of the child or adult’s access (locked container)

 

A violation of the above law is charged as a misdemeanor. The crime is punishable by up to one year in jail. This punishment increases if a child or adult accesses the weapon and causes harm, great bodily injury, or death. In cases of harm, injury or death the crime can be charged as a felony and lead to custody in prison for up to three years.

Another Beach Concession facility is open and operating at Mother’s Beach in Alamitos Bay. Louisiana Charlie’s opened their serving windows in mid-March and have been serving delicious eats to park and beachgoers. The Concession is open weekdays 11a.m. – 7p.m. and 8a.m.-7p.m. on Saturday/Sunday.

 

Owner and proprietor Shanda Laurent is bringing her Cajun inspired Louisiana Charlie’s menu to the Alamitos Bay beachfront but is also serving up Mexican fare in the form of tacos, burritos and quesadillas. The breakfast and lunch menus will have something for everyone. If you are just in the mood for a quick snack the concession also sells popcorn, cotton candy and other assorted quick bites.

 

Louisiana Charlie’s at Mothers Beach joins Saltwater Deck at Junipero Beach as the first two of our five beach concession facilities to re-open under new lease agreements. We look forward to their continued success as they provide refreshment to our beachgoing public. This summer we hope to see Gaucho Grill at Alamitos Beach and Monty’s at Granada Beach open the service windows at their concession facilities.

Since 2022 the City of Long Beach had been preparing to reopen the Queen Mary to public tours. A number of City departments were involved to bring the Queen back to life and ready for her re-introduction to the general public. Economic Development and Public Works made several critical repairs to the ship‘s infrastructure to allow for a safe re-opening. Our Marine Bureau Landscape Maintenance team also played an integral role in preparing the historic vessel for the return of tourist activity.

 

To the knowledge of many the Queen Mary and its surrounding property were controlled by private entities for many years via long-term lease agreements. During the COVID-19 Pandemic the control of the Queen and surrounding property reverted back to City of Long Beach for the first time in ages. Unfortunately, during that time of private oversight the Queen and property were not provided the care and attention required.

 

As City staff evaluated the condition of the vessel and land it became clear that the ship was not the only area needing considerable revitalization. The Marine Bureau Landscape team was called upon to bring life back to the park space, planter beds and parking medians. After a year-long effort which required turf renovation, seeding, aeration, mulching and introduction of hundreds of vibrant plants the Queen Mary property reopened to the public eye in April 2023.

 

The successful reopening of the Queen was a joint-effort by multiple departments across the City of Long Beach. However, if you visit the Queen take a look around as you approach to board. All the landscape around you was revitalized by and is now in the expert care of our Marine Bureau Landscape team.