Ahoy Everyone,

This issue’s Message from the Bridge is about celebrations. Let’s start with Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Father’s Day. For those of you fortunate enough to have your parents, I hope you find the time to enjoy in their company often. Both my husband and I lost parents in 2008 and then again in 2013, leaving our daughter without the wisdom, unconditional acceptance and love provided by a grandparent. Wishing you joy as you celebrate with your loved ones. The importance of motherhood is celebrated throughout the year and universally acknowledged. Indulge me as I share a quote emphasizing the importance of fatherhood. “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” – Billy Graham. Our daughter is blessed with a great father. Treat your dad extra special this year, for most of them do not share the stresses they endure.

Congratulations to all parents of High School graduates and Associate Degree graduates. Some of you will soon pack up your teenager and move them to university or college. It will be exciting to watch them change over time. Cheers to parents of students earning a Bachelor’s, Graduate, Doctoral, or Juris Doctor. Soon you will have disposable income!

Summer solstice is around the corner, when you are out on the water or the beaches enjoying Southern California weather, please take a moment to thank our Marine Patrol and Marine Safety (Lifeguards) officers for keeping us safe. Summer for them is equivalent to 3-months of Black Fridays - busy, invigorating, exhausting, fun, and full of challenges and adventures. We all love seeing everyone enjoy the waterfront and all its amenities.

Memorial Day may mark the first weekend of the summer season, however, also remember to take a moment and acknowledge the sacrifice of those who have given all to allow us this national holiday.

Elvira Hallinan
Manager, Marinas and Beaches
Marina Offices are open and accepting new vessel permit applications. To keep you and our staff safe from COVID-19 we are continuing window service at ABM and Shoreline offices. Note – Many requests can be readily handled by phone or email. 

On April 20, 2022 new fire extinguisher regulations went into effect. All disposable fire extinguishers will now be required to have a manufacturer stamped 12-year expiration date. If you have a disposable fire extinguisher on board older than twelve years remove the extinguisher from service. When purchasing a new extinguisher look for the MARINE TYPE – USCG APPROVED label.

Memorial Day Weekend REMINDER - Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol (BUI) is illegal. The legal limit for operating a boat is .08% blood alcohol level, the same as the limit for driving under the influence (DUI). In many cases, you’re considered legally drunk even if you only feel “buzzed.” You could reach .08% level with less drinks if you’ve taken certain medications, haven’t eaten, are dehydrated or have a metabolism that doesn’t process alcohol efficiently. Penalties for boating under the influence can include large fines; jail time; loss of operating privileges for your boat, car or both; financial restitution for damages or injuries; felony conviction; and completion of an alcohol program or boating safety course.

Mosquito season is here! They can transmit illness to humans. Symptoms of disease range from the less serious, such as: fever, headache and drowsiness, to brain inflammation and meningitis. The symptoms can be more severe in the elderly, infants, and immuno-compromised. Mosquito breeding season is from May through October. Since these insects need water to complete their life cycle, they are most active in and around stagnant water. Check your vessel for standing water and remove it if present. 

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?
The design of the American Flag was not made official until 1912. At that time, a government order adopted the flag as designed. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson officially set June 14 as Flag Day. Since its creation the American Flag has changed 27 times with the last change on July 4, 1960 to include the 50th state, Hawaii.
Powerboat operation and water skiing is permissible in designated areas only between 8 a.m. and sunset. Rowing is allowed from sunrise to 8 a.m. Before sunrise and after sunset, rowing is allowed only with the proper running lights and observing the 5 mile per hour speed limit.

Recently powerboat activity has been reported in the early mornings prior to the Stadium opening for use at 8:00am and after sunset as well. This unauthorized use can put rowers in danger as they navigate the Stadium waters in their narrow rowing shells. High speeds create large wakes that can swamp or capsize these smaller watercraft. More often than not rowing participants are strapped into footholds that can make exit from a capsized shell difficult at best which creates a high-risk drowning situation.

If you see a powerboat operating in Marine Stadium prior to 8:00 a.m. or after sunset at a high rate of speed please report this violation to Marine Safety dispatch at 562-570-1360 or by using the Long Beach Police Non-Emergency line at 562-435-6711.

And in case you did not know the Marine Stadium is one of the world’s premier water skiing facilities. Amenities include: Launch ramp, sand beach, rest rooms, picnicking and ample parking. It is a great location to rent for a special event. Rates are available on request. The Stadium was initially built as the site for the 1932 Olympic Rowing competition and later hosted the 1968 Olympic rowing trials. More recently, Marine Stadium has been designated as an official state historic site.
Calvin Alls started with the city in 2000 at the Harbor Department as a Maintenance Assistant 1. He moved up the ranks as a MA2 and MA3 before obtaining his commercial license and promoting to an Equipment Operator. In 2007 Calvin had the opportunity to promote to an Equipment Operator 3 at Beach Maintenance and never looked back. Some of his work responsibilities include beach cleaning equipment such as the surf rake and the sanitizer as well as front end loaders and the bulldozer. 

Calvin Alls was born in Harbor City, California and spent the majority of his life growing up in Long Beach. He attended Garfield Elementary, Stephens Middle School and Long Beach Poly where he was a multi-sport athlete playing Football, Basketball, Baseball and participated in the school swimming team.

When Calvin isn’t working he enjoys spending his free time hanging out with friends, family and watching sports. A few of his favorite sports teams are the Dallas Cowboys, LA Lakers and LA Dodgers. Calvin has a fine taste when it comes to food. Some of his favorites are Soul food, Mexican cuisine and Thai food.
Officer Daniels was born and mostly raised in the city of McAllen, Texas located in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. We say mostly as Officer Daniels was what many people might jokingly call a “military brat”. His mother was a Staff Sergeant in the Army where she served as a Combat Medic and their family would move everytime she received orders to a new duty station. As a result, Officer Daniels has lived in Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas. He, too, joined the Army reserves in 2008 and served until 2020 as a Logistics and Supply Specialist. He moved to California in 2012 and worked as a Loss Prevention Officer for a major department store chain. His interest in law enforcement led him to apply with the City of Long Beach for a position as a Marine Patrol Officer. This May will mark his sixth year with the detail. In his off time, Officer Daniels enjoys traveling. He has been to London, Mexico, Paris, and numerous states across the U.S. He also likes Overlanding and is hoping to make a trip along the Pacific Trail to Washington. You may also catch him riding his Harley Davidson “Fatbob” motorcycle or spending time with his Goldendoodle (and our unofficially adopted Marine Patrol K9) Apollo.
Grand Prix weekend proved to be a busy one for the Marine Patrol Detail. Each year we support the event by working multiple posts and roving positions along the access road for the Shoreline Marina and Rainbow Harbor. We wrote approximately 30 citations for various non-moving vehicle violations and worked to ensure the safety of boat owners and event patrons alike. This year we staffed over fifty positions through the course of the weekend. It was great to reconnect with the familiar faces and families we have grown to know over the years as well as meeting many new folks we look forward to seeing again next year.