Port of San Diego

Restored Corsair Fighter Plane Joins USS Midway Museum Collection

dfrost@portofsandiego.org (Dale Frost (619) 686-6222) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:25:46 +0000

Visitors to the USS Midway Museum can get a close-up view of a restored F4U-4 Corsair, a rare signature fighter plane. The recently donated Corsair now joins 25 other aircraft on display at the aircraft carrier museum.

View photo slideshow

During a Veteran’s Day ceremony, the 33-foot-long fighter plane transited San Diego Bay, traveling by barge from its North Island restoration facility to the USS Midway Museum along the North Embarcadero. A crane gently lifted the aircraft onto the bow of the flight deck.

“It didn’t fly here,” USS Midway volunteer and safety officer Rudy Labastida said the day after its arrival as he stood near the meticulously restored plane, answering questions for the many visitors drawn to the new display.

The restored Corsair has the markings of Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-225 as it would have looked in 1952 for a deployment aboard the USS Midway.

The Corsair was in production longer than any other aircraft in World War II and was then considered the best fighter-based aircraft in the world. It was also used during the Korean Conflict.

“It was a very effective fighter and attack plane,” said USS Midway Museum docent Dick Bradley, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant and pilot who flew single-engine prop planes and anti-submarine warfare helicopters during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Corsair’s are now rare because so many World War II planes were lost in training missions. According to USS Midway Museum President and CEO Mac McLaughlin, the bottom of Lake Michigan is home to many Corsairs that crashed during training missions.

The F4U-4 Corsair was one of the first aircraft to exceed 400 miles per hour in level flight, assuring a prominent place in aircraft carrier operations even after the introduction of jet aircraft.

Production of F4U-4 Corsair’s ended in 1952, a dozen years after the prototype first took flight.

More than 4 million people have visited the USS Midway Museum since it opened in 2004, making it the most-visited floating ship museum in the world.

Big Bay Cannon Battles Mark Celebration of Star of India Birthday

bmoreno@portofsandiego.org (Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:10:12 +0000

To celebrate the 146th birthday of the historic Star of India, the Maritime Museum of San Diego will host live cannon battle reenactments, real-life “Battleship” games and Family Day festivities on November 14 and 15 along San Diego’s Embarcadero.

It will be all hands on deck to hear the cannons roar from the Age of Sail. Participants will be treated to a voyage from the 18th century as two historic tall ships, the Californian and the privateer Lynx, wage “war” and make a big bang on the Big Bay.

“The cannon battle reenactments involve strategic maneuvering of the historic naval warfare,” said Robyn Gallant, director of marketing for the Maritime Museum of San Diego. “It is really a strategy dance of the ships based on actual events in history.”

Each ship will fire black powder-filled cannons broadside at each other’s vessel. Battles will be loud, but not dangerous. The tall ships gear up for battle from the Maritime Museum of San Diego promptly at 12:30 p.m. and set sail at 1 p.m. Tickets are $40 to $65. Cannon battle blows are loud and are not recommended for small children. Advance tickets are available on the museum’s website at www.sdmaritime.org.

Younger sailors may also join in a different type of “battle,” a real-life version of the old board game “Battleship.” Participants fire on their opponent from their base on one of two decommissioned naval submarines – the USS Dolphin, a US Navy research sub, or a Cold War era nuclear submarine, the Russian Cobra B-39. Radio communication between the submarines will allow opponents to determine their exact locations during the two-dimensional battle under way.

As an additional incentive, and as part of San Diego Maritime Week, all children under 12 years old receive free admission aboard docked ships all weekend, as the Maritime Museum hosts Family Days. And in celebration of the Star of India’s 146th birthday, birthday cake will be served on Saturday, November 14. There will also be a science activity for kids to create their own boat and live music.

“These events are dedicated to celebrating the oldest, active-sailing ship in the world,” said Gallant. “Many people have come to research archived manifests and found the names of relatives immigrating from foreign countries. The Star of India has truly become an icon for San Diego and a historical treasure of the nation, symbolic for its passengers who begin their life in America.”

For more information, call 619-234-9153 ext. 101.

Port of San Diego Appoints New Public Art Director

jgilmore@portofsandiego.org (John Gilmore (619) 686-7206) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:54:08 +0000

The Port of San Diego has named Yvonne Wise as the agency’s Public Art Director.

Wise, who has more than 15 years of experience in the public sector and arts education, joined the Port in 2007 as a Public Art Manager. She has been the Acting Public Art Director since January.

Before moving to San Diego, Wise served as the City of Philadelphia’s Public Art Director.

As a manager for the Port District’s public art program, Wise has supervised a variety of public art installations, including Oppenheim’s Engagement, Abakanowicz’s Walking Figures and an exhibition of eight Bernar Venet sculptures.

Wise, who has an extensive background in government arts programs, arts advocacy and community service, represents the Port on the City of San Diego’s Public Art Committee. She is currently reviewing recommendations for revision of the Port’s Public Art master plan to establish priorities and build a framework for the future. Wise holds a Master’s degree in fine art and dual Bachelor’s degrees in English and fine art.

The Port’s Public Art Program was established in 1996 to promote a healthy, vibrant environment that contributes to the quality and identity of the region. The Port currently owns and displays a diverse collection of artworks which can be viewed on tidelands in San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City. Since its inception, the program has complemented the character of the Port’s five member cities by supporting cultural tourism and economic development.

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High Tech High Students Publish Book Examining Endangered Species of San Diego Bay

jgilmore@portofsandiego.org ((619) 686-7206 (619) 341-5684) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:35:05 +0000

Students at High Tech High have just completed the fourth book in a series that examines the health of San Diego Bay.

“Our book is not just a story, but rather a call for conservation that we hope will echo across the beautiful city of San Diego and beyond, for the benefit of our biosphere and all its inhabitants.”

Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Student Authors

Through essays, photographs, poetry and illustrations, coupled with months of research and interviews, “San Diego Bay: A Call for Conservation” focuses on the bay’s health and 18 species that live in and around the bay, including the green sea turtle, California brown pelican, black skimmer, peregrine falcon and burrowing owl.

Each chapter in the richly illustrated 344-page book discusses key elements impacting the wildlife. Students explain the reasons for the species decline and efforts to recover populations and restore sensitive habitat that is located throughout the bay.

“Through the books, we hoped to empower our students with meaningful work and help provide them with a greater appreciation for nature,” the students’ biology teacher, Jay Vavra, wrote in the book’s introduction.

Famed primate researcher Jane Goodall wrote in the book’s preface that only recently has the importance of preserving biodiversity received the deserved attention from policymakers and the public. Yet she believes little or nothing is done to change the course.

“Thus it is immensely gratifying to see that the students who have researched, written and designed this beautiful book address this threat, along with other problems such as pollution, development, invasive species and climate change,” she wrote.

In addition to the scientific descriptions found throughout the book, the interdisciplinary project involves reflective writing as part of the student assignments. Student poetry is featured prominently throughout the book.

“A spread of muck sloshing under my feet…
I think, ‘What could live in this desolate land?’
Far in the distance, I see its grand splendor:
An ecosystem of life hidden ‘neath the first glance.
Through muck and water,I see the creatures surviving.
Beauty is here.
Life is here.”

High Tech High student Megan Morikawa, from her “Nature’s Unexpected Splendor”

In one of the books’ early chapters, students write about the dramatic changes in the land and water that have occurred over many years, a major ecological problem called “shifting baselines. The students paint a written picture of San Diego in the early days: a place with marshlands stretching from the coast through all of San Diego Bay’s tidelands. They write of a giant offshore kelp forest stretching for miles and they remind readers that at one time the Bay was teeming with fish and birds that lived over vast wetland areas.

They also point out that at times the bay was filled with dead zones and was much worse off then it is now. The students bring a message of hope through their explorations of some of the solutions to the past destruction of the ecosystem. Included in that examination is a look at the Endangered Species Act, eelgrass restoration, (in which the Port is involved) Marine protected areas and sustainable fisheries.

The students also developed their own innovations to study the bay. An example of this is the remote-controlled plankton tow boat that was used in the field and DNA bar coding for species identification back in the school biotech laboratory. To sum up their efforts former Stanford University President Donald Kennedy commented, “If a group of Stanford students had done it, I would have been impressed!”

The student authors began their project when they were juniors. All the students who helped produce this year’s $24.95 book are in various colleges and universities across the country. Since starting the project about six years ago, more than 400 students have participated in the research and writing of the three other published books, and the two books which are works in progress.

About 2,000 copies of this year’s book have been printed. They are available in local bookstores and the Chula Vista Nature Center, Cabrillo National Monument, Birch Aquarium, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Maritime Museum, Seabeeze Books & Charts in Point Loma, Amazon.com and Sdbayguide.com, the web site of the High Tech High San Diego Bay Study.

For the past four years, the Port of San Diego has provided cash and in-kind contributions to the project that is overseen by Vavra along with humanities teacher Tom Fehrenbacher. Since partnering with the school, which is located in Liberty Station, the former home of the Naval Training Center, the Port has contributed about $32,000 over three years.

The Port and other sponsoring agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and SeaGrant California, a University of California program based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will host a book-signing event at a later date.

High Tech High is a public charter school that opened in 2000. About 500 students attend the school which focuses on providing each student a personalized education through project-based work.

More information on the students and their project can be found at the San Diego Bay Study web site.

BREATHE ADIEU

“I watch the tides upon the sand;
They shape the gently sloping shore.
The meeting of the sea and land:
How did this place appear before?
The waters of the bay have seen
The impact of a drastic change.
What could the wordless whispers mean?
Familiar still, and yet so strange.
So rarely now is nature found
Untouched by damage of mankind.
While poisons dwell beneath the ground,
We leave Earth’s treasurers far behind.
With sadness now I face the truth:
Man brings with him an endless pain.
Vivacity of nature’s youth
Will never be seen again.”

High Tech High student Sean Curtice

The Port of San Diego is a public benefit corporation and special government entity. Created in 1963 by an act of the California legislature, the Port manages San Diego harbor and administers the public lands along San Diego Bay. The Port has operated without tax dollars since 1970 and has been responsible for $1.5 billion in public improvements in its five member cities – Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City and San Diego. With a $10.6 billion economic impact on the San Diego region, the Port oversees two maritime cargo terminals, a cruise ship terminal, 17 public parks, various wildlife reserves and environmental initiatives, a Harbor Police department and the leases of more than 600 tenant and sub-tenant businesses around San Diego Bay.

Imperial Beach Pier to be Temporarily Closed for Pile Replacement

melicone@portofsandiego.org ( Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:50:04 +0000

The Imperial Beach Pier will be closed temporarily from November 16 through November 21, 2009 in order to replace three pier piles. A helicopter will be used to transport the piles, which are 60 feet long and weigh approximately 2,800 pounds each.

Because of the large size of the piles, the beach and water areas adjacent to the pier will also be closed during this operation. The closure will go into effect at 6 a.m. on November 16. The helicopter is scheduled to arrive at 9:30 a.m. that morning, but if there is inclement weather, it may have to be rescheduled.

The pile replacement is part of a $639,860 Port maintenance project to ensure the pier’s continued safety and longevity. Other components of this project include replacement of approximately 20 percent of the deck boards, repairs to the steel ramp/stair structure and replacement of guardrail post supports. Additionally, the gravity portion of the pier’s sewer system will be replaced and pilecap connection hardware connections will be installed.

Originally constructed in the 1960s, the pier was renovated and extended in 1986. Over the years, the pier’s steel supports and timber components began to display signs of corrosion. In 2006, the Port completed a $1.2 million structural renovation of the pier that included recoating the steel pilecaps, upgrades to the electrical system and replacement of light poles. Minor timber and sewer line improvements were also included.

Ruocco Park Design Moves Forward, Next Steps Include Approval by the Board of Port Commissioners

melicone@portofsandiego.org (Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:08:02 +0000

Quiet, contemplative areas, a variety of trees, a water feature that will conserve water and energy, and an open space for events or recreational activities – these are elements included in the design concept for a new waterfront park to be located just north of Seaport Village.

Ruocco Park will be a 3.3 acre urban oasis on a site bordered by Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway. The location was once the home of a long-shuttered seafood restaurant and market, now scheduled to be demolished. The empty buildings and yards of concrete will be replaced by grass, trees, water-wise landscaping and public art.

The Port of San Diego held its third public meeting on the park’s design on November 2, 2009. At the meeting, the public was able to see how their suggestions were incorporated. Dennis Otsuji, the park’s landscape architect, presented new renderings which depicted many of the suggestions made by the public at two previous public meetings.

Now that the revised design has been presented to the public, the next steps include presenting it to the Board of Port Commissioners for approval on December 1, 2009. After that, a fourth public meeting will be held in early 2010, where the public art concept for the park will be presented. The Board of Port Commissioners will then be asked to approve a Coastal Development Permit for the park sometime in the summer of 2010. If that moves forward, then construction can begin in early 2011. Construction of the park should take about one year.

The park gets its name from its benefactors, Lloyd and Ilse Ruocco, who generously provided a $3.5 million grant for its creation. Lloyd was a prominent San Diego architect, credited with working on local iconic structures such as the County Administration Building, the San Diego Civic Theater and the San Diego Design Center. His wife, Ilse, was a noted interior designer and a professor at San Diego State University.

The Ruoccos established a trust more than 25 years ago to create a public park in San Diego that would feature outstanding urban design. The trust is administered by the San Diego Foundation, which awarded the $3.5 million grant to the Port in November 2008.

The Port already had plans for a park next to the former Old Police Headquarters as part of its 1998 South Embarcadero Redevelopment Program. Money to build it was allocated in the Port’s 2009-2013 Capital Development Program. Developing the park would require the partial demolition of the former Harbor Seafood Mart building, which is estimated to cost $1 million.

Money from the Ruocco donation will not be used for the demolition and the Port will use its Capital Development funds for the basic park. The Ruocco donation will provide design and upgrades such as water features, garden areas, upgraded hardscape, benches and lighting.

(Learn more about the Port of San Diego's bayfront parks.)

USS Midway Museum to Host Veterans Day Celebration

bmoreno@portofsandiego.org (Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:11:49 +0000

The USS Midway Museum, one of America’s longest serving aircraft carriers, will honor our nation’s military and veterans this Veterans Day with activities, celebrations and an added bonus of free admission to all veterans on Wednesday, November 11.

"What better way to inspire today's generation about service to their country than to participate in living history?" said Scott McGaugh, marketing director of the USS Midway Museum. “The Veterans Day Parade, plus the family-style activities aboard the USS Midway, are designed not only to honor veterans, but to educate and inspire today's youngsters about serving their country."

A naturalization ceremony for active duty personnel will begin the celebration aboard the USS Midway at 9 a.m. At 11 a.m. the 23rd annual San Diego County Veterans Day Parade will follow Pacific Highway and Cedar Street then proceed south to end at West Harbor Drive. According to the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center Veterans Day Parade Committee, “Welcome Home Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans” is this year’s theme, honoring veterans who served the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Midway is encouraging all parade participants to come to the museum following the parade. A special ceremony will take place on the USS Midway at 3 p.m., as active duty and veterans who flew the WWII F4U Corsair will be presented. A restored WWII Corsair fighter plane will then be lifted by crane onto the flight deck, to be led by Padres announcer and former Corsair pilot, Jerry Coleman.

Aside from visiting the 60 exhibits and 25 restored aircraft aboard the Midway, families will have front-row seats to high-energy entertainment by local band NRG, sneak previews of the History Channel’s new series “WWII in HD” and aerial exhibitions by California’s first parachute team, Skydiving Innovations. Chula Vista’s own Little League World Series Champs, the Parkview All-Stars, will also be on hand.

The San Diego Blood Bank and AM 600 KOGO will accept blood donations in the Museum’s parking lot, giving free admission to each blood donor plus a chance to win a free family museum membership. Appointments can be made online or by calling 1-800-4MY-SDBB.

The festivities will continue into the night as the USS Midway Museum and the non-profit group Freedom is Not Free, which serves the military and their families, feature the critically acclaimed movie, "The Hurt Locker," in a pre-DVD release premiere aboard the carrier at 6 pm. The $20 general admission price includes popcorn and one complimentary soda. The movie is rated “R.” Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

For more information on the Veterans Day celebration, visit USS Midway Museum online or call 619-544-9600. The USS Midway is located at 910 N. Harbor Drive.

Port of San Diego Attractions Recognized as 'Best in Class'

dfrost@portofsandiego.org (Dale Frost (619) 686-6461) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:29:46 +0000

The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, Hornblower Cruises & Events, North and South Embarcadero Marina Parks and the waterfront San Diego Convention Center were recognized as “Best in Class” by event planners and readers of Southern California Meetings + Events magazine. Results were published in the just-released Fall 2009 issue.

“Being known as the 'best of' in the hospitality industry is a powerful statement,” said Jim Bergeson, President/CEO of Tiger Oak Publications/Meetings & Events Media Group.

The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, which opened in 2004 along the North Embarcadero, was named the best coastal attraction. Event planners noted that the deck of the historic carrier, which offers a panoramic view of San Diego Bay and downtown, is a spectacular special event venue.

Hornblower Cruises & Events was named best in the boats category. For more than 30 years, Hornblower has operated a variety of vessels that cruise San Diego Bay while occasions including weddings and other celebrations occur onboard. Departing from the North Embarcadero, Hornblower also offers regularly scheduled bay tours.

The waterfront North and South Embarcadero Marina Parks were recognized as best outdoor venue. Voters noted that the North Embarcadero Marina Park is conveniently located adjacent to Seaport Village. The walkway that connects the parks to the convention center and waterfront hotels was complimented for providing an easy and pleasant way for conventioneers to arrive at special events that are often held in these 11-acre parks.

The 2.6-million square foot San Diego Convention Center was awarded best convention center. Its location on the San Diego bay front, the nearly 526,000 square feet of contiguous ground level space and the 90,000-square-feet of column-free space in the rooftop Sails Pavilion was praised.

The attractions captured first place during the publications’ Readers Choice Best Of Awards competition.

Voters included more than 10,000 event and hospitality professionals that rated attractions located from Santa Barbara to San Diego, and inland to Palm Springs.

For more information on San Diego Bay attractions, restaurants and hotels, visit theBigBay.com.

Port Says No to Chargers' Stadium at Tenth Ave. Marine Terminal

jgilmore@portofsandiego.org (Ronald Powell (619) 400-4789/(619) 665-2815) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:29:17 +0000

Stories in the local media continue to refer to the San Diego Unified Port District's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal as a possible site for a new Chargers' football stadium, but Port Commission Chairman Stephen P. Cushman said such a development is impossible.

"The Port Act of 1962 (pdf), which lays out the purposes for creating the Port District, clearly states that it is the policy of the State of California to develop ports for the benefit of the people of this state," Cushman said. "Specifically, the act says the Port District's purpose is to acquire, build, maintain and operate port facilities.

"As trustees of the Port District's terminal at 10th Avenue, we are committed to upholding that policy and responsibility," Cushman continued. "There is no way our working port and a football stadium can coexist at the Tenth Avenue facility. It is time for all idle speculation about such a development to stop."

Related article:

Ask the Port: The Search for a San Diego Chargers Stadium (video)

Local Wetlands Book for Students Provided by Port of San Diego

dfrost@portofsandiego.org (Dale Frost (619) 686-6461) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:06:37 +0000

The Port of San Diego has contributed $10,000 through its Environmental Services budget for printing a sprightly book about local wetlands for fourth grade students in San Diego County.

“Into the Wetlands, An Aquatic Adventure,” was produced and distributed by the Ocean Discovery Institute as part of an environmental education program that includes classroom instruction and field trips to local wetlands such as Paradise Creek and the D Street Fill in south San Diego Bay.

“This book is specific to coastal and wetland habitats in San Diego County,” said Lindsay Goodwin, Director of Programs for Ocean Discovery Institute.

Children reading the book are taught the importance of wetlands and what people can do to preserve them. “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle,” is a lesson from Freddie Topsmelt, a colorfully illustrated fish and one of many species imparting knowledge throughout the book.

The San Diego-based Ocean Discovery Institute, formerly Aquatic Adventures, worked with author Jackie Boyd to ensure scientific accuracy of the book.

Boyd, who holds a masters degree in speech pathology, said she was motivated to write science-based adventure fantasies to inspire youth to develop a personal connection with the natural environment.

The 1,000 copies printed will be used in classroom reading groups and will also become part of the schools’ lending libraries.

The books are available to the public for $20 ($10 is tax deductible) at info@oceandi.org.

The mission of the non-profit Ocean Discovery Institute is to engage, educate and inspire youth from urban and diverse backgrounds through science-based exploration of the ocean and nature, preparing them to be tomorrow’s scientific and environmental leaders.

The Port of San Diego has supported Ocean Discovery Institute for many years through its Environmental Services department and Environmental Fund to provide classroom learning and field trips that promote science and environmental stewardship.