MARINA TOUR

Calm seas ahead!

The marina of Marina del Rey, CA is North America's largest man-made small-craft harbor and is home to an estimated 4,600+ boats - from Kayaks to Mega-Yachts. Once a salt marsh fed by fresh water from Ballona Creek, Marina del Rey began as an estuary frequented by fishermen and duck hunters. The duck hunters may be gone, but you'll see plenty of fishing rods cast all along the shoreline of the marina. Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and a variety of birds can be seen lazing about on the docks and rock jetties. You’ll see many bird species (Herons, Egrets, Gulls, Pelicans, Cormorants, Osprey, Mallards and other ducks, etc)

Be sure your camera is handy as we will pass by some of the many well-known yachts docked in Marina del Rey, including :

Foggy - Los Angeles-based architect Frank Gehry designed this entirely wooden sailing yacht. Gehry, an avid sailor, often draws inspiration from sails when designing buildings (Guggenheim Bilbao and Foundation Louis Vuitton.) The boat, which he began designing in 2008, features his signature wavy shapes cut out from the deck and the sides of the hull to form windows. These glass lattices allow light to flow into the living and sleeping areas. On deck, curved seats are carved into the sides of the recessed portion at the stern, with two steering wheels filled in with strips of criss-crossed wooden strips.

Beowulf - Designed by Steve Dashew, this distinctive 78’ aluminum hull ketch is immediately recognizable. And with a small jib, main and mizzen, she is designed to travel 230 - 300 miles per day under sail. The yacht's builder is Kelly Archer Boatbuilders from New Zealand, who launched Beowulf in 1997.

Leight Star - 43.6m (143’) A favorite of singer and actress Selena Gomez. If Leight Star looks a bit familiar, it could be because she’s a favorite of Hollywood producers, and can be seen in a recent episode of The Bachelor. This ultra luxury yacht has heated marble floors, an exercise room with a 50-inch HDTV, steam room, and a Helipad for the Bell 206L helicopter The yacht's owner is US billionaire Howard Leight, founder of the Howard Leight Company.

Admiral XL - 125’ Super-Yacht. The ultimate in luxury cruising. Designed in Europe and built by Craftsman, Admiral XL was launched for high-end Mediterranean cruising. Now located in Marina del Rey, Admiral XL sets a new standard for indulgent Southern California yachting.

Passing by Del Rey Landing (the fuel dock) is always fun because you never know which Mega Yachts (up to 100m) will be at dock. These Mega Yacht are usually just visiting Marina del Rey for a few days … then continuing on their way to other exotic destinations.

Shoreside, you’ll see :

UCLA Marina Aquatic Center - A state-of-the-art waterfront recreation facility offering kayaking, rowing, surfing, sailing and windsurfing classes and trips, and serves as the base for the UCLA Crew and Sailing teams.

Loyola Marymount University Jane Browne Bove Boathouse - home to the men's and women's crew teams.

Burton Chace Park - The 10-acre park is surrounded on three sides by water and features picnic tables, shelters, pergolas, barbecues and a walking/biking path along the perimeter. Events include weekly Drum Circles, Summer Concert Series, Movie Nights and the Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade.

The iconic round towers of Marina City Club - financed by Howard Hughes as investments for key executives at Hughes Aircraft. Built in 1970, the Marina City Club was Marina del Rey's first high rise and original condominium complex.