This weekend, June 18th and 19th, the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific will be hosting an Urban Ocean Festival. One feature of the event will be the premiere of the Urban Ocean Cruise. This educational cruise circles the Long Beach harbor, discussing its history, effect on the environment, and changes being made to make it a more “green” harbor.
Do note this is not an “Oh my God! Look! A whale! Cruise. It is an “Urban Ocean Cruise” meaning two and a half hours of information like these quotes from the port’s website,
“Trade valued annually at more than $140 billion moves through Long Beach, making it the second-busiest seaport in the United States.
A major economic force, the Port supports more than 30,000 jobs in Long Beach, 316,000 jobs throughout Southern California and 1.4 million jobs throughout the United States. It generates about $16 billion in annual trade-related wages statewide.
With a Green Port Policy guiding efforts to minimize or eliminate negative environmental impacts, the Port also is a catalyst for innovative environmental programs.”
That means this is probably not a cruise for children (for kids, check out Harbor Breeze). It is a cruise for ecologists, oceanographers, historians, boatlovers, fans of shipping and receiving, and port afficianados.
That is not to say seal-lovers will necessarily be left high and dry. Thanks to clean-up efforts, the harbor is now a habitat for all kinds of sealife, including cutesy-wootsy seals and even visits from playful dolphins.
The Urban Ocean Cruise will be underway at 4:00pm on June 19, July 9, August 13, and September 3rd.
(Tip: There is a jacuzzi tub belowdeck. For reals)
Seals are indeed very cute. Fortunately I don’t fish for a living so I can hold onto that viewpoint. Fishermen think they’re about as cute as syphilis.
Are you really flaming me? My own husband is flaming me? You really want to start with the seals vs. fisherman issue? OK, let’s go…
Fisherman and sea life are in competition for the same catch. The difference is, like our cat trying to grab your sandwich, birds and seals don’t know any better. Humans should know better. Not all fishermen are bad, but some take extreme measures.
Lots of cute seals and sea lions have been found maimed or shot in order to protect the fisherman’s catch. Those adorable pelicans? Fishermen like to break their wings or cut off half of their beaks so they can’t get at their catch.
Oh they are cute!