There is also an old Edison power generating station which has dikes around it to prevent flooding.  During peak power consumption periods, this power plant is restarted.  Oil production in the late 1800's and early 1900's allowed the land to sink 29 feet.  Water was injected into the oil field to prevent further subsidence.  This point of land is also the original Long Beach Harbor entrance.  All land from here to the harbor entrances is reclaimed.  Opposite of the power station is a City of Long Beach Fire Station with the firefighting boat Liberty at the dock. 

   

South of the Desmond Bridge are more bulk marine terminals handling more scrap metal, cement and petroleum products.  The bulk oil ship "Tonsina" is most likely from Alaska.  Captain Wilson explained the tugboat at the stern of the "MSC Atlantic" ship is used for steering purposes. 

   

The bulbous nose of the "OOCL Ningbo" helps increase cruising speed of the large ships. 

   

The harbor now opens up with the former Naval Station Long Beach in view to the west.  While still a Naval Station, it was my sailing playground when my father had his small Catalina 22 sailboat.  The property has been redeveloped into more marine shipping terninals. 

   

The large ships in view are Sea Launch, an international consortium of Boeing, the Russians and Norwegians which specializes in launching 9 space vehicles annually from a ship mounted pad on the ocean.

   

The Naval Mole, a breakwater, now has railroad track on it.  In 2002, Union Pacific took a train to the Port of Long Beach for a convention group to visit the Sea Launch berth.  Pier F has the Long Beach Pilot dock, from which harbor pilots guide large ships from the harbor entrance to berth.  Ship captains must speak English to communicate with the harbor pilots.  In the Naval Station sailing days, we could always smell barbeque smoke enanating from the end of the Naval Mole.  It is now a bird sanctuary. 

   

   

Outside the Naval Mole the Maersk Pier 400 shipping complex is visible.  At this point, Captain Wilson gave some history of the harbor.  In 1542 Cabrillo "found" Long Beach Harbor.  In 1899 construction of the breakwater began.  Rock was quarried and imported from Riverside, about 45 miles distant.  In later years, rock was taken from the 74 square mile Catalina Island, some 25 miles away.  Rock could be chipped off the island and dumped directly onto barges, then towed to the breakwater construction site.  The joke here is that the port gets bigger and the island gets smaller.  The harbors have a minimum depth of 45 feet and maximum depth of 80 feet. 

   

The harbor is home to wildlife such as California Sea Lion which has the distinction of being able to push its body up using its front flippes and can propel itself forward using its back flippers.  The harbor sealspictured below, cannot do this.

   

There are 3 entrances to the LA/LB harbors.  The Angel's Gate leads into the Los Angeles San Pedro harbor side and the Queen's Gate leads into the Long Beach side while the southerly entrance is at the  Los  Angeles /Orange County line.  Angel's Gate lighthouse has the distinction of having a green light to avoid confusion with the 2 other local lighthouses.  The only other Pacific ocean lighhouse shining a green light is in Tokoyo Japan.