SPANISH LANDING PARK - SAN DIEGO WATERFRONT PARKS

     Sixty-thousand passengers per day are expected to pass through the San Diego International Airport over the Thanksgiving holiday period. Hopefully, some of the harried travelers will take time to notice and enjoy this very special park across the way.

     Spanish Landing Park, 3900 North Harbor Drive, is a mile-long, narrow 21-acre park that parallels the busy road on one side and the West Basin with the marinas of Harbor Island on the other. Located directly across from the busy San Diego International Airport (also known as Lindbergh Field), this is a popular stopping-off point when visiting the airport. It offers a good vantage point for watching the booming jets land and take off. San Diego is one of the rare cities to have the benefit of a scenic park right at the doorstep of its major international airport.

     At the eastern end of Spanish Landing is the Cancer Survivor Park with eight impressive life-size bronze statues by Marlo Bartels, easily noticeable from N. Harbor Drive. They were donated by the Richard & Annette Bloch Foundation, as a tribute to the living and a reminder that cancer doesn't mean death. A nearby path leads to a large white gazebo with a vibrant-blue mosaic dome and six brightly-colored benches. There are plaques throughout with encouraging writings on them like: “Don't equate death and cancer,” and “Make up your mind that when your cancer is gone, you are through with it.”

    

A walking path and separate bikeway follow along the entire water side of the park that offer a pleasant view of the Harbor Island marinas with hundreds of yachts, fishing vessels, and sailboats. An occasional pleasure boat or helicopter passes by as I walk along the waterside path. There are benches and many eucalyptus trees for shade. At the west end of the park is a children's playgrounds, small beach and restrooms. An occasional fisherman can be found along the rocky wall facing the quay. There's plenty of metered parking available ($1 per hour).

     Located in the middle of the grounds is a historical landmark that commemorates the 1769 meeting of the Gaspar De Portolá and Father Junípero Serra expeditions that lead to the Spanish occupation of Alta California. Father Serra, founder of nine California missions was canonized by Pope Francis on September 23, 2015.

     One of my favorite bike rides in San Diego is the route which starts at the Broadway Pier and extends north along the Bay and winds through Spanish Landing Park and then on to Shelter Island in Point Loma. The one-mile ride through Spanish Landing Park is always interesting. I usually go to the very end where the pavement turns to gravel and walk my bike around and under the N. Harbor Drive bridge. From here, there is a path to the clearly visible Halsey Road pedestrian bridge, which is a nice alternative to biking or walking on Harbor Drive.

     After crossing the bridge, there is the historical landmark ship, USS Recruit, which was used by the US Navy for training up to 50,000 new recruits per year from 1949 until it was closed in 1997. The landlocked “dummy” training ship was affectionately called, the USS Neversail. From here, I make a quick stop at the nearby Starbuck's (2556 Laning Road) before heading on to Shelter Island in Point Loma.
                               HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 
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EMBARCADERO MARINA PARK NORTH & GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK - San Diego Waterfront

 SAN DIEGO MARRIOTT MARINA
VIEW FROM THE EMBARCADERO MARINA PARK NORTH

      This is a continuation of my series on the waterfront parks of San Diego Bay that are maintained by the San Diego Port Authority. There are twenty-one public parks stretching along miles of scenic San Diego Bay shoreline which vary widely in size and amenities. Details can be found on the Port Authority website.                                                       

      Embarcadero Marina Park North, 500 Kettner Blvd, is the quintessential San Diego city park on the bay. Located directly in front of Seaport Village, the park is hard to miss. However, with so much to see and do in this area, it's easy to forgo the lovely circular walk that leads out to the end of the peninsula.

       

The 20-minute stroll provides a panoramic view of Coronado on one side, starting at the bridge, extending past the Ferry Landing and to Naval Air Station North Island, with Point Loma in the distance. On the other side, looking toward the city, there is a large marina with hundreds of yachts and a fine view of the San Diego Convention Center with its Sails Pavilion that is reminiscent of a ship at full mast.

VIEW FROM SOUTH END OF PARK

      My favorite stopping point is at the south end (leave the path and walk on the grass to the point). You can see the Embarcadero Marina Park South with its pier and the Coronado Bay Bridge in the background. This is also a good place to sit on the grass and take in the beauty of the bay with the ferry boats passing by. If you stay long enough, you will see many other seagoing vessels such as cargo, fishing and Navy ships, heading in or out of the calm waters of the San Diego Harbor.

MORNING BY DONAL HORD

      Like many of the other waterfront parks, there is a large sculpture near the entrance: Morning by Donal Hord, a San Diego-based sculptor. It depicts a man stretching as he awakes to another glorious morning on the shores of San Diego Bay.

      When I left the park, I stopped at the Upstart Crow Bookstore, 835 W. Harbor Drive, which I consider a gem in touristy Seaport Village. It has good coffee and books to peruse, along with cozy little sitting areas. The store also carries a unique assortment of greeting cards and small gift items.

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Adjacent to the Coronado Cays, about seven miles further along the bikeway from Tidelands Park, is the small Grand Caribe Shoreline Park. It offers benches with a pleasant view of the south end of the bay, a meandering ¼ mile path, and native plants, like the California wild roses, island tree mallows, and the Hottentot figs.

VIEW OF SAN DIEGO BAY
 GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK

Near the entrance, there is an impressive bronze sculpture of two blue herons entitled “Sheltering Wings” by Christopher Slatoff—a tribute to the rare bird that can be seen feeding and resting here.

I appreciate this place because it is quiet and a contrast to the other waterfront parks with their lush grassy areas and massive trees. This is the place to appreciate the native plants and flowers and remember that southern California is a desert which means brown and scraggly ground cover. There is a sandy beach here. However, with the Pacific Ocean just on the other side of the causeway, it's not popular.

"Sheltering Wings"  Christopher Slatoff

WALKING PATH - GRAND CARIBE SHORELINE PARK

BENCH TO ENJOY VIEW