Tag: embarcadero

Serpent Tree vanishes from Waterfront Park!

The Serpent Tree has vanished from Waterfront Park! The big, colorful sculpture by famous artist Niki de Saint Phalle has been put into storage, I’ve been told.

The north half of Waterfront Park is being redeveloped. A dog park, basketball and pickleball courts, and other recreational facilities will soon be built. Will the amazing Serpent Tree reappear in the park? I haven’t yet heard what its fate will be.

Today I noticed a banner on the construction fence describing the project. It shows how this part of Waterfront Park will eventually appear.

If you’d like to view photos of Serpent Tree shortly after it was installed in 2015, click here!

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The rise of RaDD on San Diego’s waterfront.

The five buildings of RaDD (Research And Development District) have risen on San Diego’s waterfront. I walked along the Embarcadero yesterday and could now visualize how our city’s skyline will appear once these buildings are completed.

I photographed this project of IQHQ about a year ago when the construction was in a much earlier stage. See those photos here.

RaDD will include retail and office space, dining, green space, destination event space, public art, and, most importantly, research facilities that focus on biotech and life sciences.

I see new walkways are being created so that pedestrians may safely cross Harbor Drive. Crosswalks will connect the 10 acre development to the Embarcadero’s bayside boardwalk.

During my walk I also noted that Manchester Financial Group’s One Broadway Hotel and Plaza project, which will occupy property between RaDD and Broadway, is now in the early stages of construction. You can get a glimpse of that in my final photograph.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Star of India readies for her November sail!

This year world-famous tall ship Star of India turns 160 years old. The last time she sailed out of San Diego Bay into the Pacific Ocean was five years ago. (To see photographs of Star of India heading out to sea in 2018, click here!)

Today I took a long walk around downtown San Diego. When I visited the Maritime Museum, I noticed work being done on the poop deck of Star of India. I learned that the Star is being readied for her upcoming November sail!

As you might imagine, the world’s oldest active sailing ship requires constant upkeep and repairs. The sun, salt and weather can be very hard on any vessel.

After climbing up to the poop deck, I watched museum volunteer Bob H. removing old varnish from the saloon’s skylight structure. In my photos you can see how the wood will then be sanded, removing an old coat of stain.

The smooth bare wood of the teak bench will be newly varnished. It will turn beautifully golden like the smaller companionway bench beside it.

A section of the pin rail on the ship’s port side is also being repaired. Part of the wood rail had to be removed to deal with rust on the standing rigging.

(Back in February, I watched as a skilled woodworker chiseled away at a section of pin rail. See those photos here!)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Walking the Embarcadero on Memorial Day weekend.

Many were walking along San Diego’s Embarcadero today. It’s Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend.

People were gazing out at San Diego Bay . . . visiting the Maritime Museum and USS Midway . . . looking at monuments on the Greatest Generation Walk, perhaps reflecting on the meaning of Memorial Day . . . relaxing or shopping in Seaport Village…

Street performers and vendors were stationed along the boardwalk. Kites were flying at Embarcadero Marina Park North. People were eating lunch outdoors.

It might have been mostly overcast, but it did feel like the beginning of summer…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Steam and Splendor arrive Memorial Day weekend!

What promises to be an excellent new exhibit opens this Memorial Day weekend at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. I glimpsed a small preview today as I walked through the historic steam ferry Berkeley, hub of the Maritime Museum.

The exhibition is called Steam and Splendor: Treasures from the Ocean Liner and Cruise Ship Ephemera Collection.

The thing that immediately caught my eye was the absolutely amazing work of art you see in the above photograph. I noted that the mural is titled Mermaid with Guitar. The ceramic and teak panel was created by artist Helen Webber in 1985 and decorated the Carnival Cruise Line ship MV Holiday. That ship was demolished in 2022 and the exceptionally beautiful mural was thankfully salvaged.

Some guys were setting up displays for Steam and Splendor and I paused to snap a few quick photos. The exhibit will obviously be extensive, as it will occupy two different Maritime Museum galleries. If you’re looking for something to do this coming Memorial Day weekend, or any time this summer, you might want to check this out!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Garden removed from San Diego’s Waterfront Park.

Much of the garden at Waterfront Park on the north side of the County Administration Building has been removed. I noticed the orange construction fencing today during my walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero.

A worker told me they’re installing new pipes. As I understand it, much of this area will then be converted into basketball and pickleball courts and other outdoor recreational facilities, which can be enjoyed by downtown residents.

I noticed the fencing protects several trees. It’s also around world-famous artist Niki de Saint Phalle’s colorful Serpent Tree sculpture. I suspect these will not be moved.

How sad the beautiful garden is going away. I took photos of the lush garden one bright morning several years ago and posted them here.

I also went on an architectural tour of Waterfront Park and learned more about the garden’s design here.

If you know more, leave a comment!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Nation’s oldest active pilot boat resumes tours!

Our nation’s oldest active pilot boat is back in action on San Diego Bay!

Pilot belongs to the Maritime Museum of San Diego and provides harbor tours. For about half a year Pilot has been out of service. Until several days ago.

Its engine has been completely replaced. Newly painted, the historically important boat is again providing tours!

Like all members of the museum, I get a couple of free tickets for the Pilot every year. I took advantage of the opportunity today!

This might be my favorite harbor tour. Not only is the pilot boat a lot of fun to ride on a sunny day, but Kiki, the usual tour guide, is the best! She’s super knowledgeable and funny and quickly has everyone smiling.

Read about Pilot and its history by clicking here. You’ll learn how it was launched in 1914 and was in regular service, helping large ships to safely enter and leave San Diego Bay, until 1996.

History buffs will be interested to learn that Pilot was built at a location not far from the present museum. It was also used by the military during World War II to serve as a patrol boat.

I took a few photos during our pleasant tour of the bay…

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Trees cut down by Seaport Village, kites fly.

Many of those big, beautiful old coral trees at Embarcadero Marina Park North near Seaport Village have been cut down. I was startled to see this development today during a sunny afternoon walk.

According to Rockman, the street performer who stacks rocks near Seaport Village, the Port of San Diego cut them down on February 25th.

According to this article, coral trees are not well-suited for the marine environment. That’s because the soil in the area around the bayfront is high in salt content, which causes the trees to dry out and potentially fall… The article also states new trees will be planted in the Fall.

Well, if there’s any positive side to be found, perhaps it’s that kite-flyers no longer have large hungry kite-eating trees to deal with. I saw many colorful kites today flying above the grass and the sad, strange sawdusty stumps.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Runners, walkers and Padres Pedal the Cause!

Hundreds of runners and walkers headed along San Diego’s Embarcadero this morning during the Padres Pedal the Cause fundraiser. They were participating in the 5K Walk/Run!

Lots of thumbs up and smiles spontaneously appeared as a stream of humanity flowed down the boardwalk.

Funds were being raised for Curebound, an organization that helps to further cancer research. Local institutions they help include the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Salk Institute, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Rady Children’s Hospital, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and Scripps Research.

You can learn more or donate here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

City life on a wet, very windy morning.

San Diego is experiencing very high winds today. Combined with morning showers, including a sudden bout of hail, the icy wind made walking downtown a bit of an adventure.

I ventured outside after the hail. Nevertheless, my usual San Diego jacket felt far too thin. And crazy wind gusts almost knocked me over several times!

Flags were whipping around, most people were bundled up and my hat flew off twice. As you can see in the next photo, it’s Ash Wednesday.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!