Cabrillo Beach is a historic public

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

located in

San Pedro, Los Angeles San Pedro ( ; ) is a neighborhood located within the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay and Los Angeles Harbor Region, Harbor region of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. Formerly a separate city, it consolidated with Los ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. It is named after

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (; 1497 – January 3, 1543) was a Portuguese maritime explorer best known for investigations of the west coast of North America, undertaken on behalf of the Spanish Empire. He was the first European to explore presen ...

, a Spanish explorer who was the first to sail up the California coast. Cabrillo has two separate beach areas.

History

Cabrillo Beach is a historic beach situated within the small coastal community of San Pedro. Cabrillo Beach is named after Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who was the first European to sail along the coast of California.Schaadt, M., Mastro, E., & Aquarium, C. M. (2008). San Pedro's Cabrillo beach, California (images of America Series). United States: Arcadia Publishing (SC). The city of San Pedro was in consideration of being the host of a major port in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

. After much deliberation, the federal government selected San Pedro. Construction of the San Pedro Breakwater began in 1899 for the purpose of protecting San Pedro Bay and the new, major port. Rocks from Catalina Island, away from the coast of San Pedro, were originally used in the construction of the breakwater. However, due to many problems and set-backs, rocks from

Chatsworth, California Chatsworth is a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, in the San Fernando Valley. The area around the town was home to Native Americans, who left caves containing rock art. Chatsworth was explored and colonized by the Spanish beginn ...

, were transported to San Pedro for the construction of the breakwater. Some of the rocks used weighed about . In 1913, Angel's Gate Lighthouse was built at the end of the breakwater, which was, and still is today, the main entrance to the Port of Los Angeles. The ocean water traveled right up to the cliffs; there was no sand between the cliffs of San Pedro and the ocean. So after completion of the breakwater, sand was added in 1927 in order to create the outer beach. The addition of sand was from the harbor

dredging Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing d ...

. As a result of the addition of sand, the expansive outer beach of Cabrillo was created. Cabrillo Beach opened in 1928, and residents of San Pedro, Wilmington, and Los Angeles flooded to it to enjoy the new Southern California beach. The San Pedro city leaders were excited to have a newly added destination for visitors and residents to enjoy in San Pedro.

Location

Cabrillo Beach is of land located at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive San Pedro, California, specifically the

Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles. It occupies of land and water with of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "Amer ...

West Channel.The port of Los Angeles. (2015). Retrieved March 14, 2016, from https://www.portoflosangeles.org/recreation/cabrillo_beach.asp The beach is on both sides of the eastern point of the

Palos Verdes Peninsula The Palos Verdes Peninsula () is a peninsular subregion of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, located within southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It is often called simply "Palos Verdes", and is made up of a group of cities in the Palos ...

.Southern California beaches. Retrieved March 20, 2016, from Southern California Beaches, http://southerncaliforniabeaches.org/sanpedro_cabrillobeach.php This peninsula is long and serves as a breakwater. The inner beach is located within the breakwater where the water is calm. The outer beach is located on the outside of the breakwater, which is where one would find the ocean surf.

Cabrillo Beach Complex

Along with the inner and outer beaches of Cabrillo Beach, the of land also encompasses several complexes that are open to the public. The

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a public aquarium in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The aquarium interprets both the physical processes of oceanography and marine biology of Southern California by use of displays and educati ...

is a major complex of Cabrillo Beach. Situated within the parking lot, the aquarium has been teaching the public about the coast and its marine life for over 75 years. An emphasis on education is the main reason for Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s longevity and success.Villaneda, R. (2010, May 6). Cabrillo aquarium celebrates 75 years, longtime volunteer along for the ride. Palos Verdes Peninsula News (California) The aquarium has over 90 employees, some full-time and most part-time. The employees are either professional educators, marine biologists, or caretakers for the animals. Along with employees, the aquarium also has 350 volunteers that help aid the aquarium’s mission of educating the public and fostering an appreciation of the marine life through special events, monthly coastal clean-ups, and tours. Overlooking the Los Angeles Harbor is the Cabrillo Beach Fishing

Pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

. Built in 1969 inside the breakwater, the pier runs parallel with the breakwater.The port of Los Angeles. (2015). Retrieved March 14, 2016, from https://www.portoflosangeles.org/recreation/cabrillo_beach.asp Biking and fishing on the pier is allowed and neither require a license. There is a cover area for shade and washing stations for cleaning up after fishing.Southern California beaches. Retrieved March 20, 2016, from Southern California Beaches, http://southerncaliforniabeaches.org/sanpedro_cabrillobeach.php With the pier on the inner beach, the bathhouse is on the outer beach. Originally built in 1932, the bathhouse was declared a historic landmark in 1989 as it was one of the last bathhouses built in Southern California. In the twentieth century, the bathhouse was a place for people to rent beach gear, such as towels and swimsuits, and boats. Overall, the bathhouse offered activities for people to enjoy the inner beach of Cabrillo. The building was restored on October 12, 2002, and kept its Mediterranean-style structure. Today, the bathhouse has shower rooms, restrooms, life guard facilities, a snack bar, and a community meeting room upstairs. Just northeast of the bathhouse, across the parking lot, there is the Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center, which was established in 1946. This complex is an aquatic center for the Southern California youth that exposes them to water safety, rescue methods, care and use of equipment, and physical fitness. Through these activities, the youth develop self-confidence and leadership skills. One company that offer services at this center is Captain Kirk’s, which offer wind surfing lessons and rentals for the youth. About 20,000 young people go through the Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center each year.

Lifeguards

Los Angeles City Lifeguards and

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...

Lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...

s are responsible for the beach and ocean safety in and around the Cabrillo Beach area. Cabrillo_Beach_at_sunset

Water sports

Cabrillo Beach is a popular destination for those interested in

water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

, such as

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...

kitesurfing Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

and

scuba diving Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...

. Cabrillo Beach is known to "Turn-of-the-Century Sailors" and windsurfers alike as "Hurricane Gulch" because of its predictably strong westerly winds.

Landmarks

It is also home to a few famous landmarks, namely the Los Angeles Breakwater which ends at the Angel's Gate Lighthouse, the recently restore
Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse

/ref> and the

. The Angels Gate Lighthouse is home to the annual Angel's Gate Lighthouse Swim competition, held by lifeguards and San Pedro residents each summer.

References

External links

* * {{San Pedro, Los Angeles Beaches of Los Angeles County, California San Pedro, Los Angeles Parks in Los Angeles Geography of Los Angeles History of Los Angeles Beaches of Southern California