King Harbor Sea Fair features Tall Ship, Coast Guard cutter, paddlers, SEA Lab

Gene “Tarsan” Smith gives a stand-up paddling lesson to Clari Zambruno.

The 113-foot-long, brigantine tall ship Irving Johnson and the 87-foot Coast Guard cutter Blackfin were among the attractions that drew over 3,000 visitors to the annual King Harbor Sea Fair on Sunday. The fair showcased the full range of harbor activities that the public can participate in.

The King Harbor Yacht Club gave freel sailing introductin lessons.

The King Harbor Yacht Club gave sailing lessons and the commercial fishing boat Voyager gave harbor tours. Canoe lessons were offered by the Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club, and stand-up paddling lessons were offered by the Tarsan and Olympus stand-up paddleboard shops. The Redondo Beach Yacht Club hosted a sand castle contest and other kids activities.

Redondo SEA Lab volunteers Gene Morris and Rick Ford with the head of a white sea bass sent to the lab by a fisherman so the fish’ migratory behavior can be tracked. The bass was bred at the lab and then released with a tag implanted in its cheek.

Members of the LA Conservation Corp offered tours of the King Harbor SEA Lab, where 45,000 white sea bass fingerlings are raised annually for release into the Santa Monica Bay. The sea bass are individually tagged in the cheek by volunteers so scientists can track their migratory patterns.

Redondo Union High Marine ROTC officers Jared Baldwin and Garrett Robat welcome visitors to the tall ship Irving Johnson.

The King Harbor Sea Fair is held annually on the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend to coincide with the kickoff of National Safe Boating Week. For more information contact the King Harbor Boating Foundation (KHBF.org) or the Redondo SEA Lab (LACorps.org/sealab.php).