Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn hosted a demonstration cruise from San Pedro to Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach this week to build support for her proposal to launch a water taxi service to help transport visitors during the 2028 Summer Olympics.
At the helm of the Harbor Breeze Cruises vessel that transported the dignitaries on Monday, Oct. 6, was Capt. Chris Salas. Salas has been making monthly trips to Bellingham, Washington, to track the progress of the Harbor Breeze Cruises’ new 350-passenger electric-powered boat. He knows every detail on both the boat from Monday’s cruise as well as the one under construction from stem to stern.
The new boat has incorporated every lesson that has been learned in operating, maintaining the fleet of boats that Salas’ father, Dan Salas, has owned for decades.
Harbor Breeze Cruises’ new 350-passenger electric-powered boat being painted this week. (Courtesy by All American Marine)
Back in June, I went to view the boat’s progress and tagged up with the younger Salas, who, along with crew members Capt. Kevin Nguyen and deckhand Carter Ryskamp, was reviewing details of the work being done. They worked with All American Marine President Ron Wille and his staff to understand every operating system on board.
The team at All American has accomplished much since my June visit. This week, they started painting the signature Harbor Breeze blue-stylized stripe on the hull.
In addition to shuttling LA28 Olympic visitors in and around the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex, this vessel will provide whale watching and harbor tours, as well as wedding and company parties. The plan is for the vessel to arrive in San Pedro/Long Beach in early 2026.
Happy birthday, Navy
Monday, Oct. 13, will mark a special moment for the United States Navy — its 250th anniversary.
To celebrate, the Navy Yacht Club of Long Beach will serve a special cake at its weekly Friday night potluck, according to Commodore Becky Byrum.
Former Cmdr. Bill Cunningham, a retired fleet captain in the Navy Reserves and member of the Navy Yacht Club of Long Beach, had some thoughts regarding the milestone.
“As we celebrate, let us take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices of those who answered the call of our Sea Service,” he said. “On and under the sea, and in the skies above it, our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers stand the watch with ‘honor, courage and commitment’ to safeguard our nation from those who would attack us and our way of life. To all who served and are now serving in the US Navy, huzzah! Thank you for your service and happy 250th birthday to the U.S. Navy.”
Every Tuesday, the club hosts Salty Sailors, during which there is some friendly competition as old timers race for bragging rights. The club also hosts sponsored races like the Long Beach Harbor Race Series, the All Hands Race and the Navy Day Regatta, where sailors vie for coveted trophies.
Mostly, the club’s focus is on serving our local military community. This month, the club will host several military families with their children from the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach and the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos for a full day of fun. Each family will enjoy a bay cruise thanks to club volunteer boat owners. After the cruise, everyone will join up for food, games for the children, and plenty of gifts and prizes.
Starting Oct. 17, club leadership invites donations of pumpkins. Drop them off at the clubhouse, 223 N Marina Dive, where they’ll be transformed into festive prizes for our visiting military families during their Halloween celebration on Oct. 25.
Scouting
The Long Beach Sea Base hosted 27 Scouts and more than 50 family members who came out to cheer them on as they tackled the Multi-Sport Merit Badge — Scouting America’s newest offering — on Saturday, Oct. 5, according to Sea Scout Base Director Jeb Price.
Participants swam 100 meters, biked 3 kilometers and ran 1 kilometer during the event. The atmosphere was buzzing as parents and supporters cheered everyone on.
Adult volunteers helped guide the Scouts along the route through Naples Island, culminating at Sea Base, which served as the official finish line.
“The energy was electric as Scouts and families gathered for an awards ceremony featuring medals and a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place podium,” Price wrote in an email. “It was a celebration of effort, spirit and community.”
Price also thanked Dr. John Meilke for leading and conducting this inaugural event.
“It is believed that Sea Base is the first Scout property to host the Multi-Sport Merit Badge since its launch in March,” Price said, “a proud moment for the Sea Base program locally.”
Sea Base lifeguards also played a key role — ensuring a safe and successful swimming portion of the triathlon
“What’s even cooler is that this specific merit badge has ties to Long Beach,” Price said. “Dave Alexander, a Long Beach Eagle Scout, created this badge. We are thankful to Dave ‘TriDave’ Alexander and the TriDave Legacy Trust for making this merit badge possible.”
A lifelong competitor, Alexander has completed more than 500 multisport races worldwide — including nearly 300 triathlons in 37 countries.
Originally Published: October 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM PDT