Jack-o’-lanterns haven’t been carved and costumes haven’t been doned — but the Trees in the Bay are already lined up like “Babes in Toyland” soldiers.
The iconic, wooden-framed holiday trees that light up the water in Alamitos Bay each winter have been set up, reminding us that Christmas is just around the corner.
The Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine Department annually places 68 Trees in the Bay platforms on the water in Alamitos Bay, Colorado Lagoon and Rainbow Lagoon each holiday season. The process takes about two months.
“To insure the platforms go active on Thanksgiving night,” Marine Bureau Director Todd Leland wrote in an email, “our Marine Bureau — Marine Maintenance Division directs staff resources each day from late-September all the way to sunset on Thanksgiving night to make sure the holiday lights come on without a hitch.”
From left, Alex Kariuki, senior equipment operator; Eric Woodson, marine maintenance superintendent; Cedric Banks, general maintenance supervisor; and Johnny Khensokvan, maintenance assistant. The four of them testing a new Tree in the Bay with LED bulbs. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion/SCNG)
Long Beach has already setup the Trees in the Bay, despite it still being mid-October, with officials saying workers will now have longer to work out any kinks in the electrical system. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion/SCNG)
Show Caption
1 of 2
From left, Alex Kariuki, senior equipment operator; Eric Woodson, marine maintenance superintendent; Cedric Banks, general maintenance supervisor; and Johnny Khensokvan, maintenance assistant. The four of them testing a new Tree in the Bay with LED bulbs. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion/SCNG)
workers individually check the 18,000 LED bulbs that are on the 68 tree frames. The trees are removed from storage, cleaned, assembled and strung with lights. More than a mile of electrical cable, wiring and components are assembled, checked and rechecked before each platform is moved to the water.
Over the span of several weeks, based on low tide for areas between bridges, maintenance vessels slowly tow batches of trees to their holiday locations to be safely and securely anchored in place, attached to each other and connected to shore power.
Then every platform is checked, re-checked, checked and re-checked some more, leading to the final minutes before sunset to make certain all is well on Thanksgiving night.
“Our dedicated Marine Maintenance staff accomplishes all this in just 60 days,” Leland said, “while still delivering daily core services throughout the Long Beach Marinas expansive footprint.”
Last year, several trees that were powered by the sun were tested, and more were added this year.
“We are also converting 10 more platforms to solar power this year,” Leland said, “bringing our solar tally to 20 of 68 with more being added each year until our Trees in the Bay program is completely solar powered.”
Open water swim
For the third consecutive year, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation will hold a one-day open water swimming championship at Marine Stadium.
This year’s field will be the largest in the three years of the event, featuring nearly 200 collegiate swimmers across 20 universities, including Biola, Boston College, BYU, Cal Baptist, Chapman, Fresno State, Grand Canyon, Idaho, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, Occidental, Pepperdine, Quincy, Rice, San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Utah Tech, Washington State, Westmont and Whittier.
“The City of Long Beach and its aquatics community is going all out to put on an outstanding event for swimmers and spectators while it also serves as a prelude to the Open Water events at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games.” MPSF Associate Commissioner for Championships Kaia Hedlund.
The collegiate championship meet will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18, and will consist of four events, beginning at 9 a.m. with the men’s 5-kilometer race. The women’s 5K will follow at 10:30 a.m. The collegiate events will resume in the afternoon with the men’s and women’s 2,000-meter relay events at 1:45 pm and 2:15 p.m., respectively. The relays will consist of four competitors per team, each swimming 500 meters. Team scoring in the collegiate events will be made up of results achieved.
Hedlund encourages spectator viewing along the beach in Marine Stadium.
Women’s sailing
The Long Beach Yacht Club’s Linda Elias Memorial One Design’s top honors went to skipper Lucy Wilmot and her team from San Francisco Yacht Club. Wilmot is a Harvard grad who campaigned for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with teammate Erika Reineke in the 49er FX. LBYC’s team took second in close racing.
High school sailing
Skipper Abigail Fenholt, along with crewmember Jack Brodsky from Sato Academy, represented Long Beach in the annual Sea Otter Regatta, held in Monterey Bay. Brodsky was the youngest competitor in the statewide competition.
Community outreach
Seal Beach Lions and Seal Beach Yacht Club hosted a special “Sailing with the Blind” event on Saturday, Oct. 11.
“We served 155 burgers, fed 63 guests, skippers and volunteers,” Staff Commodore Laura Ellsworth wrote on social media. “We had 11 SLBYC boats thanks to our captains who volunteered their boats and time.”
Boat owners
The Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association will host two “Meet the Commander Nights” for slip holders to interact with Long Beach Police Department leadership later this month.
The first event, for Shoreline Marina and Rainbow Harbor slip holders, will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Shoreline Yacht Club, 386 E. Shoreline Drive, featuring LBPD Cmdr. Eric Fernandez.
The second, for Alamitos Bay slip holders, will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at Seal Beach Yacht Club, 255 N. Marina Drive, in Long Beach. It will feature LBPD East Division Cmdr. Shaleana Benson.
Both events are free to attend.