Santa Barbara Harbor: Where Time Stands Still

  By Lance Hwang

“Those male crabs are bigger than females and they have a lot of meat. But, females have eggs!” A fisherman’s little son says as if he knows everything about crabs. A flock of seagulls are whirling around the people who are looking around the Saturday fish market. Nobody moves very busily on the dock, but their lively movement is enough to warm the February morning. Behind the dock you can see a lot of yachts that are moored at the harbor. The marina is supposed to be opened to the yacht owners, but, if you luckily meet a kind owner who is passing by the gate, you could go around the marina and see the gorgeous yachts on hand. On the breakwater, you can feel the scent of the ocean. Although the sidewalk is wet by waves, the smell is not offensive at all. At the end of the sidewalk, you can see a few people beyond the harbor. They are strolling along the shiny beach, surfing or kayaking while enjoying the cool air.

The Harbor and Stearns Wharf
Besides the beaches, the Harbor and Stearns Wharf are the most attractive places on the Santa Barbara Waterfront. Since the mountains and islands protect the Harbor, it is an ideal destination for over one thousand boats. In the 1920’s, Max Fleishmann built the Harbor because he wanted a safe harbor and a shelter for his yacht. Since this beginning, people have struggled against sand, tides and weather, and these efforts brought today’s Santa Barbara Harbor. These days, it is equipped with various facilities supporting a hoist, fuel, marine services and repair, restroom and showers, ice and provisions, a chandlery and emergency services.

Stearns Wharf is located in the South of the Harbor, and the three-dolphin fountain shows the way to the wharf. The wharf was constructed in 1872, and it was the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco at that moment. For over 25 years, it helped transport passengers and cargo for California’s South Coast. Until now, the wharf has experienced a lot of disasters such as storms and fires, but it has been reconstructed or repaired whenever it was destroyed.

A marine education facility, the Ty Warner Sea Center, is located on the wharf and it provides interesting and interactive programs. According to the santabarbara.com website, “the center supports opportunities to work like scientists, sampling and testing ocean water, studying animal behavior, and examining microscopic marine life.”

Events
1. Every Saturday Morning 7:30 ~ 11:30 am: Santa Barbara Fisherman’s Market – On the dock.
2. March: Annual Santa Barbara Whale Festival – On State Street between the Train Station and Stearns Wharf.
3. April 21-22: Sea Festival – the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
4. May-Nov: Blue and Humpback Whale Watching.
5. May: Santa Barbara Harbor Festival – Stearns Wharf.
6. June: The 70th Annual Semana Nautica Summer Sports Festival – Santa Barbara’s famous multisports festival including cardboard kayak races and sand castle contest.
7. July: Independence Day Weekend Celebrations – Santa Barbara Harbor Waterfront.
8. October: Harbor & Seafood Festival – Santa Barbara Harbor.
9. December: Annual Harbor Parade of Light – Stearns Wharf.

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