Shelter Island, San Diego, California
Encyclopedia
Shelter Island is a neighborhood of Point Loma in San Diego, California
. It is actually not an island but is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. It was originally a sandbank in San Diego Bay
, visible only at low tide. It was built up into dry land using material dredged from the bay in 1934. It was developed in the 1950s and contains hotels, restaurants, marinas, and public parkland.
Shelter Island is owned and controlled by the Port of San Diego
, which also provides all police and other public services. Shelter Island businesses lease their location from the Port. Under California
law, property on Shelter Island cannot be sold and permanent residences cannot be built there, because the area falls under the law governing public tidelands
.
Shelter Island contains several notable pieces of public art. The Tunaman's Memorial, a larger-than-life bronze sculpture by Franco Vianello, is dedicated to the tuna fishermen who were formerly an important part of the area's economy. The Yokohama Friendship Bell, a large bronze bell housed in a pagoda structure, was a gift from the city of Yokohama
in 1958 to commemorate the sister city relationship between San Diego and Yokohama.. Pacific Rim Park at the southwestern end of Shelter Island was created by artist James Hubbell and is centered on a round bubbling fountain called Pearl of the Pacific. The fountain is surrounded by a mosaic wall and a dramatic arch and is a popular place for outdoor weddings.
Shelter Island contains one yacht club, the Silvergate Yacht Club, and it creates a sheltered harbor for two others, the San Diego Yacht Club
and the Southwestern Yacht Club.
Shelter Island is known as a destination for superyachts
because it contains one of the few marinas in San Diego Bay with a deep enough harbor for these oversized vessels. The annual YachtFest, spotlighting superyachts, is held at Shelter Island Marina every September. The event also features mock gunbattles between two replicas of 19th century tall ships from the collection of the San Diego Maritime Museum.
From June through September, nationally known musicians and comedians perform at an outdoor concert venue on Shelter Island. The area is a popular place for viewing the annual Fourth of July fireworks display over the Bay, as well as the Parade of Lights, a December tradition in which boats decorated with holiday lights parade on the Bay to be viewed from the shore.
The "island" is 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long and only a few hundred yards wide. A single street, Shelter Island Drive, runs the length of Shelter Island and also connects it to the mainland via a causeway lined with marine-related businesses.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is actually not an island but is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. It was originally a sandbank in San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
, visible only at low tide. It was built up into dry land using material dredged from the bay in 1934. It was developed in the 1950s and contains hotels, restaurants, marinas, and public parkland.
Shelter Island is owned and controlled by the Port of San Diego
Port of San Diego
The Port of San Diego is a self-supporting public benefit corporation established in 1962 by an act of the California State Legislature. In 2007, The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics ranked the Port of San Diego as one of America's top 30 U.S. containership ports bringing in nearly of...
, which also provides all police and other public services. Shelter Island businesses lease their location from the Port. Under California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
law, property on Shelter Island cannot be sold and permanent residences cannot be built there, because the area falls under the law governing public tidelands
Tidelands
Tidelands are the territory between the high and low water tide line of sea coasts, and lands lying under the sea beyond the low-water limit of the tide, considered within the territorial waters of a nation. The United States Constitution does not specify whether ownership of these lands rests with...
.
Shelter Island contains several notable pieces of public art. The Tunaman's Memorial, a larger-than-life bronze sculpture by Franco Vianello, is dedicated to the tuna fishermen who were formerly an important part of the area's economy. The Yokohama Friendship Bell, a large bronze bell housed in a pagoda structure, was a gift from the city of Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in 1958 to commemorate the sister city relationship between San Diego and Yokohama.. Pacific Rim Park at the southwestern end of Shelter Island was created by artist James Hubbell and is centered on a round bubbling fountain called Pearl of the Pacific. The fountain is surrounded by a mosaic wall and a dramatic arch and is a popular place for outdoor weddings.
Shelter Island contains one yacht club, the Silvergate Yacht Club, and it creates a sheltered harbor for two others, the San Diego Yacht Club
San Diego Yacht Club
San Diego Yacht Club is a yacht club located in San Diego Bay. Its address is 1011 Anchorage Lane, San Diego, CA 92106. It is located in Point Loma across from a spit of land known as Shelter Island.- Facilities :...
and the Southwestern Yacht Club.
Shelter Island is known as a destination for superyachts
Luxury yacht
The term luxury yacht, “Superyacht” and "Large Yacht" refers to very expensive, privately owned yachts which are professionally crewed. Also known as a Super Yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a sailing or motor yacht.-History:...
because it contains one of the few marinas in San Diego Bay with a deep enough harbor for these oversized vessels. The annual YachtFest, spotlighting superyachts, is held at Shelter Island Marina every September. The event also features mock gunbattles between two replicas of 19th century tall ships from the collection of the San Diego Maritime Museum.
From June through September, nationally known musicians and comedians perform at an outdoor concert venue on Shelter Island. The area is a popular place for viewing the annual Fourth of July fireworks display over the Bay, as well as the Parade of Lights, a December tradition in which boats decorated with holiday lights parade on the Bay to be viewed from the shore.
The "island" is 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long and only a few hundred yards wide. A single street, Shelter Island Drive, runs the length of Shelter Island and also connects it to the mainland via a causeway lined with marine-related businesses.