Dockweiler State Beach

Dockweiler State Beach

Sunset on Dockweiler State Beach
Location Los Angeles County, California, USA
Nearest city Los Angeles, California
Area 91 acres (37 ha)
Established 1948
Governing body California Department of Parks and Recreation

Dockweiler State Beach is a beach in Los Angeles, California, USA with 3.75 miles (6.04 km) of shoreline and a hang gliding training area. Although a unit of the California state park system, it is managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors. Part of the park is located directly under the flight path of the adjacent Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).[1] The 91-acre (37 ha) property was established in 1948.[2] Originally part of Venice-Hyperion Beach State Park, it was renamed in honor of prominent early Angeleno Isidore B. Dockweiler in 1955.[3]

Contents

Location

Dockweiler State Beach is in the Playa del Rey neighborhood at the western terminus of Imperial Highway.[1] Between the beach and the airport lies the ghost town of Palisades del Rey.[3]

In August 2000 parkgoers witnessed smoke and flames shooting out of a Boeing 747's engine and metal parts as large as a dishwasher landing on the beach. The KLM flight bound for Amsterdam had just taken off from LAX and suffered a possible bird strike in one of its four jet engines. The aircraft was able to circle and land again without injury to the 429 people aboard.[4]

Hang gliding

The park boasts the Dockweiler Beach Hang Glider Flight Training Park, where beginners can learn the sport of hang gliding. Students launch off 25-foot-high (7.6 m) dunes. The facility was built by the city and county and is operated by concession WindSports.[5] With gentle breezes and a broad, sandy landing zone, Dockweiler was a major testing ground for hang gliding pioneers in the 1960s. Concerned about safety and liability, however, city officials banned the sport at the beach in 1986. Practitioners lobbied for 13 years to reopen Dockweiler to hang gliding, ultimately winning a $6 million renovation in 2000 that included the flight training park. It was the first hang gliding park established in conjunction with a city government.[6]

Use

One of the few beaches in Los Angeles County where bonfires are permitted, it is popular for barbecues and picnics.[3] Visits to Dockweiler State Beach are puncutated by the sight and sound of jets passing close overhead.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Dockweiler SB". California State Parks. http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=617. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
  2. ^ California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10. California State Parks. p. 16. http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/795/files/09-10%20statistical%20report%20final%20online.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-08. 
  3. ^ a b c Newton, Lisa (2010-06-27). "Dockweiler State Beach". Travelin' Local. http://www.travelinlocal.com/dockweiler-state-beach/. Retrieved 2011-12-08. 
  4. ^ Piccalo, Gina; Olivo, Antonio (2000-08-28). "Plane Lands Safely After Blowing Engine; Travel: KLM 747 was bound for Amsterdam from LAX with 429 people aboard. Engine parts rain down on beach". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Calif.). 
  5. ^ "Windsports Frequently Asked Questions". WindSports. http://windsports.com/faq.html. Retrieved 2011-12-08. 
  6. ^ Stewart, Jocelyn (2000-09-08). "Hang Gliders Relive Early Days of Their Sport; Recreation: Enthusiasts gather at Dockweiler State Beach, where much of the hobby's history occurred, to celebrate 30 years of flight". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Calif.). 
  7. ^ "Dockweiler Beach at the end of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)". BeachCalifornia.com. http://www.beachcalifornia.com/dockw.html. Retrieved 2011-12-08. 

External links