Lifeguards find massive, century-old ship anchor off Santa Monica Pier
A 100-plus-year-old anchor was pulled up from the ocean off Santa Monica Pier, a relic from the days when the area was a major shipping port.
Lifeguards found the anchor two miles up the coast from the pier about three weeks ago. The discovery occurred around the former site of the Long Wharf, a shipping center that served Southern California on Santa Monica Bay from 1892 to 1919.
“It’s not every day you find something like that,” said Andrew Greger, rescue boat captain with the L.A. County Fire Department, who spotted the anchor three weeks ago during a training dive.
The Long Wharf was built by railroad tycoon Collis Huntington. At the time, it was the world's largest and became a tourist attraction. Huntington wanted to make Santa Monica the region's main port, but L.A. city leaders eventually chose San Pedro.
The anchor was pulled up Tuesday with the help of a tractor. It’s resting in a garden just outside the Los Angeles County lifeguard station at 1642 Ocean Front Walk in Santa Monica.
--Baxter Holmes
Photo: Scott Grisby / L.A. County Fire Department
Davy Jones wants it back now please.
Posted by: SeanBoy | November 18, 2009 at 04:15 PM
Tie it around the neck of the young people who raped and beat that girl.
Posted by: captain grumpy | November 18, 2009 at 04:50 PM
Great find indeed! Since the city is in the reds, maybe they should auction it off....
Posted by: Viz | November 18, 2009 at 05:08 PM
'Lifeguards find massive, century-old ship 2 miles away from Santa Monica Pier' wouldn't make a good headline, I guess.
Posted by: Clem | November 18, 2009 at 06:04 PM
thats so cool
Posted by: giambo | November 18, 2009 at 06:19 PM
CCP. That is one amazing photo Scott Grigsby! Keep up the "W.O.W. service." ST.
Posted by: Jill | November 20, 2009 at 05:05 PM
what a cool find
Posted by: monalissa10 | December 09, 2009 at 09:32 AM
glad the lifeguards are workin hard.
Posted by: Argh! | January 14, 2010 at 12:19 PM