A documentary about the history and influence of the San Diego Bay was shown aboard the USS Midway on May 24 in honor of National Maritime Day, which is celebrated on May 22.
“A Working Waterfront: The History and Heritage of San Diego Bay” covers the area’s historical milestones, from Juan RodrÃguez Cabrillo’s arrival in 1542 through the current economic impact of bay industry. The images accompanying the narrative are entirely authentic, ranging from drawings to pictures to footage of various moments in San Diego’s history.
According to Irene McCormack, director of communications for the port, the San Diego Maritime Museum and San Diego Historical Society provided valuable resources for the documentary so that it was as accurate as possible. She said the port collaborated with many organizations to ensure that the movie would be educational.
The documentary also required the help of the Working Waterfront Group, a coalition of maritime industrial businesses, the San Diego Port Tenants Association, AFL/CIO, environmental organizations and the port.
The documentary, which runs about 45 minutes long, was designed to emphasize an important local resource often overlooked, McCormack said.
“For many years it has gone kind of under the radar, and we really wanted to educate people to how important it is and how historic it is as well,” she added.
According to the Working Waterfront Group, bay industry creates 38,000 jobs and brings in $6 billion annually to the regional economy. Some of the largest players include the Navy, shipbuilders, importers, cruise ships, fishing and boating.
McCormack said the San Diego County Office of Education is considering incorporating the film into San Diego history curricula for high schools, though no decision has been made on the matter to date.
The Port of San Diego spans the waterfronts of five cities: San Diego, Coronado, National City, Imperial Beach and Chula Vista. The port was created as a result of the Tidelands Act of 1962 to oversee the protection and development of public tidelands surrounding San Diego Bay.
For more information about the documentary, call the port at (619) 686-6200. Copies of the DVD are available at the museum inside the Midway, 910 North Harbor Drive, and the Maritime Museum, 492 North Harbor Drive.
