A Sail to Remember
By Ryan Norton
Corsair Staff Writer

• Spend a sunny day on the waters of Marina Del Rey.

Biking, sunbathing, inline-skating, or just plain walking has just become more convenient in Marina Del Rey, with the new Coast Link Ferry. This Marina attraction provides an excellent mode of transportation for all these activities to get from one section of the pier to the other.

The Marina Ferry cruises gently from Fisherman's Village to Burton Chase Park and on to Marina Beach, though it can be started from any one of these locations. The Fisherman's Village area is interesting with several quaint seafood restaurants, while the park has a multitude of picnic areas as well as some barbecue spots.

Marina Beach provides a great sandy beach with calm water for soaking up the sun or swimming without having to fight strong currents.

The ride itself is pleasant, cruising past the array of vessels that line the marina's shore. Tom, from Simi Valley who declined to provide his last name said, "Marina rides are always fun," referring to the relaxing nature of the trip. He has made the trip down twice to beat the heat in the Marina and takes advantage of the ferry as a rest from in-line skating.

The ferry is free and is open to bikers, skaters, walkers, and strollers, taking about 45 minutes each way including about 15 minutes at each stop to load passengers.

The Marina Coast link is a "demonstration project" that, if successful, could become a permanent aspect of the area.

The Ferry will be running on weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Sept. 21.