Redondo Beach Swim the Avenues

For over 7,100 years, the coastal landscape of the South Bay was defined by the Tongva people, who established a village known as Onoova-nga, or 'Place of Salt.' This settlement thrived near a natural, spring-fed body of water that provided essential resources for the Chowigna band, who bartered salt with neighboring tribes until their forced relocation in 1854. Today, modern swimmers traverse these same coastal waters during the annual Swim the Avenues, where the echoes of that ancient, salt-rich landscape remain buried beneath the industrial and recreational development of the shoreline. While the historic Old Salt Lake was ultimately replaced by a power plant in 1948, the area remains a focal point for environmental advocacy, with the city actively working to restore the nearby wetlands that once sustained the indigenous population with halibut, lobster, and sea bass.

## Along the shoreline

As you navigate the course, the view from the water offers a glimpse into a rapidly changing architectural past. The site of the grand 225-room Hotel Redondo, which opened in 1890 and stood as one of the most prominent Victorian landmarks in Southern California, is now incorporated into the grounds of Veterans Park. Just nearby, the Veterans Park Library—a Spanish and Dutch colonial structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places—remains a silent observer of the waterfront, having served as the city’s primary library for sixty years. You might also spot the iconic Goodyear Blimp, which the city officially adopted as its 'Official Bird' in 1983. Swimmers looking to complete their season in the South Bay often combine this event with the 2nd Annual San Pedro Rotary Open Water Swim, held just a day prior in the nearby waters of the San Pedro channel. The event features both 1.2-mile and half-mile distances, with separate categories for those choosing to wear a wetsuit and those opting for non-wetsuit racing, all under the banner of the Southern Pacific Masters Swimming Open Water Series.