For those who conquered the parking at Redondo Beach on Sunday, sharks were circling Wooton Park ready to celebrate the City of Des Moines proclaiming Redondo Beach as the “Sixgill Shark Capital of the World”.

Part of proclaiming Redondo Beach as the Sixgill Capital was ensuring the legacy is visible and unmovable. A new sign erected on the water’s edge, its coverings ripped off by sharks themselves, will tell the story of the Sixgills and Redondo from here on out.  

Attaining the proclamation was not nearly a swim in the park. Rus Higley, Director of MaST Center and Highline Faculty, spearheaded the proposal to City Council. The MaST’s hard work and determination led to July 6 becoming the city wide recognition of  “Sixgill Shark Day”.

The first annual Shark in the Park went off without a hitch. With nearly 30 volunteers and around 25 vendors, the event was well supported in greeting local shark enthusiasts and the estimated 750-1,000 attendees. All organizations gathered had a simple mission: Celebrate the docile Sixgill, and teach others how to protect their home. 

Whether it was public works reminding us to pick up after our pets, or a beautiful poised mermaid imploring us to become familiar with our surroundings, all were united in a vision of conservatism. 

“We’re hoping to make this a yearly festival, and a yearly celebration, with the proclamation. It has the potential to draw divers from all over the world to come here and have this experience with these sharks,” said Des Moines Mayor, Traci Buxton. “This is also an opportunity to hold the community together in this beautiful park right on the waterfront. This is an amazing turnout, and this is the very first one, so this is very exciting for us.”

“For a lot of [non-diving] folks, you might not know any of this is there. It’s a place not many people get to see. So I think highlighting all the special creatures that [Redondo] has can bring a special awareness to conservation issues,” said Amelia Serafin, with Amelia Submerged Photography. 

“A quarter of the population of Des Moines are kids…There’s not enough activities in the city for kids. So [The Legacy Foundation] is trying to bridge that through art,” shared Pierre Blosse, Director with the Des Moines Legacy Foundation. 

Shark in the Park attracted more than shark-enthusiasts; it brought families from all over Des Moines for a day in the sun. From chalk art, face-paint, and arts & crafts, the event was entirely centered on teaching kids about their local marine life and how to conserve their environment. 

“Our part [in conservation] is to educate, and promote education, in communities, said Mayor Buxton. “One thing that is really terrific is that our Public Works Department has partnered with the MaST Center, Highline College, and King County Public Health. This is all going to become an educational opportunity for the citizens to understand what happens to our storm water and how it affects the creatures in the sound.”

The cloudless sky and gentle breeze perfected the environment for an event such as this. One did not need a blanket to picnic on, but could sprawl out comfortably on the grass bed. For what is summer for if not being outside and near the water? 

Following the festivities, dive groups converged at the pier. With a warm summer heat over the evening, they enjoyed surveying the Puget Sound as the tide swelled to its peak. To mark the occasion, one student diver caught a glimpse of the Sixgill Shark, reminding us all why Des Moines is their true and proper home.

Redondo Beach’s nursery ground provides the perfect palace for divers to come face-to-face with the smaller, young sharks that are bred there. Often, divers jump from the MaST’s pier and into the water in an attempt to see these creatures. 

With renewed zeal in the pier surmounting, the MaST Center will be adding Sunday hours to their aquarium. So if you have time on a Saturday from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. or Sunday noon to 4 p.m., stop by and learn more about the creatures the center holds.