By Larry Clinton, Sausalito Historical Society
The sea lion statue that was knocked off it pedestal in the January storms needs major repairs to resume its position as Sausalito’s international landmark for seven decades.
The story of the emblematic sea lion is as intriguing as the statue itself. According to the website Oursausalito.com, “Al Sybrian, the statue’s creator, was a respected local artist and craftsman, an habitue of The No Name Bar and Smitty’s Bar, and a popular companion and conversationalist. He was best known for his ability to build beautiful stone walls and pathways, themselves referred to as works of art.
PHOTO FROM SAUSALITO CURRENTS
Work has begun on restoring the world-famous sea lion statue.
“This spot where Bridgeway curves along San Francisco Bay was at one time called Hearst Point, when William Randolph Hearst started work on a mansion on the hill overlooking the spot. When the 1890 Sausalito City Council declined to give him the necessary permits he moved south and built Hearst Castle in San Simeon instead. In recent generations the term Hearst Point has fallen out of use.
“Sybrian lived nearby, and like many locals liked to watch the sea lions by the rocks. In 1957 he talked some neighbors into putting up the money and he made the original concrete version of the sea lion. The process took three months, but the result was a popular success.
“It was 1957, and although there were plenty of public regulations Sausalito was simpler than today. After several months of discussion Sybrian and a group of friends set out at 1:00 AM one night and simply carried the sea lion statue about 100 yards from his studio to its present location. The statue was an immediate hit, and created traffic jams on Bridgeway as commuters paused to crane their necks at it. Soon visitors from around the world came to see the sea lion, and compared it to Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid.”
The original concrete sculpture was recast in bronze in the mid-1960s to help it withstand the elements.
In 2013, writer Terence Clark and Historical Society Board member Bill Kirsch, an artist and long-time friend of Sybrian’s, explored his life and art in an illustrated book entitled "The Sea Lion and the Sculptor.” They describe Sybrian as a true vagabond, who “spent his artistic life with absolutely no desire for fame or money. His blue-collar attitude about work, his disdain for politics, and his love of argument endeared him to friends and acquaintances throughout his life.” The book is written largely in Sybrian’s own words—thoughts and observations extracted from the meticulous notebooks he kept and letters he sent to and received from his friends.” Bill Kirsch passed away in 2018, but the book is still available online and at the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 22 El Portal near the ferry landing.
The Sausalito Foundation has been involved with financially sponsoring the casting and repairs of the Sea Lion since the 1960’s. The volunteer organization estimates that repairs will cost around $35,000, and is accepting donations at https://www.thesausalitofoundation.com.