Giant rubber duck no match for foul weather, deflated in L.A. harbor

1/11

A giant rubber duck passes through the Port of Los Angeles as part of the Festival of Tall Ships. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

2/11

A giant rubber duck passes under the Vincent Thomas bridge early Wednesday morning. The six-story-tall floating “Rubber Duck” was created by by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman and will be part of the Festival of Tall Ships that begins Wednesday in San Pedro. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

3/11

A giant rubber duck is tied up at the new L.A. courtesy dock as part of the Tall Ships celebration in San Pedro. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

4/11

Surrounded by port boat traffic the giant 40-foot rubber duck designed by Dutch artist Florntijn Hofman passes through the Port of Los Angeles. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

5/11

A giant rubber duck is framed by the Vincent Thomas Bridge as it passes through the Port of Los Angeles as part of the Tall Ships celebration. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

6/11

The Sindicich and Guerra families from San Pedro stopped to enjoy the giant rubber duck docked at the L.A. Waterfront courtesy harbor as part of the Tall Ships celebration. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

7/11

Tall Ship “Freda B” is dwarfed by its neighbor, a giant 40-foot rubber duck created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, at the L.A. Waterfront courtesy dock at the beginning of the Tall Ships festival. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

8/11

Paul Dine, captain of the Tall Ship “Freda B,” looks over at his neighbor while docked at the L.A. Waterfront courtesy dock . (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

9/11

A boat packed with people cruises in for a closer look at the giant rubber duck. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

10/11

The Festival of Tall Ships will begin with the opening-day “Grand Parade of Sail.” (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

11/11

A reflection of the giant rubber duck is seen in the Port of Los Angeles. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

By Joseph Serna

Aug. 29, 2014 10:17 AM PT

Turns out the giant rubber duck docked at Los Angeles harbor is no match for foul weather.

The six-story tall bathtub toy that’s been stationed at the Port of Los Angeles since last week was scheduled to pay a visit to Wilmington on Thursday and Friday but had to be deflated due to strong winds, KNBC-TV reported.

In its place, a 10-foot duckling is available for viewing Friday, the station reported.

After the Labor Day holiday, the full-scale version will reappear Tuesday at San Pedro’s Downtown Harbor from noon to 8 p.m. for Save a Bird Day sponsored by International Bird Rescue, according to the Port of Los Angeles website.

Dubbed the world’s largest rubber duck, the giant inflatable was created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman.

“The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties,” Hofman said on the event’s website. “It can relieve the world’s tensions as well as define them.”

Thursday wasn’t the first time the giant duck has been deflated. Video on YouTube shows the duck deflated after an earthquake in Taiwan and mysteriously overnight in Hong Kong.

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna.

Giant rubber duck no match for foul weather, deflated in L.A. harbor

More to Read

More From the Los Angeles Times