Dedicated in May 1996, Ocean Riders was the first art placement on tidelands resulting from the Port's then-recent recommitment to a Public Art Program. It's significance was noted in remarks by Imperial Beach Councilman Donn Hall who stated, "[It] allows our community to be both sensitive and interactive with our environment and announces that we consider the arts a vital and enriching contribution to our city and our daily lives."

Wyland, the world's leading environmental artist, specializes in depicting endangered marine species. His extraordinary paintings and sculptures, including his huge and famous "Whaling Wall" murals, have exposed millions to the graceful beauty of whales, dolphins and other marine life, as well as to the fragile ecosystems of our oceans.