Over a dozen tall ships and a 6-story-high Rubber Duck sailed into the Los Angeles harbor Wednesday, kicking off the Tall Ships Festival LA.

The 60-foot tall inflatable duck, the largest in the world, is part of an art installation by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. Since 2007, the gigantic duckie has called at ports and harbors across the globe including Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney, Auckland, Soa Paulo and elsewhere.

"The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve the world's tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages," according to Hofman.

Video below.

The Tall Ships Festival LA in the harbor off San Pedro goes through August 24. [images: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson, via gcaptain]

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