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Free Photo Calendar
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Workers finally installed the new 50
foot flagpole at the foot of the Washington Street public
dock. The primary reason for the flagpole will be to vent
the strong low tide rotten egg smell high into the
atmosphere. The flags will be flown after the flood light
for night viewing is installed. |
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Time Capsule
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AROUND
THE ISLAND FERRY |
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From TalesOfBalboa the Book
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In
the late 1940's, Joe Beek started the Around The
Island Ferry, which served the entire Balboa Island
shoreline and adjacent areas. The original Around the
Island Ferry was the converted 30-foot, 30-passenger
yacht, "Where away". In the mid 1950's, Evan Jones
built a new 30 foot ferry at the J. A Beek building.
Evan also built all three of the current Balboa Island
Ferries, Admiral, Commodore, and Captain, at this same
location. The "Where Away" was sold to a local
government agency for use as a dignitary launch.
Traveling on 30-minute runs, service was from morning
to 10 p.m., and the fee was 25 cents. Dorothy Handy
recalls, "It was a little launch that left from Balboa
Island. And if you wanted to catch it, you stood on
the dock and waved it down. It would pick you up and
drop you off anywhere you wanted." Seymour Beek
recalls that, as a youth, he stole (borrowed) the
ferry after 10 p.m. for "Ferry Parties" in Newport
Bay, Corona Del Mar, and at sea. To this day Seymour
believes his father Joe Beek, was never wise to the
parties. The Around The Island Ferry was discontinued
in the late 1950s. |
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Click To Share Your Memories
I just read someone's memories of the "little yellow houses"
in Balboa. Those cabins belonged to Helen Stephens and her
son, Edward (Eddie, as we knew him) My family rented cabin 17
for 2 weeks every summer. Helen and my parents became very
close and when they danced at the Rendezvous Ballroom, my Dad
would save a few dances for Helen. Helen's husband built
those yellow cabins, knowing that it would mean future
security for Helen and Eddie. When he passed away it did
indeed become the main source of income for the two of them.
Eddie delivered ice for everyone's "icebox" when needed and
was the most handsome "cabin boy" anyone had ever seen. Who
would have guessed that several years later he would write a
novel entitled " One More Summer" that would be all about
Balboa including some risqué experiences he had as that cute
cabin boy? Those yellow cabins, on the corner of Adams and
Bay Ave. were known as Bayside Villa. They are now replaced
by a two story beige stucco home. I did a really crazy (and
stupid) thing today. I drove my convertible (top down) to
Balboa Island hoping to purchase some Balboa memorabilia for
Eddie Stephens. He is nearly eighty now and has a birthday
this week. I thought he'd love something from Balboa, but,
alas, after finding no parking place anywhere on the Island, I
thought I'd take the ferry over to the peninsula. Bad
idea!!! I waited 45 minutes in the blazing 90 degree sun to
get on the ferry. (Who knew there aren't 2 ferries any more?)
When I arrived on the peninsula the traffic was
unbelievable. The parking lot by the pier was full and there
was no street parking to be found. I finally drove back to
San Clemente discouraged, without a birthday gift for Eddie,
but with very tan arms. I adore Balboa, but I never should
have tried to go there on a Sunday in mid-summer. A bicycle
is the only way to go there in July and Aug.
My brothers and I would save two cent glass soda pop
bottles all year so that we'd have money to spend in the penny
arcades during our 2 weeks at Bal. Each morning began with my
Dad making a trip to the bakery as soon as they opened at
5:00am to get a dozen freshly made warm donuts. Krispy Kreme
could not hold a candle to those warm jelly donuts. On the
way to the bakery my father would put our blankets out on the
beach to save our spot for the day's beach activities. Four
families planned their two weeks together each year and
together we took up most of the beach at the end of Adams
street. At lunch we would often treat ourselves to those
delicious double decker cheeseburgers and fries from the
FunZone and then walk back a second time for a dessert such as
a Frosty, candy apple, frozen banana, or pecan praline. Those
were the best days of my life. We knew nothing of cholesterol
and calories and baby oil was our "sunscreen" because tans
were suppose to be not only beautiful, but "healthy". Renting
a paddleboard, kayak, or "peddle-low", was a special treat
that we could only afford to do twice during our stay. If I
ever get Alzheimer's and lose my short term memory, I hope my
Balboa memories will be the last to go. They are a treasure
to me.
Liane Hawkins
liane.hawkins@sbcglobal.net |
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Business Phone Directory
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Take a Ride on the
Balboa Island Ferry |
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2nd Wednesday of the Month
Book Club Luncheon 1PM
675-2373
Newport Landing Restaurant
Saturdays 3:30 PM
-7:00 PM
Kyng Arthur: Authentic Reggae
"Cabo Cantina" 100 Main St
949-675-7760
Thursdays May 18 -
August 31, 6 PM
Beer Can Regatta
Thursdays June 8 -
August 24
Cinema Orange Films
Orange County Museum of Art
June 9th - October
15th,
Dredges to Dreamboats
Newport Harbor Nautical Museum
Saturdays at
Sundown
June 17 thru September 2
Annual Flag Lowering Ceremony
Patriotic Music, Taps, Canon Salute.
Balboa Boat Rentals
By the Balboa Island Ferry Landing
Balboa Peninsula
Thursdays, July 6,
August 17, 6 PM
Concert
on the Peninsula
Balboa Pier Gazebo
Saturday August 5
7PM
Sunday August 6 7PM
Shakespeare by the Sea
Saturday Night
August 12
Perseid meteor shower
Sunday, August 20,
3 PM - 7 PM
4th Annual Funday in the Park
Thursday, August
24, 6;30 PM
Movie Night - "Dane Reynolds"
Peninsula Park
Saturday, August
26, 11AM - 9PM
Blues on the Bay
Friday, September
1, NOON
Happy 100th Birthday Cake Cutting
Newport Beach City Hall
Sunday, September
10, 3 PM
Sunday Musical
Central Library
Friday, October 6,
5 PM - 10 PM
Les Brown & Band of Renown
Dinner Dance
Balboa Pavilion
Sunday, October 8,
2 PM - 8:30 PM
100 Years Between the Piers
Beach Party
Sunday, October 8,
3 PM
Sunday Musical
Central Library
Sunday November 12,
3 PM
Sunday Musical
Central Library
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Click To Share Your Thoughts
Hi there! I was trying to find the phone number for the
Balboa City Hall, specifically the Business Licensing
department. Would you have their phone number?
massage_effex@yahoo.com
Your camera's in Balboa are great. I give your web site to
many of my friends and once in a while we set a time for
us to look funny in front of the Bay front camera and
friends in Europe will be watching. Thanks for the great
work you do with recording all the areas before the
changes. The picture with the power poles really got me
because they are also in the alley behind us. I live on
609 W Balboa Blvd
Tia and Case Van Mechelen
case@adaptautomation.com
is it true the "fun zone " will be turn down in early
Sept 06 ? if so what parts ? are we talking the fun zone
rides or the game room ?
mike scalice
minimesmoma@dc.rr.com
Mr. Fournier –
Hello, my name is Ryan Miller and I’m trying to track down
a local newspaper/newsletter for the Balboa
Island/Peninsula area. I’m hoping you might be able to
answer my question and help me out. I was wondering if
there is a local newspaper that might have covered an
event called the Balboa Rendezvous that took place on
March 31st – April 2nd 2006. It’s a Balboa dance
competition where people come in from all over to compete
and dance. The event would have been at the Balboa
Pavilion, I’m assuming. The reason why I’m asking for this
is because I would like to try and purchase a back issue
of the newspaper/newsletter from those dates. I had a
friend that competed in the event, and would like to save
the article for them if the article even exists.
Thanks in advance!!
Ryan Miller
4756 Royal Prince Way
Knoxville, TN 37912
RyanMiller1@Comcast.Net |
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From London's Times
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Pop Quiz
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Words Of Wisdom
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People will accept your idea more
readily, if you tell them that Benjamin Franklin said
it first. |
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