Newport and Balboa Island

Newport Harbor is another HUGE harbor and home to over 9000 boats.  Within the harbor are a collection of small islands with residents lining the shorelines. 

We secured a spot at the Bahai Corinthian Yacht Club for our first few nights (thanks to reciprocity with our own Royal Vancouver Yacht Club).  BCYC is in a great location with easy access to provisioning ....  and Balboa Island, a MAGICAL (fairy tale-like) seaside community, right in the middle of the harbor. 

Waterway channels cut Balboa into Little Balboa and Balboa Island…. Its California’s version of Venice (they even have gondola rides)!  There are BEAUTIFUL homes rimming the shore, all with access to their own dock and beach area and charming paths meandering around the homes.  It is VERY quaint.

 

 

Magical at night .....

 

 

 

 

In the middle of enjoying all this “quaintness”, we found out we have to move spots for two nights …. And we are now floating out in Newport Channel, on “twin cans” …. Bow and stern Mooring bouys …. NOT my favorite !!

And right next to us are some sailboats which seem to be “abandoned” except for the 8 or 9 SEA LIONS who have taken up residence!!!  CHARMING …. They are adorable and very entertaining, but smelly and at 200+ # are more than a little destructive with the railings on these sailboats (which the sea lions have managed to BEND OVER as they fling their large bodies on top of the boat deck).

Cam is VERY concerned that they are going to take a liking to our easily accessible swim grid .... 

 

 

There goes the neighborhood …..

 

Later in the afternoon, Lori and the kids, David and Christine AND Penny and Lawrence, met us at BCYC and from there we walked onto Balboa Island and had dinner.  Talbots left to head back to San Diego, where they will leave to return to Vancouver .... We ran the kids over to where we were moored to show them our crazy sea lion neighbors, then Cam ran Lori and the kids back to where they had parked so they could head home to LA.  David and Christine will stay with us for the balance of our trip !!

 

 

On our last day in Newport Harbor, David and Christine took the folding bikes and went off for a bike ride ...

After the rudder / steering issue was resolved, we returned to a spot at BCYC for our last night in Newport.  We enjoyed a swim in the pool and headed up to the clubhouse for a fabulous dinner.  It was a great ending to our stay in Newport.

I have decided I really DO like being tied up to a dock … with power …. And a restaurant …. And the swimming pool (bonus !) …. And stores within walking distance ….. PANSY, I know !!