MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

Great news as the Newport Beach Planning Commission has approved the

Boy Scouts of America, Orange County Council’s renovation plans for its

sea base with only a few modifications.

When it seems there is no inexpensive access for youth to learn and go

boating, the Boy Scouts is and has been providing that venue for decades

through the sea base (o7 https://www.seabase.orgf7 ).

The sea base’s renovation will bring the facilities up to the 21st

Century with new classrooms, offices, and an elevator allowing all to

access the second story. The parking lot will be redesigned to allow more

parking spaces with two entrances to Coast Highway, making it safer for

dropping off the participants, most of whom are under the driving age.

The new look will be a great enhancement to the community, which has

donated every penny for this project, and the harbor should be proud to

have a world-class nautical center located here.

There is still one more hurdle to go, as now the blueprints have to go

to the Coastal Commission for approval. Let’s hope they share our vision

of providing quality marine programs that will instill in the

participants solid values, teach effective team work, teach nautical

safety skills and provide a venue for all to enjoy the wonders of the

waterfront.

***

I have mentioned in previous columns that as a professional delivery

yacht captain and boating TV show host, I travel a lot, using almost

every means of transportation to get to the boats: helicopters, float

planes, ferries, trains and even limos. Yet, the other day Captain Derek

Lee with Executive Jet called, offering my wife and me a chance to fly in

a private Cessna Citation Jet out of Signature Flight at John Wayne

Airport.

I never miss an opportunity like this to be pampered in style, and I

looked at this as the perfect chance for me to view Newport Harbor and

the coastline from only a couple of thousand feet up in the air.

Viewing Newport Harbor from above really shows how large it is, and

you can see the thousands of boats moored throughout the harbor. The next

time you fly over the harbor, take the time to look out the window and

try to see if you can identify all of the eight islands.

***

There is another brawl brewing in the harbor about a proposed dock on

Balboa Island that would allow a 55-foot Ocean Alexandria yacht to dock

in front of a private residence.

I don’t want to take sides, but I am curious to see how each side has

positioned their views in the media.

The yacht owner recently merged two 30-foot properties to create a

60-foot wide bay-front property. This was done so the homeowner could

dock his yacht between his property lines, as outlined in the city codes,

but I believe the dock regulations on Balboa Island are different due to

the public walkway and water access around the island.

In the other corner, the neighbors do not want to lose access to a

public portion of the beach where this dock would be built, and they do

not want their view of the harbor obstructed by the yacht. My question

is, with Newport being one of the largest yacht harbors in the world with

more than 9,000 boats, then how big it too big? A 50-footer is not a

mega-yacht by any means to dock in front of a residence, and a beautiful

new yacht can be an enhancement to the harbor’s ambience.

On the other side, is it appropriate to make modifications that affect

public beach access or perceived views?

Whatever the final decision, it is issues like this that are the

reasons the city’s harbor committee has spent the past two years

developing the General Plan’s Harbor Element.

Safe Voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or o7 https://www.BoathouseTV.comf7 .