There was no danger here in Newport Beach from the tsunami caused by the Chilean earthquake. That’s good, since local residents like ourselves got warning calls from the city an hour after the waves hit. But despite the thousands of miles, you could see them arrive and have an impact.

The waves came just after noon Pacific time. I wasn’t positioned well to really see the first one, but I moved and caught the second on video. I was standing next to Mark Legg, a local geophysicist from Huntington Beach. You’ll hear him talking on the video:

Another arrived after this but didn’t have the power to reverse the flow of the river near its mouth. But there were some interesting currents it created:

To give you a sense of the change, this is how the river looked when the tsunami wasn’t pushing it back. Keep in mind that there had just been an extremely heavy rainfall early in the morning, sothe flow was pretty strong. The tsunami was powerful enough to push all that back:

Here’s the Orange County Register report about the waves.

Also, in case anyone was worried that it was crazy to be out there, it was clear by this point there would be no large or dangerous wave arriving. San Diego and points further south had come through completely unscathed. You also can’t see in the video that there’s a small hill right above the water — we were watching it from the river channel, rather than on the actual beach.

Chronic Tacos is a Newport Beach gem. Great, inexpensive Mexican food. Started in 2001 in West Newport Beach, the original store often has a huge line stretching out the door. Now Chronic has the opportunity to expand — allowing places for people to actually sit down and eat — but the Newport Beach planning commission has rejected their application. Disagree? Time to show your support by attending the upcoming appeals hearing or sending a letter.

Local residents objected to the original plan which featured 15 flat-screen TVs, along with sit-down dining and alcohol service. A scaled back plan (and see here) cut the TVs back to 3 and the overall size of the restaurant by about 25%. Alcohol will still be available, but only bottled bear.

We’re regulars at Chronic. We ride our bikes there, just as many other locals do. When the line’s long, as it often is, the kids are dispatched to head inside first and grab a space while we lock up. Occasionally, it would be nice to actually sit there. It would certainly be nice to get good food without the giant lines (though part of me would be sad that this unique Newport experience would go away).

A public hearing happens this Tuesday at 7pm at Newport Beach City Hall. From the notice:

An appeal of the Planning Commission’s denial of a use permit for a full-service, high turnover eating and drinking establishment with beer and wine service and a parking waiver (Chronic Tacos).

The appeal was filed by the applicant/owner of Chronic Tacos, Dan Biello.

This project has been determined to be categorically exempt under the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act under Class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures).

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that said public hearing will be held on September 22, 2009, at the hour of 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Newport Beach City Hall, 3300 Newport Boulevard, Newport Beach, California, at which time and place any and all persons interested may appear and be heard thereon. If you challenge this project in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City at, or prior to, the public hearing. For information call (949) 644-3200.

I’m disappointed to be away when the hearing is being held, but I plan to send a letter of support. These types of letters matter, trust me — I’ve seen in my own work on the Balboa Boardwalk safety committee. Email your city representative. They’re all listed here. If you’re a regular visitor to the city and want to voice your support, use the “Send a message to all Council Members” address listed on that page.

Postscript: Plans denied. And Chronic gets ripped on for among other things, having too many colorful stickers on its windows. You know, character.

In my Making The Balboa Boardwalk Safer post, I mentioned that new safety signs were to be installed along the boardwalk in Newport Beach. They’ve just gone up this week, and they’re pretty cool and eye catching.

If you’re along the boardwalk, I think you can’t help but notice them. They stand out from the “usual” signs with their messages to “Slow Down,” “Share The Path” and “Beach Crossings.” The signs stretch along the entire boardwalk, generally alternating between messages. Here are some more examples:

I think the beach crossing signs is my favorite. Somehow I wonder if we’ll see it ending up on t-shirts and in other places. That picture of a surfer carrying a board is just so symbolic of what you see all the time in Newport. The sign screams out, “beach town.” That’s nice.

Here are close-ups of all the signs:

Newport Beach has a great harbor, and I’ve finally become a boat owner — all 10.5 feet of inflatable goodness. Hey, don’t mock my little Zodiac-style boat. It gets our family of four around just fine. But where to go? What to do? Fortunately, Newport Beach has just put out a new guide to the harbor.

Did you know there are public docks in the harbor? I had no idea until we got an old harbor map from a local rental place. The new map also marks these clearly, places where you can pull up, tie-up your boat and leave for a bit.

One thing I love about the new map are the locations of “Dock & Dine” restaurants:

Is there nothing cooler than pulling up in your boat to park at a dock, then getting out and having a meal? Well, I’m not sure our inflatable is what the restaurant owners had in mind, but at least I know where to go

Also shown on the map are local rental places, restrooms, mooring areas and more. Aside from the map, the booklet covers places for long-term mooring (good luck with that, and get your wallet out to pay big time).

One crucial rule I learned about Newport Harbor back when I was in college and learned to sail here is that the Balboa Ferry always has the right-of-way. The guide doesn’t mention this though it does warn to watch for the ferries.

After twice having the local tour company’s boats try to run me down, I also wondered if they somehow has some special right-of-way I didn’t know about. Nope, nothing that I can see in the guide. They’re just captained by jerks, it seems.

Disappointingly, despite the many historic celebrity homes scattered around the harbor (John Wayne being most famous), the map doesn’t pinpoint any of these. I guess that might have hurt the boat tour company’s ability to try and run down all the other boats in the harbor.

The guide — “Compete Cruising Guide To Newport Harbor” — is going to be distributed in print locally in in yacht clubs along the California coast, according to the Daily Pilot. You can also download a copy here (PDF format) from the city’s web site.

For the past few months, I’ve been part of a Newport Beach city committee looking at how to make the Balboa Boardwalk safer for the many different people who use it, ranging from those on bicycles, to pedestrians, to people using Segways and considering the habits of out-of-town tourists versus local residents.

I consider the boardwalk to be a Newport Beach treasure. It’s a large sidewalk that stretches for about three miles, covering just over half the Balboa Peninsula, as highlighted on this map:

View Balboa Boardwalk & Safety Issues in a larger map

Hundreds of people make use of it each day for such purposes as:

• Leisurely walking strolls
• Jogging
• Running
• Leisurely bike rides
• Bicycling for exercise
• Inline skating (Rollerblading)
• Getting to Newport Beach Elementary school
• Walking dogs

So many uses — so many different means of transport — and with houses fronting nearly the entire stretch, as well as beachgoers crossing over, there are many safety concerns. These have culminated in changes from time to time. Last year, out of a new surge in concerns (see What Future For The Balboa Boardwalk?), the committee I’m part of was formed, to explore possible solutions.

Below, I’ll cover issues the boardwalk has, plus what’s been recommended and enacted so far. Hopefully those who live in or come to Newport will find it interesting. I hope it also helps other beach communities with similar boardwalks that may be considering their own changes. As I’ll explain, Newport’s not alone in its struggle, but there seems to be no statewide consensus on “best practices” for boardwalks of this type.

The Committee

I’m part of the “Oceanfront Safety Steering Committee,” which is made up of local residents and business owners. Specifically, we are:

• Mike Henn, committee chair & our local councilperson
• Dorothy Beek, an oceanfront resident
• Dale Head, a local business owner
• Laura Keane, a resident and representing the Central Newport Beach Community Association
• Bill Mais, an oceanfront resident
• Joe Reiss, a peninsula resident
• Danny Sullivan, a peninsula resident

We’ve also has city representatives regularly taking part, including Newport Beach police Captain Dale Johnson, Brad Sommers of Public Works and city public information manager Tara Finnigan.

At the end of April, we issued an initial report to the city with our findings, which you can read here.

Issues

We’re hardly united in our specific views. Some would like to see no bicycles on the boardwalk. Some would like to see skateboards allowed again. But I have to say, being on the committee has been an education about understanding consensus and compromise and trying to come up with solutions for the common good. Not that there have been any huge fights! Instead, various issues have been examined, and then the committee has made recommendations that we’re all largely behind, because the seem to make the most sense.

Onward to the issues.

Pedestrians

How could pedestrians be an issue? As someone who rarely walks on the boardwalk (I either rollerblade or bike), I can assure you, they are (see some comments here, as well). The boardwalk is a multi-use pathway. That means it is shared by pedestrians and those on wheels alike. Pedestrians are an issue primarily when they fail to be aware of their surroundings. They often:

• Walk against opposing traffic
• Walk dogs on long leashes, where the dogs cross into opposing traffic
• Walk onto the boardwalk without looking for traffic

Opposing traffic? The boardwalk is divided in two, like a roadway. Traffic (pedestrians & bicyclists alike) move in opposite direction, each direction staying to the right:

Now consider this picture:

Just before I shot it, as I approached when skating, the brown dog at the front was actually sniffing along the walls on the left side of the boardwalk. That mean the leash stretched across the entire area that I (or anyone else) needed to go in order to pass this group.

Or consider this picture:

Here, a woman is walking against traffic. There’s a small girl out in the sand playing — this is probably a mother and daughter, and you can understand her naturally wanting to stay close to her child. But it also poses a conflict to anyone approaching. Is she going to move into the sand? Will she suddenly look up, see you coming and decide to move in your path? And while in this picture the boardwalk is fairly empty, it’s not uncommon at all to have it be fairly crowded with groups of people walking the wrong way.

Then there’s this picture:

Here, three pedestrians take up the entire boardwalk — and this is at a section where the boardwalk is at its widest.

Bicycles

Just like pedestrians, bicyclists can also go the wrong way or take up the entire boardwalk by riding side-by-side. However, the biggest issue of concern is that of speed.

Some people on racing bikes and speed down the boardwalk, posing a hazard to pedestrians and other bicyclists. Even at slow speeds, there’s still a problem that you have many small children who can suddenly dart from behind patio walls.

Consider this:

OK, I know the picture is at an angle, but hopefully you’ll see what I mean to illustrate. Most of the homes along the boardwalk have patio walls with small gates. Small children often can’t be seen behind these walls until they step out onto the boardwalk — and then, hopefully, you’ve stopped in time.

The same is true when you come to where streets meet the boardwalk. Kids come off of these streets, often running in excitement to reach the beach, and they’re hidden from view until it’s almost too late. Any parent who regularly takes their kids to the peninsula will warn them to look out. But kids will be kids — they aren’t going to look, making high speeds on bikes so very dangerous.

Segways

Powered vehicles of any type are not allowed on the boardwalk, with the exception of personal mobility devices (such wheelchairs). So what’s up with Segways? Technically, a Segway rider is classified (I believe) under state law as a pedestrian.

That’s still not gone down well with some residents, who view the Segways as too big or too powerful for the boardwalk. It’s especially a concern when you have groups of many Segway riders all in a row:

They’re seen by some as taking up too much space to get around or, if they’re going around someone, creating conflicts.

Surreys

If you’ve been to Newport, you’ve probably seen surreys, even if you don’t know that’s what they’re called. They’re like four wheeled bikes that can fit four, six or eight passengers:

Surreys have apparently been banned from the boardwalk for years. That hasn’t stopped people renting them from taking them out on it. Objections range from surreys being too heavy (if they hit someone, potentially they’ll cause more injury than a bike), to them taking up too much space (especially on a crowded weekend, they can clog traffic), to them being a magnet for people who get out of control (it’s not uncommon to see them overloaded with people with people who’ve had too much to drink).

Rollerbladers & Inline Skaters

This is me! And fortunately, there haven’t been too many rollerblading concerns voiced. Some rollerbladers can go to fast (mmm, that’s probably me, but I watch it more now).

Skateboards & Scooters

Banned from the boardwalk for ages, the concern here is that skateboarders might lose control of their skateboards either when skating along or if doing tricks.

Unlike skateboards, scooters like Razor scooters are allowed — but not if they are powered.

Powered Vehicles (Electric Bikes, Scooters, etc.)

Powered vehicles, as I’ve noted, are banned from the boardwalk unless they are Segways or personal mobility devices. Despite this, you’ll still see everything from powered motor scooters to an increasing amount of electric bikes. Concerns about being on the boardwalk primarily come down to speed. But some of the electric bikes also can be quite heavy, thus increasing the potential of injury. FYI, electric bikes are banned even if you don’t use their motors. If they’re capable of being powered, they can’t be taken onto the boardwalk.

Immediate Solutions

Those are the primary issues facing the boardwalk. How do you improve things? Everything from widening the boardwalk to separating bikes from pedestrians has been considered. The committee has taken a go slow, incremental approach to fixes. Rather than expensive reconstruction, can things be made safer by changing habits and enforcing existing laws?

Enforcement Events

The first solution has been to schedule a series of “saturation patrol enforcement events,” where the police and volunteer police explorers are out in force, to remind everyone of the rules. The first was held at the end of May. The second was supposed to have happened last weekend, though I didn’t see much presence when I went out in the morning. Two more events will happen during the summer.

During the events, you had flyers being distributed at various points along the boardwalk:

People were also instructed to walk their bikes in the McFadden Square “walk zone.” And, there were these high-tech speed reminders:

That’s right — radar units measuring the speed of bikes. And of rollerbladers, if they have any amount of metal (like a phone) that can reflect radar (they worked on me).

Overall, I and the other committee members felt the first event went well. People did seem to go a bit slower in the following weeks. There were fewer surreys out on the boardwalk. After years of no enforcement, it seemed an appropriate ramp up to raise awareness (the police didn’t give out tickets, though they could have, since this was an initial “reminder” event).

Aside from the saturation events, the police are supposed to have bike teams out on the boardwalk with more frequency. There’s also a nighttime enforcement event in the works to deter drinking and biking. From 10pm onwards on a weekend, it’s not uncommon to find people spilling out of bars, onto bikes and then onto the boardwalk as they fall over unable to bike. By the way, my understanding is that the legal limit for drunk biking is much lower than for driving a car.

Radar Trailers

Those radar units I mentioned? They’ve continued being put out on the boardwalk in various locations outside of enforcement events. The main downside to them is occasionally you get the opposite effect — some people speed up to see how fast they can go. The committee recognizes this, but the consensus is that they’re doing more good overall.

Could you really get a ticket for exceeding the 8 mph speed limit on the boardwalk? No, to my understanding. The actual speed limit itself is apparently unenforceable. Your bike’s not equipped with speedometer, for one thing — no law requires this.

Don’t take that as carte blanche to ignore the signs. You can get a ticket instead for “unsafe operation,” which can be a police officer deciding you’re going too fast for the conditions. That could mean going too fast even under the 8 mph posted limit.

Personally, I’d rather see the 8 mph signs scrapped and this “basic speed law” put in place as a warning. On a quiet evening, allowing bikes and skaters to go faster seems safe. The conditions allow it. But the signs probably do serve as a good deterrent for unsafe speed overall.

Crackdown On Surreys

A consequence of the first enforcement action was a sudden drop in people who were willing to rent surreys and take them out on the boardwalk. As I’ve said, they’ve been banned for years. Some surreys even have signs in the surreys themselves saying this:

With business down, shops renting the surreys have been lobbying for them want them to be allowed back on. The Daily Pilot has a good article on the upset and business loss, with a follow-up commentary from committee member and surrey shop owner Dale Head here. Head also maintains a petition in his shop for those who want the ban lifted.

Another shop owner, Debbie Rodgers of Balboa Bikes N Beach Stuff (no site, but Google Maps listing here) came to a committee meeting two weeks ago with pretty heartwrenching plea for the ban to be reversed, because of the impact it’s having on her business during her busiest period.

Personally, I’d like to see a way for a small number of surreys at a time to be accommodated. I think it’s nice that people from out of town (those who almost exclusively rent the surreys) can use the vehicles. Not everyone can ride a bike, and it does look like a lot of fun to take something like this out along the sand. Limit the numbers, and perhaps you eliminate the congestion issue that happens when there are many of them on the boardwalk all at once. There are also different size surreys. The smaller four-seater ones have less opposition from the committee, overall.

Still, I can’t see how these can be allowed to operate during busy weekend or holiday periods. Frankly, there’s sometimes barely enough room for the bikes and pedestrians already out there:

That picture above isn’t even showing the boardwalk at its worst on a busy weekend, trust me.

It’s also not in the committee’s power to reverse the ban. That’s a city law — it’s the city council that would have to reverse it. The committee simply recommended that there be better enforcement of the existing laws. Even if enforcement hadn’t been stepped up, anyone renting the surreys was always at risk of getting a ticket. And as Capt. Johnson explained at the last meeting, the police can’t say they won’t enforce a particular law.

Hopefully, the owners will find alternative routes for those wanting to rent surreys to take. Apparently, many are now taking streets and alleys down further on the Balboa Peninsula to its point and the famed “Wedge” bodysurfing spot. In turn, that has Peninsula Point residents unhappy. Of course, they also don’t deal with what those further up from the point face — a boardwalk directly in front of their property.

Crackdown On Motorized Bikes & Scooters

As I said, there’s been an increase in motorized bikes, scooters and other motorized devices on the boardwalk — and more places locally appearing to rent these. As with surreys, there’s already a ban against motorized vehicles on the boardwalk. Use them, and it’s increasingly likely you’ll get a ticket. Build a business around them, and its increasingly likely you’ll run into the problem surrey shop owners are currently facing.

The Segway Exception

As I said, Segways are allowed. To boot them from the boardwalk, the city would have to pass a local ordinance.

Personally, I think it’s incredibly confusing that they are allowed. Why on earth would you think an electric bike shouldn’t be allowed if you’re seeing electric Segways scooting up and down the boardwalk?

The local Segway shop has done an excellent job of lobbying that they shouldn’t be banned. Problems, we’re told, are due mostly to out-of-town tour groups that come into the city. The local shop says it runs carefully controlled tours. And during a city study session that was held, about three or four local residents that own Segways also spoke against any possible ban.

Right now, the committee recommendation is for the city to explore requiring any Segway tours on the boardwalk to have a city business license and perhaps agree to certain safety considerations. That seems a reasonable next step. Still, I remain concerned that allowing them sends the wrong signal. But I’m waiting to see how some new signage that’s coming might change things. Ultimately, the Segways could find themselves banned, too.

Weird Vehicles

Objections to the vehicles above being on the boardwalk tend to center around the size or weight of them. That produces counter arguments. Segways are smaller in some ways than bikes allowed on the boardwalk. A surrey can take up as much room as two bike riding side-by-side, and that’s not banned.

And what about things like these:

The first is a pretty awesome non-electric bike, but it’s pretty heavy. Should that be banned? The second is a seated bike that takes up plenty of space like a surrey. But that’s allowed? And what about people towing trailers with kids? Should those go?

Certainly some consistency in why some vehicles are allowed and some are banned would make sense — and that’s a tough job when there are so many different types of unpowered vehicles out there. But this is a topic the committee has yet to tackle.

Skateboards

As I said, they’ve long been banned. I’d like to see that lifted. I’d rather see skateboard tricks banned, but not skateboards used for transportation. I regularly see both kids and adults using skateboards as a means from going between Point A and Point B. Sometimes they’re carrying groceries, body boards or surfboards — not things you’d expect from those trying to do tricks. But I don’t have a good argument against the situation that a board could go out of control and perhaps run into someone or under a bike, other than that anything can go out of control.

Immediate Structural Changes

So far, I’ve covered issues with vehicles. How about changes to the boardwalk itself. Some are being tested; some have been considered but would require more money and significant changes.

New Signs

The boardwalk has existing signs with the posted speed limit and vehicles not allowed. These will likely be upgraded, especially to somehow note that Segways are an exception to the powered vehicle ban. Meanwhile, new “message” signs like these examples are being considered:

NOTE: The signs have now been installed. See Newport Beach Boardwalks Gets “Slow Down,” “Share The Path” & “Beach Crossings” Safety Signs.

New Striping

Currently between 8th and 9th streets (this is marked on the map), new striping is being tested. Instead of a dashed yellow line, a solid one has been painted:

Does this mean you can’t pass someone? No. On a regular road, you can’t cross a solid yellow line like this. On the boardwalk, the lines don’t have a legal meaning.

The new striping isn’t meant to preventing passing movements. Instead, it’s designed to discourage some people from swerving through the dashed lines as if they were a virtual slalom course. It’s also to see if it helps encourage people to stick to their side of the boardwalk when not passing.

At the street-side entrance to the boardwalk, there are also new yellow lines painted to warn pedestrians:

I don’t know how effective these really will be. It’s also being considered striping the entire area where streets intersect with the boardwalk, to highlight that many pedestrians will be crossing.

Long-Term Structural Changes

New signs and new striping can be done quickly and with little expense (less than $20,000, the report estimated). Beyond that, there are other changes that have been considered.

Widen The Boardwalk

From the report:

The committee reviewed the suggestion to slightly widen the boardwalk and agreed that a wider boardwalk does not equal a safer boardwalk. Many felt that it would encourage cyclists to go faster and pedestrians to spread out further. Public Works estimates that adding an additional two feet of width to the current boardwalk would cost approximately $1.5 million. Widening it by five feet would cost approximately $2.6 million. These estimates do not include the cost of additional street lights, underground conduit, etc.

I still think this will need to be considered. Perhaps the boardwalk can be widened between streets to have passing areas. That wouldn’t require the removal of light posts, though the merge back to a narrower path might cause conflicts. Still, it can get very crowded, and some widening might help without producing the “speedway” effect that some worry about.

Separate Bike Path

From the report:

The Police Department spoke to cities that have separate paths for bikes and pedestrians. Many report that the separation has created a new problem. They now have a raceway for bikes, unhindered by slow-moving pedestrians. In addition to this concern, the committee did not relish the idea of placing more concrete on the beach and staff believes the Coastal Commission will object to this idea as well.

I’d love to see this. But I’m not sure how well it would work. For one thing, check out LA Times columnist Steve Lopez’s article about the Santa Monica bike path (supposed to be here, but the wrong story currently loads. The Times tells me they’re fixing it, so read it here for now). Rather than the raceway issue, the bigger problem is pedestrians ignoring the bikes-only signs.

If a separate path were built in Newport, pedestrians would still have to cross it to reach the beach. A lot of engineering could be done to pipe them to particular crossing points — perhaps walls put up to prevent conflicts — and that’s likely more expense than it’s worth.

Speed Bumps Or Traffic Calming

From the report:

The committee considered “traffic calming” devices such as rippled concrete to slow down cyclists. Public Works could not find any devices that are currently used for this purpose and the idea raises safety concerns related to rollerblading, roller skating and pedestrians.

McFadden Square Walk Zone

At the base of Newport Beach Pier is McFadden Square, also known as McFadden Plaza. Officially this is a walk zone for bikes and skates (how skates are supposed to walk, I don’t know).

Yeah, I know the picture’s kind of funky. I moved my iPhone when shooting it. But you can see a painted sign on the ground saying no bikes, as well as the “Walk Bikes” sign. Despite this, people routinely bike through the area:

Perhaps the enforcement campaigns will help encourage obeying the walk zone. Personally, I wonder if “Walk When Crowded” signs would be a better solution. It’s pretty weird to walk your bike when there’s no one around, which is often the case outside the weekends. And since many people don’t, that gives the impression that you don’t have to walk at all. But maybe encouraging walking when it makes sense would get more compliances.

Parking Lot Madness

The boardwalk gets divided by the parking lot at Newport Beach Pier. Bicyclists get deliberately routed like this:

Into traffic like this:

It’s terrible. Even worse, during the school year, is where kids are being routed as they ride to Newport Beach Elementary school. Hopefully the city will figure a dedicated path that allows bikes to continue on without having to dodge cars like this.

The Southern Stop Signs

At the sound end of the boardwalk (some saw the east end), there’s a series of four stop signs:

View Balboa Boardwalk & Safety Issues in a larger map

Personally, I’d like to see these removed for those on the boardwalk. Pedestrians, to my understanding, don’t have to obey them. They’re not motor vehicles. I’m not sure rollerbladers have to. Certainly neither group does. And if you’re a bicyclist, it’s odd to then be required to stop when others are already crossing and stopping traffic (if it’s there) for you.

But the signs represent some of the most dangerous spots on the boardwalk. That’s because cars often ignore the signs. If you’re not watching out, you could get hit. That’s why I’m hoping that speed bumps could be added either at the limit lines for these signs or just before, to slow cars down.

Extending The Boardwalk

Personally, I’d like to see the boardwalk be extended to run the length of the Balboa Peninsula. That’s a hot political potato. Those with houses not fronted by the boardwalk won’t want it coming through (even though the city still owns the right of way, to my knowledge).

In the north, I wonder if it could be extended in a compromise — not running it directly in front of homes but offset a few feet away, perhaps even further out where the beach gets wider.

There’s a safety aspect to this. The boardwalk ends at 36th Street:

The people get routed into Oceanfront Drive, like this:

You have two way bike traffic, with bikes on the right side (as in the picture directly above) then riding directly against car traffic to their right. And on the left, you cars backing out of garages only inches away from bicyclists — many of them kids. It’s not safe at all.

Conclusion

That’s it, my rundown on the current situation. I’d love to hear from others, so please, leave your comments below.

It’s not enough that sea lions sink boats in Newport Harbor. Now they’re apparently driving them. A sea lion recently tried to seize control of an Orange County Sheriff Harbor Patrol boat. Seriously.

I saw the LA Times tweet a short write-up about how local TV station KTLA was going to do a story on this and went looking for more. KTLA’s story is here, but the Harbor Patrol has their own blog post about what happened, complete with video:

Apparently two deputies coaxed a sea lion that had tried to attack a boy onto their boat, in order to take it out to sea. On the way, the boat started going crazy. Lights flashed, it lurched to one side and someone seemed to be steering it from elsewhere.

That was the sea lion, which had gotten into another steering area used during foul weather. They eventually regained control, got back to a dock, and the sea lion eventually left the boat.

The Log also has a story with a few more details.

It’s my first 4th Of July back in the United States for over a decade, and I’m really looking forward to it. But a Newport Beach Fourth Of July on the Balboa Peninsula is something special. There’s the bike parade, the huge crowds expected at the beach plus street closures, special party fines and other efforts to prevent riots from breaking out. Exciting! Below, a look at what to expect, especially for those coming into the area.

NOTE: Now that the 4th has passed, I’ve posted some video clips to give you a sense of the day. Much of the information below is also applicable to next year and Newport in general.

This Newport Beach 4th Of July video shows how things were in the day:

This Newport Beach July 4 video shows how things were in the evening (complete with cheesy music courtesy of my Flip video’s camera software):

Getting Here

Other than by water, there are only two ways to reach the Balboa Peninsula. You come down either Balboa Boulevard or Newport Boulevard. On a busy weekend, either is crowded. On the 4th of July, they’ll be a nightmare — and one will be partially closed.

The map below (in orange) shows how Balboa Blvd will be shut down to vehicles from Noon on the 4th through “early morning hours” on the 5th, says the Newport Beach Police Department:
View Newport Beach 4th Of July Street Closures in a larger map

Also closed (and shown on the map in orange) are all the numbered streets within what’s commonly known to locals as “The Party Zone” and Seashore Drive. Residents are “recommended” not to try and leave or enter the area with their vehicles and will be “prevented” should they attempt to do so, except for rare exceptions based on “emergency need.”

Heck, I’m not even in the closure area, but I’m not planning to try and drive anywhere. The peninsula’s going to be heaving.

The main route into Balboa will be Newport Blvd, as I’ve also shown on the map with a green arrow. Getting even to that entrance point is tough. Many people come down the 55 Freeway, which can backup for a mile or two easy, where the freeway ends. I’ve shown this on the map below in red (this is the same map as above, and further down, just zoomed out):
View Newport Beach 4th Of July Street Closures in a larger map

Right alongside the freeway is the northern part of Newport Blvd. You can exit onto the street and get past the freeway backup, but eventually you’ll still end up at the same choke point. Harbor Blvd is often a better alternative. Still, when you get to the “Triangle Square” area shown in blue, you’re going to face delays. The early you leave in the morning, the less congestion you’ll face. I’m talking 7 or 8am.

Parking

Made it onto the peninsula? Now you’ve got to park. Parking on a regular summer weekend is hard enough. For the 4th Of July? Well, good luck.

The city operates a variety of lots, the largest being at the Newport Beach pier and then an even bigger one at the Balboa Pier. Expect that the Newport Pier lot will fill quickly. Getting into the line to cruise that lot can easily waste an hour of your time. Balboa has more space, but it will also fill quickly. There’s also street parking, both metered (yes, even on holidays) and in neighborhoods. Spaces will be at a premium, especially as many residents will move cars out of their garages so that visitors coming down have a place to park. As with everything, the earlier you arrive, the better. You’ll find an interactive map of city parking area here, and more info on rates here.

In addition to city parking, various store owners and places with vacant lots will sell spaces. You’ll find these as you travel down Newport Blvd. I can’t find a list of such places anywhere, much less a way to make reservations. Expect to pay $50 or much more upward. Apparently, some private residents might also sell their garage spaces for a day through Craigslist.

Public Transport

How about a shuttle service? Yeah, we don’t have that in Newport, for the Fourth. There’s no Park-n-Ride or anything similar that the city offers. You can take the bus, of course. OCTA routes 71 and 47 run down to the peninsula. Route 47 can’t go the normal distance, however, as it runs into the street closure area. Route 71 goes all the way down to the Balboa Pier area, but you can expect it will get stalled in traffic often on the way. Still, you could always park your car outside Newport, say in many places in Costa Mesa along the bus routes, then take them further down. You’ll find the routes and schedules here on the OCTA site.

Necessities

Assuming you make it, you’ll find plenty of stores ready to sell you whatever you forgot. There’s an Albertson’s supermarket on 32nd St — a Vons Pavillions just across the street from that — plus any number of smaller businesses near both the Newport Beach and Balboa piers. You can get everything from food to drink to sunscreen to beach umbrellas.

What To Do?

Ready to celebrate? There’s plenty of beach, and even on the busiest days, there seems to always be a spot for people. The beach is extremely wide north of 54th Street — which is also north of the party zone. It’s also very wide between the Newport and Balboa piers. Around 15th Street (marked on the map), you have an oasis of bathrooms, a grassy area bordered by a playground, plus a cafe and a small market.

Down by the Balboa Pier, you have tons of places to eat, the big Peninsula Park, the nearby Balboa Fun Zone with arcade games, boat rentals, places to eat. By Newport Pier, many more businesses and an endless supply of bars. You’ll find some of these places I’ve mentioned marked on the map:
View Newport Beach 4th Of July Street Closures in a larger map

Speaking of bars, Malarky’s has typically done a 4th of July bike parade down the Balboa Boardwalk. I’m assuming that’s on again. I should have more details to post tomorrow.

If you like parades, there’s also the “Old Glory Boat Parade 2009″ happening, sponsored by the American Legion Yacht Club. It starts around 1pm and goes around the entire inner harbor, so there are plenty of places to watch it at. You can find the route map and more info here.

There’s also an official city parade, but that’s happening off the peninsula. It runs in conjunction with a carnival at Mariners Park. The parade starts at 9:15am at the corner of Mariners Drive and Santiago. Unfortunately, the exact route isn’t listed on the backing group’s web site. But there is more information about the carnival there.

Back to bikes, there are plenty of places to rent them, but expect the boardwalk to be extremely crowded. There are a number of safety measures that have been stepped up in recent weeks (see Making The Balboa Boardwalk Safer). Just keep a close eye on any kids and remember traffic moves in both ways on the boardwalk. Be aware of your surroundings.

Fireworks Viewing

What’s the Fourth Of July without fireworks? Newport Beach — because they’re not allowed. Neighboring Costa Mesa sells them, but bring them into Newport, and you risk an expensive ticket.

Well, how about a public display? Typically, none have been visible from the beach-side of the peninsula. And to see them looking inland, you’ve normally had to be on a rooftop deck.

The closest public display will be at Newport Dunes, lighting off at 9pm, the city says. I’ve marked the area on the map.

Up at neighboring Huntington Beach, the city’s got three days of celebrations happening, a parade, a festival — maybe I should move! You’ll find more info here. I mention Huntington because at 9pm, the city will shoot fireworks off the end of its pier, according to the city. Those may be viewable from the beach side of Balboa. Sadly, Newport doesn’t do the same off either of its two piers. Maybe some day.

The map below marks locations of both fireworks displays with stars:
View Newport Beach 4th Of July Street Closures in a larger map

Party! (And Potentially Get Arrested!)

Naturally, people will be coming to Newport to party. And party hard, as tradition goes. Hence Newport’s “Safely Enhancement Zone,” which runs from 12:01am on July 4th through 3am July 5. This covers much of West Newport and allows the police to issue tickets at triple the normal fine amount. I’ve shown the area on the map (that lighter orange-yellowish color that encloses the road closure area):
View Newport Beach 4th Of July Street Closures in a larger map

You’ll know you’re in the area in part because of all the big signs they’ve put up, that my wife’s blogged about in her 4th July in Newport Beach post:

You’ll especially know you’re in a heavily patrolled area because, well, there are 200 police from Newport, the California Highway Patrol and elsewhere in Orange County that will be walking around (4 per block, the police say, in some parts of Balboa). And they’ll easily spot troublemakers in some area because of huge floodlights that have been installed, to turn the night into day. Pretty much, the same areas closed to traffic — the party zone — will be the area most heavily policed.

Don’t mess with the police. Seriously, don’t even joke with them. After two run-ins with Newport cops (one on a traffic stop, the other with an officer who ran a stop sign and objected to being questioned about it), I’ve found they have a serious attitude problem even in situations when they’re not particularly stressed. But hey, maybe I’ve just encountered two bad apples. Nevertheless, the 4th is a “target rich” environment where people are going to be seriously getting out of control — and the police will have a hell of a job trying to keep order. Do anything remotely wrong, and there’s  a good chance you’ll get ticketed or arrested.

Avoiding Trouble

NBPD notes that last year, 83% of those getting tickets were from out of the area with the biggest problems being:

Drinking in public, public intoxication, fighting, uncontrolled parties, possession of fireworks and igniting them in public. Fireworks are illegal to possess in the City of Newport Beach despite their sale in nearby cities.

The police also have a flyer they’ve given out to some residents and that I’ve seen posted in a few stores. You can read the entire thing here (PDF), but the key highlights, for those wanting to stay out of trouble:

POSSESSION OR USE OF ALL FIREWORKS IS ILLEGAL IN NEWPORT BEACH

This includes “safe and sane” fireworks such as fountains and sparklers that can be purchased in other cities.

DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN PUBLIC IS PROHIBITED

Possessing or drinking alcoholic beverages on streets, sidewalks, beaches, piers, or other public areas is prohibited. Violators may be cited or arrested.

TRIPLE FINE FOR LOUD OR RAUCOUS PARTIES

Property owners and/or party hosts are responsible for the conduct of their guests. Loud and raucous parties that require a police response can result in an enforcement action that can include a citation or arrest for those present and fines for both property owners and tenants.

WATER BALLOONS, SQUIRT GUNS, GARDEN HOSES

Throwing water balloons or spraying water at pedestrians or vehicles is illegal. Violators are subject to citation or arrest.

There’s also this advice for those having parties:

• Limit the number of guests you invite. Don’t allow strangers to attend uninvited… As the host, you are ultimately responsible for everyone’s conduct while they are attending your party.
• Possession of open containers of alcoholic beverages or consumption of those beverages in public is illegal! Please ensure that no alcoholic beverages leave your property. You are also responsible for ensuring that no minors are consuming alcoholic beverages while at your party.
• Please limit noise and raucous behavior! Keep your stereo volume low and all speakers should remain indoors. Throwing water balloons or spraying water at pedestrians or vehicles is strictly prohibited.
• There will be street closures and severe traffic congestion in the area. In order to prevent inconvenience to your guests, ask them to limit their travel in and out of the West Newport Area.
• Be courteous to your neighbors (as they may be working the next morning), and take your party indoors after dark. Close your doors and windows to prevent loud voices and stereo sound from disturbing them.
• Keep your outdoor lights on — it helps all of us deter criminal activity.

I’m pretty sure the prohibition on alcohol in public does NOT apply to drinking in public on your own property. IE, virtually every house in Newport has a patio where people, not surprisingly, will drink on holidays and on other occasions. Drinking on your own property should be fine (if I can confirm that, I’ll update). But be aware that especially on the boardwalk, it’s very easy to spill out from private property and into a public area. Sitting on a small patio wall with your legs hanging on the “boardwalk” side of a house is probably being in public. Or people who’ve had a lot to drink simply don’t think, walk outside a patio area and boom — that’s a fine waiting to happen.

Newport Beach & Twitter

I’m a big Twitter user, and I expect we’ll have a few others heading to Balboa for the 4th. Want to Twitter your experiences? Just end them with the hashtag of:

#nb4th

Then anyone can track what’s going on in the area, relating to the 4th.

That’s pretty much it. Questions? Leave a comment, and I’ll answer as best I can or seek out further information. Also for some further info on Newport, places to eat, things to see, check out some of my other posts:

• Pita Pit Opens In Newport Beach
• Rollerblading Along The Newport Beach Boardwalk
• The Piers Of Newport Beach Vs. The Pier Of The OC
• The Characters Of The Balboa Peninsula

After years of dreaming, I finally got to go up in an airship today. It was a wonderful flight, and a big surprise to discover afterward that legendary aviation design pioneer Burt Rutan was one of the pilots (shown on the right above), albeit briefly.

The flight was amazing. I’ve flown over Southern California in passenger jets, in turboprops, in a small Cessna private plane and even a DC-3. But this was way different — you’re low and slow with time to really take in everything below.

Boarding was two-by-two. The zeppelin hovered in a grassy field near Long Beach Airport. As two passengers got off, two new passengers climbed aboard:

Once all 12 new people were aboard, away it went — straight up, smoothly, like taking an elevator into the sky. Every window had a great view, not that you’re seated for long:

About a minute into the flight, you’re at 1,000 feet and able to take the seatbelts off and move around. So if you do a trip, don’t worry about where you’ll sit. You won’t be sitting there long. There are even two areas that have windows that open, so you can stick your head out. I stuck mine out just like a dog leaning out of a car.

The flight was rock solid. There was no sense of turbulence or really any idea you were hovering above in the sky in an airship or any type of aircraft.

One of the best parts is a small couch area in the back, where you can sit and watch what you’re passing over, with the tail (stern?) of the airship framing the view. Here’s a shot of Palos Verdes behind the zeppelin:

Shortly after we took off, one of the passengers went into the co-pilot’s seat. Airship Ventures has this program where if you’re a licensed pilot, you can fly the zeppelin for a bit. I assumed this was something like that — if not the formal program, something that was arranged for a brief part of the existing tour.

I didn’t realize is was Burt Rutan who’d climbed into the seat. Rutan designed the Voyager plane that flew around the world without refueling plus SpaceShipOne, the first private human-capable ship to reach space. Years ago, I’d once spoken to him by phone when doing a newspaper graphic about the DCX rocket, which was pretty exciting. I never expected to be on a zeppelin, much less one where he was piloting (or copiloting — don’t rob me of my moment).

After the flight, during the “debrief,” we were all given certificates — and that’s where I and others realized who it was who’d taken us a bit on our journey.

All in all, it was a great day out — a nice way to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary.

By the way, they sold out of space for the current tour, but the zeppelin is coming back July 2-7. The company also recently lowered its prices from $450 to $375 for an hour flight, and the company told me you can use code s42 that gets you 50% off the second ticket, if you buy two at the same time.

Below, some more pictures and video. Sadly, we turned “right” and went over Long Beach and LA harbors and Palos Verdes, rather than “left” toward Orange County and Newport Beach. Still, there was lots to see. Maybe they’ll base themselves out of Tustin by the old hangars there down the line, would would make for a great OC tour base, not to mention a nod to history of airship operations out of Tustin.

Shots of Zeppelin Eureka’s controls:

I didn’t need to go to the bathroom — but if I did, I could have looked out the window:

Eureka’s cabin:

Brief video tour of the cabin:

Short clip of the view out the back and side windows:

Rose Park, in Long Beach:

Long Beach:

Long Beach oil islands:

Diver off Palos Verdes:

Old Nike missile base on Palos Verdes:

Belmont Shore & Seal Beach:

Video clips of coming in for landing:

Zeppelin shadows:

Also see my related posts:

• Zeppelin Eureka Heads To Los Angeles & Orange County
• Zeppelin Rides Come To Southern California!

I’m back from watching the Zeppelin Eureka take off from Moffett Field near San Jose on its trip down to Southern California, where it will offer tours there for the first time. Below, photos and video of the zeppelin, some hopefully interesting trivia plus how you can track it on its journey down the coast via a Google Map — useful for those who want to spot it!

My Zeppelin Rides Come To Southern California! post has plenty of background you’ll want to read about Eureka and her current journey south. She left this morning from Moffett Field around 9am, for a trip that will take about 8 hours. She can do about 75 miles per hour, but I was told she’d be going only around 35 on the trip down, as there’s no rush to arrive sooner. By the way, she gets about 10-15 miles per gallon.

In the picture above, you can see Eureka’s decked out with a giant ad for Pixar’s “Up” movie that comes out this weekend. Talk about targeting. An ad about a movie featuring flying through the sky on an airship that flies through the sky. According to the press release (PDF), it’s the equivilant of 17 billboards in size.

When I arrived, Eureka was being unmoored and ready for a short “hop” test flight of about 15 minutes. I didn’t make it on in the end, as there wasn’t enough room. But that left me free to get some shots of the takeoff.

Here you see her linked to the mobile mooring mast:

Brian Hall, who cofounded the company with his wife Alex, told me that the mast is all that’s needed to secure Eureka (and it goes where she goes, so it’s driving down to LA). Here’s a closer look:

While Moffett Field has three huge hangars, what’s really attractive about using the field is all the empty space. Zeppelins need a lot of room to move around, as you’ll see in this video:

Still, Eureka does use Hangar Two at Moffett Field for special circumstances, such as when new ad decals are placed:

Hangar Two is one of the two twin smaller hangers at the field. The huge Hangar One was originally intended for zeppelins rather than the smaller ones that were used for blimps (see my earlier post for more on the difference). But Eureka is much smaller than zepplins of the past, plus Hangar One apparently has chemical contaminants that still need cleaning.

Here’s a closer shot of her nose:

And some side views:

Here’s a clip of her dumping some water ballast:

Here she takes off for her short hop (note how the propellers can rotate upwards):

Here’s she lands from the hop:

And here she is heading off to Los Angeles:

Video of her departure:

And her passing over Hangar One on the way to Southern California:

Eureka will be based near Long Beach during her time in Southern California. The company is considering future trips down south and possibly out of Burbank Airport. It will make a short stop there as some point during this current tour, so that airport officials can evaluate it. However, Hall said it might be too windy for airship operations.

This is a big trip for Eureka, but she’s been on longer — when she arrived in the US. Eureka’s an German immigrant. Built in Germany, she was shipped by boat from Hamburg to Texas. Her fin came off on that trip, but being a rigid airship, she pretty much came across as big as you see her now.

After arriving, she was then flown the remainder of the way. You can find the company’s blog posts here that describe the multistop journey more. One of the stops was in Arizona, where after the FAA certification people were trained by the company’s pilots on how the zeppelin works, the pilots themselves were then certified, Hall said.

Want to track her on the trip to California? Check out this live map here.

While I didn’t make it on this morning, I will be doing a flight down in Southern California. There’s also a chance I might be able to fly back up from Los Angeles to Moffett Field. I think it would be fun to live blog the journey with pictures and see if the power of Twitter could be used to do some flashmob turnouts along the way. Fingers-crossed.

Postscript: See My Zeppelin Flight With Burt Rutan At The Helm about my actual flight and details on the July 4 weekend, when the zeppelin returns to Southern California.

For the first time in nearly 100 years, a zeppelin is coming to Southern California. As an airship buff, I couldn’t be more excited! Unlike the commonly seen Goodyear Blimp, the zeppelin’s open to passengers. I’m going up this weekend! Don’t know a zeppelin from a blimp? Unaware of Orange County’s history with lighter-than-air craft? Want to go? Read on!

Blimps are airships that lack a rigid structure. Basically, they’re like a big balloon with a control cabin hung underneath. Deflate a blimp, and the only thing left standing would be that cabin.

Zeppelins have a rigid framework. They don’t deflate, are larger than blimps and can carry more people. Back in early 1920s and 30s, they ran regular transatlantic runs.

The Hindenberg disaster helped usher out the era of the zeppelin as a passenger craft until 2001, when a new generation of zeppelin was launched — Zeppelin NT (for New Technology). This new craft is far more maneuverable than the old ones (read up on it here). And unlike the Hinderberg, it’s not filled with highly flammable hydrogen. It’s filled with helium, which doesn’t burn. You know, helium, the same gas you breathe to make yourself talk funny.

I remember clearly when the Zeppelin NT was proposed, because I did a newspaper graphic on the design. Then a few years later, I actually saw the first one operating in Germany. Then last year, I was amazed to learn that zeppelin flights were happening out of Moffett Field in the San Francisco Bay Area. Those giant hangers at Moffett were built to house zeppelins and blimps.

Eventually, I figured I’d have to make time to get up into the area to take a trip. Then I discovered in the Orange County Register that the Zeppelin Eureka was coming to Southern California. It’s leaving today from Moffett Field for the journey down, arriving on May 21 — and then having passenger flights over Memorial Day weekend, May 22-25. You can learn more about booking them here.

Apparently, the last time a zeppelin came to Los Angeles was in 1929, when the Graf Zeppelin was in the area. The Zeppelin Eureka will be operating from near Long Beach Airport, and flights will go over Seal Beach and Huntington Beach (with luck, maybe I’ll see a bit of Newport).

That brings me to the Orange County airship connection. Like Moffett Field, Orange County has two huge airship hangers. In fact, I’ve often seen them cited as the world’s largest wooden structures. They were home to anti-submarine blimps during World War II.

Blimp patrols are long gone, but the hangers remain — huge landmarks well known to North County residents. You can learn more about the history of the hangers briefly here, on Wikipedia here and in this long, excellent PDF history from the city of Tustin. The US Navy also has an excellent history of its lighter-than-air activities you’ll find here.

I grew up fascinated by those hangers, fascinated by the idea of all those blimps that were once there. And whenever I’d see the Goodyear Blimp occasionally go overhead — or pass by it on the freeway at its base in nearby Carson — I always wished somehow there was a way to ride in it. While I’m still waiting for jetpacks, aircars or to live in space, an airship ride has become a reality.

Heck, it might even happen sooner than I think. I mentioned that the Zeppelin Eureka was leaving today from Moffett Field. As it happens, I’m in the area for a conference. So I got in touch with Airship Ventures, the company that operates the Eureka, to see if I could watch the launch and blog it. They agreed, and if conditions are right, I might get to do a short trip on it before it heads down on the long trip to Southern California. So expect a future post to come, and I’ll post updates to my Twitter account.

Postscript: Almost made it! There wasn’t enough room for me to make it on in the end, but I’ll post some pictures and video of the takeoff in a bit, along with a number of cool zeppelin facts. I’m still going this weekend, of course — and there’s a chance I might get to live blog the flight back up from LA to Moffett Field and give everyone a sense of what the trip is like, as it happens.

Postscript 2: See Zeppelin Eureka Heads To Los Angeles & Orange County for pictures, video and more about today’s journey.

Postscript 3: See My Zeppelin Flight With Burt Rutan At The Helm about my actual flight. Also, Memorial Day Weekend 2009 spots are all sold out now. But the zeppelin returns July 2-7. The company also recently lowered its prices from $450 to $375 for a one hour flight, and they told me code s42 gets you 50% off a second ticket, if you buy two at the same time.