THE HARBOR COLUMN:Newport Harbor and its atypical archipelagos

Ahoy.

Do you know how many Channel Islands are within U.S. waters between San Diego and Point Conception? Further, do you know how many islands are in Newport Harbor’s lower bay? Well, the answers are eight and eight, even though I have a theory that Palos Verdes Peninsula should have been a Channel Island but the peninsula never separated from the mainland.

I constantly answer questions about Newport Harbor, mostly on how many islands are in the harbor. I could write a book about Newport Harbor and the islands, so, I thought I would briefly name the islands.

The harbor is created naturally by the outflow of the Santa Ana River depositing silt, which created Balboa Peninsula. Two centuries ago the river was diverted straight into the ocean, and the river now divides the cities of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. Newport Harbor basically lies east and west, incorporating three peninsulas and eight islands ? of which only one is natural. So, let’s name all the islands.

We can start with the most easterly island, which is Balboa Little Island, separated from Balboa Island by the Grand Canal. Little Island is covered with homes. A forewarning: boaters should not try to cruise in the Grand Canal as it is shallow.

Snipe Island, now known as Balboa Island, is the most well-known island because it is the only one with shops and restaurants. However, I think that the island is most notable for Seymour Beek’s legendary auto ferry, which makes the voyage across the bay to Balboa. Buddy Ebsen, who you will remember in the Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones, had a home near channel marker No. 10 and, years ago, you could count on seeing Buddy sailing his catamaran named the “Polynesian Concept.” Balboa Island is connected on its west tip to the smallest island in the harbor, Collins Island, thus, creating a three-island cluster.

Off Collins Island is Harbor Island, boasting the most expensive property for sale at $19 million, so boaters get your check books out as a large strip is included. Harbor Island has very spectacular homes, and the United States ambassador to Spain, George Argyros, has a home on the island. You can spot easily the former home of Dan Blocker, who you will remember as Hoss Cartwright on the TV show Bonanza. It is the house sided with large green-colored slate tiles.

A stone’s throw away was a sand spit that locals called Shark Island, the last island to be built in Newport. ormed in the shape of a horse shoe, every home was on the bay front. The name was changed officially to Linda Isle, and it is located northerly from Harbor Island and toward the Pacific Coast Highway Bridge, next to the faux riverboat ? formerly the Ruben E. Lee Restaurant ? now home to the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

Back to the main channel and directly across the bay from Harbor Island is the only natural island, called Bay Island, connected by footbridge to the Balboa Peninsula. This is the only island with no roads nor any vehicle access. Bay Island was originally a duck-hunting club,later owned by Polish actress Helena Modjeska, who died on the island in 1909.

The seventh island located easterly from Bay Island and across the guest anchorage area is Lido Isle, which is the largest residential island. Lido Isle was originally called Electric Island and once planned to have homes resembling Italian architecture. The last of the Rat Pack, Joey Bishop, resides on Lido across from the Balboa Bay Club.

The furthest island in the lower bay from the harbor’s mouth is the triangular shaped island called Newport Isle. This is one island that you will not be typically sailing around as the bridge at the end of Lido Reach is very low to the water.

There you have it ? Newport Harbor’s islands ? what a difference from a century ago in 1906.

Safe voyages.