THE HARBOR COLUMN:

Ahoy,

Happy birthday, America, on this Fourth of July, when the Southland will have perfect boating conditions on the high seas. This weekend will be extremely busy on America’s waterways as boaters across the nation untie their docklines. Whenever the Fourth falls next to the weekend, the number of boaters increases to make it one of the busiest boating days of the year. Remember, use your common sense on the water and be courteous to fellow boaters.

Locally in Newport Harbor, there will be two annual traditions that attract boaters and shoreside spectators. The American Legion’s boat parade circles the harbor in the afternoon, and then after dark comes the popular Newport Dunes fireworks display.

“America the Beautiful” is the theme of this year’s annual American Legion’s “Old Glory Boat Parade” that begins at 1 p.m.

The lead boat is a Newport Beach Harbor Patrol fireboat that starts the parade by shooting a huge stream of water out the fire monitor. The brightly decorated boats then cruise the harbor with a route similar to the Christmas Boat Parade’s route. Many of you may remember the Old Glory Boat Parade was called the Character Boat Parade decades ago.

The festivities switch to the Back Bay after dark with the Newport Dunes’ 50th annual fireworks extravaganza. The Dunes will have activities throughout the day and night, but the fireworks display starts at 9 p.m.

Many boaters will be positioning their vessels to watch the fireworks, and remember the tidal current, as a 6-foot, 6-inch high tide is at 10:43 p.m. This is not only important for the flow rate, but also, boaters need to know the tide levels for clearance under the Coast Highway bridge. Additionally on this moonless night, skippers entering the Back Bay after dark must follow the curving channel lined with unlit channel markers. This is an area of the harbor where boaters can and do run aground.

Actually, my favorite spot to watch from a boat is in the large turning by the anchorage area.

Tip of the week is to back off the throttles to conserve fuel when you go boating. Find your boat’s cruising RPM level for speed versus fuel consumption. I will have more on this later.

Have a safe and happy boating Fourth of July.

Remember to tune in every Saturday at 11 a.m. to “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show.”

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to [email protected] or go to www.boathousetv.com.