Whites Landing & Moonstone Newport Beach Sisters Citys

                                                                        From my favorite red chair

In 1956, President Eisenhower initiated the "People to People Program" as a conduit for "Greater International Understanding" through "direct, close and abiding communication between cities."    If you where to take the word “international” out of the City of Newport Beach description of  sister city’s and play along with me here. I would like to recommend two places as sister city’s. They are Balboa Yacht Clubs “Whites Landing”, Catalina and Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs “Moonstone”, Catalina. Both places have their own mayors and caretakers/staff. Each city has to pay raising permit fees and deal with most all of the same types of problems as any other small city’s.

                                                                                              Ranger 33 ANTARES

While visiting Whites Landing this year I asked the caretaker Mike Lonfield if anyone has ever called him god before because this has to be heaven? He replied “ No Len, no one has ever said that before” followed by his calming chuckle. As I sit in my favorite red chair, at the entrance of the city, looking across the cove from Whites towards Moonstone my eye is always looking at all the different boats. Last weekend there was the Ranger 33 ANTARES with cockpit cover out and flopper stopper deployed. There was a rather large south swell running this weekend and the beach landings where being scored like an Olympic diving competition. The ladies off of ANTARES received perfect scores for not tipping over in the large swell and accomplishing this by rowing in rather than coming in with speed with an outboard. 

TollyCraft 57  "SONRISA

                                   TONINA    Defever

Most every summer weekend, anchored in the south east corner of White Landing is the Tollycraft 57 “ SONRISA” and “TONINA” a DeFever design built by Lindwall Boat works out of Santa Barbara. These two family’s know how to have fun in Catalina  with each of them having pristine Bertram 20’s as runabouts. When I have a client that wants to do Catalina the right way and not make mistakes with anchoring, and gear placement? I tell them to look over at these two boats and copy their routine. Both of these owners are very approachable and happy to answer your boating questions. 

                                                                                                              San Juan 48 "SALUTE"

Another boat I first noticed this year, when she was about 3 miles out, was the dark blue San Juan 48 “SALUTE”. What a good looking boat, kind of like seeing a supermodel walking through the grocery store and you tell yourself you have to get one of those someday. 

                                                                                                LAURA

Another boat you can’t help but notice most every weekend is the Costa Mesa built Ditmar Donaldson “LAURA”. She anchors most weekends between the two coves and appears to be a perfect platform for the island. 

                                                                                           52 DeFever  "GALATEA"

Over in front of Moonstone I can find most of Newport’s most interesting boats with last years # 2 power boat GALATEA which is another 52’ DeFever design built by Lindwall resting peacefully at anchorage. 

                                                                                                      “FOLLOWING SEA”

                                                                                  1924 Edson B. Schock design “COLNETT”   

                                                                                                    “WILLIAM B”    

A little east from her, just sitting there shining in the mourning sun, was Ray Hunts 52’ design “FOLLOWING SEA”, surrounded by the 1924 Edson B. Schock design “COLNETT” and the 77’ tug the “WILLIAM B”.  Anchored furthest out was the 72’ “JUNO” with the whole family enjoying breakfast together in the cockpit  as the sun began to warm up the cove. As I looked back towards Moonstone I could not help but notice two of my favorite newport boats. Almost side by side was the 73’ “WINDWARD PASSAGE” with its skipper shamming the morning due off her and the 78’ “SHANAKEE” standing tall with the owners grandkids aggressively fishing around the side decks of the boat. As the day warmed up and most everyone was swimming in the 72 degree water I noticed another boat that was truly enjoying themselves. It was the Santa Cruz 50’ “ROCKET” and I could hear the laughter coming from the boat a whole city away.

                                                                                                   72’ “JUNO”

                                      73’ “WINDWARD PASSAGE”

                                                                                               “SHANAKEE”

                                                                                                            “ROCKET”
It was another perfect summer weekend in our sister City's of Whites Landing and Moonstone. In fact it was so perfect that I am going back this weekend for BYC/NHYC Long Point Race Week which will lead me to next weeks story. Go to my blog site at lenboseyachts.blogspot.com for photos of all boats I talked about.

Sea ya