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Thursday Bringing Thunder to the Wedge

Balboa's Wedge, photo credit unknown

The Wedge sure took a pounding this weekend with waves generated by a South Pacific storm, and tomorrow, Wedge waves are again projected to be double-overhead– these will be the highest of the Southeast swell peaks from Hurricane Linda and some minor WSW Jimena leftover swells. Surfline predicts 5-8ft waves, and we can expect the structure of The Wedge to double those sizes, …

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30,000 Gallon Accident Ends the Summertime with a Bang

On the last day of summer, children near Bay Island on Balboa Peninsula received one of the most memorable send-offs to date. A roofing contractor was on Anade Avenue and Edgewater and was backing up his rig when he hit a fire hydrant.  Bent, the hydrant was still attached.  As people went to investigate, a neighbor who specializes in commercial construction yelled at the group …

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PCH Construction Starts… Again

Road Work

It has been a welcome change to have the construction on PCH to have been temporarily halted during the summertime– but all that is coming to an end tomorrow. On Tuesday September 8th, construction will begin once again on the beautiful PCH, and will continue at least until Memorial Day 2016, where they will once again stop for the summertime …

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Trailblazing Pioneers Reach Avalon By Train

On this day on September 7, 1963, ‘The Balboa Island Punting and Sculling Society’ (a group of ‘millionaire’s and bums’), made the world’s first and only “train trip” to Catalina Island. They left Long Beach Harbor on a barge — pulled by a tug boat, and arrived in Avalon that afternoon. Consisting of one 1914 Parlor Car with 72 passengers, the …

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Rip Tides: Here’s What You Need to Know

Share this article with your kids and friends who are new to the ocean. This long weekend, we are experiencing some significant rip tides. Growing up, we called these “undertows” or “rip tides”, but the proper name for them is actually “rip currents”.  This is the place where the backwards-wash from the surf exists the beach to rejoin with the rest …

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New Gym Open on Peninsula– All Day Free Open House!

For as long as I can remember, people have been wanting another gym on the peninsula.  Curl Fitness and Balboa Fitness both serve a particular clientele, but have left others wanting for more. Today, those people have gotten their wish.  “Beast Mode Fitness” is open on the peninsula today, and is having an open house.  Simply sign the release form …

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DUI Checkpoint on Friday

Newport Police

The Newport Beach Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Friday, August 28th, 2015 at an undisclosed location in Newport between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. UPDATE: Location = Jamboree & Santa Barbara Drive (near the police station). If you want to get somewhere on time tonight, re-route around that area. They will be …

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DUI Checkpoint Tonight! 8pm-2am

Newport Beach Police

The Newport Beach Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint on Friday, August 28th, 2015 at an undisclosed location in Newport between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. DUI Checkpoints are claimed to reduce drunk driving mostly by deterrent, but also serve to actively arrest those who are driving under the influence. This is a good …

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Last Grunion Run of the Season! (and big fishing)

The final annual Grunion Run is happening this weekend! Grunion are a species of fish that spawn on the beaches after new or full moons during the summertime, and joining in to watch or participate in the grunion run is a famous pasttime for our long history of Southern California beach residents. This segment of spawning is estimated as the following: Sa 9:40 …

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National Dog Day

California Flag with Dog, credit unknown

Today is National Dog Day! My first dog was a stray poodle we adopted called “Licker” because when we found him he was so grateful, he kept licking everyone for the next several months. My second dog was a stray black lab that we named “Baby”, because she was so young when we first saw her (she was running with …

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