History cruising

Guided tours offer locals and visitors a chance to learn about the famous locales and wealthy inhabitants of the harbor.Where can you go to see homes of the rich and famous, hear a Newport Beach history lesson and catch a glimpse of California sea lions in their natural habitat?

The Fun Zone Boat Co., founded in 1948 and located on the Balboa Pavilion, offers daily harbor cruises featuring all of the above. Each boat operator narrates the tour based on his or her knowledge of local history and who lives in what home, making each cruise a little different.

“I always have fun when I come down here,” said Ryan Blair, a former Newport Beach resident who now lives in Des Moines, Iowa. “Even if you don’t care about the history, it’s nice and relaxing.”

Blair is blind and though he cannot see the sights of the harbor cruise, he loves to listen to the different captains tell their versions of life on Balboa. While he lived here, he said, he spent many mornings and afternoons cruising the harbor and learning about local history.

Now whenever he comes home to visit, he makes a point of taking as many harbor cruises as possible.

Lance Brooks, a captain for Fun Zone Boat Co. who grew up in Newport Beach, said he gained a lot of his knowledge just from growing up here, but he is always learning new things from passengers.

As Belle, one of the older boats owned by Fun Zone, took off for her first voyage of the day on Thursday, Brooks started by pointing out the first home on the tour, a large white mansion that was built for chewing gum magnate William Wrigley. He also pointed out the peninsula homes of author Dean Koontz, musician Bill Medley, and Henry Segerstrom, plus George Burns’ old estate and the childhood home of Shirley Temple.

“This is my favorite part of the tour,” Blair said halfway through the tour as the boat, Belle, started to pick up speed as it made its way out of the harbor and into the deep ocean waters.

Brooks had just finished telling the story of the last two homes on Balboa Peninsula, the home King Gillette of Gillette razors willed to his two sons. The story goes that the brothers did not get along with one another, so they separated the mansion into two smaller mansions.

Next stop was a visit to the Newport Beach bell buoy, or as Brooks calls it, the sea lions’ favorite resort. As Belle made her way around the buoy, passengers grabbed for their cameras to snap photos of the 10 or 12 mammals piled on top of one another, all trying to catch some of the early afternoon rays.

After a brief visit with the portly pinnipeds, Brooks turned the boat around and pointed out Dana Point, El Morro Village and Crystal Cove off in the distance.

As Belle made her way back into the harbor, Brooks continued pointing out multi-million dollar homes.

Another highlight of the harbor cruise is a view of Pirates Cove, which earned its nickname for all the pirate films shot there. Brooks said the pilot episode of Gilligan’s Island was filmed at the cove.

As the cruise continued past Little Balboa and Balboa Island, another sea lion was spotted lounging on a private boat. Amused by the sight, passengers again reached for their cameras.

Phoenix resident Karen Zarske said she liked the harbor cruise because she’s intrigued by the area’s expensive homes.

“It was fun because I like seeing fancy homes and then relating to people I’ve heard about or read about,” she said.

The Fun Zone Boat Co. offers 45- and 90-minute cruises. The 90-minute cruise includes the bell buoy visit and a cruise through the harbor around Lido Isle.

Brooks said one of the most recent celebrity home additions on the tour is that of Nicolas Cage, who recently purchased a home near John Wayne’s old estate on Newport Harbor.

The Fun Zone Boat Co. also does charter and private party boat rentals for birthdays, weddings, and special occasions. Harbor cruises leave out of the Balboa Pavilion every hour on the hour between 11 a.m. and sunset. For more information, call (949) 673-0240 or visit www.funzoneboats.com.

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at (714) 966-4625 or [email protected].