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Well well well... I just read the article by Charly Son... Funny
thing, he calims to have played with the Centurions... Well, I was
one of the founders of The Centurions and never heard of Charly
Son.. Dennis Rose, Ernie Furrow, Jeff Lear, Joe Domonic, Ken
Robison, Pat Gaugabin (sp?) along with our siger, Dennis Kicklas...
So all his info is correct... left out the Cinnomon Cinder
circuits and Seal Beach Aviation Club.. Also, The Cindermen played
at he Pavalon in Huntington Beach the week after the Rendezvous
burned down... Funny thing happened... The Pavalon burned down
after their show... How strange...So Charly Son, please contact me
Jeffrey Lear Bass Player Centurions
Howdy Jim... I just dug this up from the net.
Yeah, no Charly So.... I wonder who he is. I miss the FunZone...
remember old ELMER? I used to play the pin-ball Mystic-Marvel
right next to his change spot, where he sat all day... Vickey and
her Black Lab... Billy Barber and his FOXY sister, Susie! WOW! She
was a bueaty! I hung out in Balboa for years... Played at the
Rendezvours... I remember when Dick Dale played at the Riky Dink
icecram parlor in '59.. I was a little punk working at the
Pavilion for the Balboa.... "Get your tickets now for the bay-ocecan
cruz abord the big delux power cruzer, the B A L B O A!... Art &
Moe Gronski had such a bitchen collection of WWII memorbilia, and
all tho nifty rifels... Wow, I could go on for days.... So many
memories... Bal week, and the cops used to go nuts... well they
finally drove all the party goers out of town didn't they? But the
memories will linger on for years to come! Take care and keep this
site alive and well.... Jeffrey Lear, Hollister CA 95023
Jeffrey Lear
Thanks Jim... Charly Son contacted me... looks
like he gigged with the group after our demise, back about
1967.... I'll be sharing some info with him later this afternoon.
I left Hollywood and the band 1 Jan 1968 after I couldn't handle
all the drugs and craziness... I was the only one in the band who
went to college (Well, perhaps Pat and Ken did, lost contact with
them) and actually worked in Electronics and played in the band...
The two worlds got harder and harder to coincide, so I moved to
Pasadena to be close to work and left behind all the sex, drugs,
and rock 'n roll.... Still miss being on stage... I got started in
Stand-Up comedy during our intermissions back then... Well, thanks
for solving the mystery and I'm sure you'll hear from me in the
future.... God bless, keep up the GOOD WORK, Jeffrey Lear
Balboa Island memories? I could write a book
about them, but perhaps only I would enjoy reading it?? Here's
just a few somewhat superficial, factually written ones though:
My first exposure to it: 1959, on vacation from Phoenix - I was 7.
However, I've got photo's of my mother playing with the Beek
children in front of their house in 1935.
- Every summer hence was our 2 week vacation in a B.I. rental,
till 1974 when my parents finally purchased one of them.
It's amazing to me how ingrained the memories of all those years
are.....the Fun Zone, Dad's, Jolly Roger (and frosties), the
ferry, drop-lines off the public pier, friends, girlfriends,
paddle boards, kayaks, the Coral bayfront (south), Newport Dunes,
no Promentory Point (just a Safeway in the sand dune), no Linda
Isle, no worries.......etc. I met my wife there when I was 10!!
I've had the pleasure of living in that house during my more
transient years in the 70's and 80's. I often think how'd I'd like
to live there now!
However, I've lived in Melbourne for the past 11 years, but have
had the privilege of spending 2 to 3 weeks of every year on the
island with my Dad (now 87). We walk the island, eat at George's,
grab a sandwich from Hershey's deli, take the express to Catalina,
and for me......it is sheer relaxation - or is that elation?
One of your shared articles talks about the place getting in your
blood...... I must say, it's a blessedly incurable infection!! I
don't care how crowded the rest of O.C. gets - I will forever
cherish my memories, and any time I can possibly spend, on Balboa
Island!!
PS: thanks for your website, and all who contribute to the
pleasure I get out of visiting it!!
GG Jr.
Jim,
I came across your site by mistake, as I am a mortgage broker
checking out one of my clients, but I had to email you. You photos
are superb! You probably get a lot of compliments, but you deserve
every one of them. I grew up in the Newport Beach area but am
currently living in Minnesota. You photos reminded me of my
younger years and all the fun I had down at Balboa. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Bonnie Siegel
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Visit
TalesOfBalboa Gallery
On The Fun Zone Boardwalk
CLICK HERE |
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2nd Wednesday of the Month
Book Club Luncheon 1PM
Bibi
Anna's
675-8146
Saturday, April 2,
10AM
City Hall: Repair or Replace
Public Input Workshop
Saturday, April 9,
3PM
Chuck Jones Exhibit & retrospective talk by Jones’ daughter, Linda.
Newport Beach Central Library
949 644-3211
Saturday, May 7, 9
AM - 5 PM
11th Annual Balboa Island Artwalk
Friday, May 13, 14,
6PM - 6PM
Relay For Life Newport Beach
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In Memory
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Passed away 3:30 AM Sunday, 2/27/05, at
the age of 36.
Goodbye old friend.
Memorial Services will be held on Tuesday, March 8th, 4 PM
aboard the
Western Pride at Davey's Locker
CLICK HERE |
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THE SAN JOAQUIN SLOUGH &
NEW PORT LANDING
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In 1825 unusually heavy floods caused the Santa Ana River
to change its course from Alamitos Bay to its present
location, and the San Joaquin Slough was created. Because
the Pacific flows from the northwest, sand carried down
the river began to form a peninsula in a southeasterly
direction. By 1857, the peninsula stretched out to the
area of today's Balboa Pavilion. In 1860 the U.S. Coastal
Survey schooner "Humboldt" dropped anchor in this area,
and the San Joaquin Slough was charted for the first time.
It was during the great flood of 1861 when the peninsula
attained its present contour. A small lagoon formed on the
bay-side of the peninsula in the area of what is now the M
Street beach.
NEW PORT LANDING
In 1863 the side-paddle steam ship "Vaquero," which could
operate in only a few feet of water, came up from San
Diego and worked her way up the bay to where Pacific Coast
Highway now crosses over it. A cargo of lumber was off
loaded, hides and produce were taken aboard. Thus a
"New-Port," between the only two ports of Los Angeles and
San Diego, was established.
Clear through the 1870s, large steamers were able to make
their way up the Santa Ana River all the way to Port
Orange. But over the years, farmers working the newly
found lush land, and debris from man caused forest and
brush fires, caused more then double the natural erosion.
As the silt and sand increased the bay became almost
un-navigable.
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Click
For More London's Times
Jim--your website is great! I visited Newport Beach and Balboa
Island for the second time in June 2004 and had the opportunity to
meet you then. I bought 3 prints from you: Balboa Pier, Welcome to
Balboa and Balboa Ferry Landing. I framed them and have them
hanging in my office where I gaze at them daily and remember my
visit there. Your prints are phenomenal and really do Balboa
justice! I can see from visiting your art gallery on-line that I
will need to invest in several more prints in the future. Thank
you for maintaing this website and a connection to Balboa for
those not fortunate to live there full-time. Thanks again :)
Kim Hammond
Jim,
Thanks for taking the time to explain your website yesterday, I
have spent all morning browsing through the site. Once again your
photos are beautiful. I look forward to talking again in the near
future.
Dennis Curley
A day without sunshine, is night.
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