WHAT’S AFLOAT

* WHAT’S AFLOAT runs periodically in the Daily Pilot on a rotating basis.

If you know of an event or activity that could appear in this column,

please mail the information to Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa

92627; fax it to (949) 646-4170; or e-mail it to o7

dailypilot@latimes.comf7 .

SAILING CLASSES

A pair of U.S. Coast Guard-approved courses, which train mariners to take

license exams -- in order to operate commercially and carry passengers

for hire -- are being offered this spring by Orange Coast College’s

Sailing Center. The non-credit, five-week courses run concurrently, April

10 through May 16. Classes meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 6 to 10

p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at OCC’s Sailing Center in

Newport Beach. The license final exam will be administered on May 16 from

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sailing Center. Registration is $755 and $785

respectively. The sailing center is at 1801 W. Coast Highway. For more

information, call (949) 645-9412.

Eleven spectacular Puget Sound educational cruises have been scheduled

for this summer aboard OCC’s Norwester, a classic 75-foot wooden motor

yacht that introduced actor John Wayne to yachting five decades ago. It

will mark the third summer that Norwester has taken students and

community members on cruises through Puget Sound. Excursions are set to

run June 17-24, June 30 -July 6, July 8-14, July 16-22, July 28-Aug.3,

Aug. 5-11, Aug. 14-19, Aug. 25-31, Sept. 2-8; Sept. 12-20 and Sept.

23-Oct. 1. For reservations and costs, call (949) 645-9412.

Learn to sail or windsurf at Resort Watersports. You can also rent

windsurfers and 14-foot sailboats at $15 per hour. Call (949) 729-1150.

Sailboat rentals and private lessons are available at Marina Sailing in

the Balboa Fun Zone. Advanced classes include navigation, big boat, power

boat, introduction to heavy weather and first-mate instruction. For more

information, call (949) 673-7763, the Blue Dolphin Sailing Club at (949)

644-2525 or the Lido Sailing Club at (949) 675-0827 for rentals.

FISHING

Fishing classes leave Balboa Pavilion at 6 a.m. and return at 4 p.m.

Monday and Tuesday each week. Cost is $125 per person. For more

information, call (949) 673-2810.

Get to the Newport Pier/McFadden Square early to watch the Dory Fishing

Fleet return with the fresh catch of the day. Fish are prepared for sale

at the open-air market.

Fishing supplies and boat charters (open party and private) are available

at these locations: Newport Landing Sportfishing, 309 Palms, Suite F,

(949) 675-0550; Falco Fishing Charters, (714) 832-7708; and Davey’s

Locker, 400 Main St., Balboa, (949) 673-1434.

Day and night fishing charters are available for groups or singles. Call

Bongos Sportfishing Headquarters on Balboa Peninsula, (949) 673-2810.

WHALE WATCHING

Davey’s Locker operates whale-watch cruises daily through the end of

March. Operating hours are 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m., noon

and 2:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The cost is $14 for adults, $12

for seniors, $8 for children ages 4 to 12, and no charge for kids 3 and

under. Special discounts are available for groups of 12 or more,

community youth groups, service organizations and schools. Private

charters also available. Guaranteed sightings of whales or dolphins, or

all passengers will receive a free pass. Davey’s Locker is at 400 Main

St., Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 673-1434.

Bongo’s Sportfishing Charters offers private party whale-watching

excursions daily. The cost is $125 for one hour, with a six-passenger

maximum and a three-hour minimum. Bongo’s is at 2130 Newport Blvd.,

Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 673-2810.

Newport Landing Sportfishing offers a low-cost way to whale-watch, from

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekends and holidays.

The cost is $14 for adults, $8 for seniors and children under 12. Special

discount rates are available for schools, churches and community youth

groups. Newport Landing is at 309 Palm St., Newport Beach. For available

dates and information, call (949) 675-0550.

Fun Zone Boat Co. guarantees whale or dolphin sightings during its

excursions, or the next trip is free. Daily trips weekdays are at 10 a.m.

and 1 p.m. and weekends at 9 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. Cost is $14 for

adults, $12 for seniors, children ages 3 to 11 are $8, ages 2 and under

are free. Groups rates also available for schools, youths and groups of

15 or more. Discounts available on the Web at o7

www.newportwhalewatching.comf7 . The Fun Zone Boat Co. is at the Fun

Zone in Newport Beach. For reservations, call (949) 673-0240.

KAYAKING/CANOEING/SCUBA

Beginning sea kayaking, rolling clinics and private lessons are offered.

Kayak and sea ski rentals are also available. For more information, call

(949) 675-1215 for Paddle Power, 1500 W. Balboa Blvd.

Two-hour kayak tours begin at 10 a.m. Sundays from Newport Dunes. Cost is

$20 per adult, $15 per child. Kayak rentals and classes are also

available. Fro more information, call (949) 729-1150.

Single ($10 per hour) and double ($15 per hour) kayak rentals are

available in the Balboa Fun Zone. Call Balboa Boat Rentals, (949)

673-7200. Paddle Power also provides kayak, surf ski and canoe rentals.

For more information, call (949) 675-1215.

Back Bay canoe tours are offered by Upper Newport Bay every Saturday.

Meet at 8:30 a.m. on Shellmaker Island. For more information, call (949)

640-6746.

The Newport Aquatic Center offers sweep rowing (one oar), sculling

classes (two oars) and canoe rentals. Classes run for four weeks and cost

$75. Introductory clinics are also available Saturdays and Sundays at a

cost of $10. For more information, call (949) 646-7725.

The Aquatic Center, 4537 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, offers scuba

training consisting of six evening and two weekend day classes. Cost

ranges from $200 to $310. The center also offers scuba rentals, special

trips, repairs and air fills. For more information, call (949) 650-5440.

At Dive-in Scuba, 2482 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa, certification classes

for beginning to instructor level scuba divers are available. Other

services offered include local boat charters, equipment sales, rentals

and repairs. For more information, call (949) 631-9288.

BOAT RENTALS

Sail airborne outside the harbor, pulled by a motorboat, courtesy of

Balboa Para-sailing near the Balboa Fun Zone. A 90-minute trip costs $45.

For more information, call (949) 673-1693.

Spend a day relaxing in a motorized lounge chair rented from Resort

Watersports inside Newport Dunes for $25 an hour. Pedal boats, electric

boats, boogie boards, kayaks, inflatable rafts, beach furniture and wet

suits are also available. For more information, call (949) 729-1150.

Balboa Boat Rentals offers pedal boat, sailboat, motorboat and electric

boat rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. For more information, call (949)

673-7200.

Rent a party pontoon, chaparral runabout or family pontoon at Anchors

Away Boat Rentals in the Balboa Fun Zone. For more information, call

(949) 673-3372.

The Harbor may not be Venice, but you can always pretend. Spend an hour

on a gondola tour offered by the Gondola Co. of Newport, 3400 Via Oporto,

Suite 102B. Cost is $75. Price includes a basket of bread, cheese,

salami, ice, glasses, blanket, music and a Polaroid picture. Wine is

available for purchase. For more information, call (949) 675-1212.

Gondola Adventures/Newport, 3101 Coast Highway, also offers one- and

two-hour gondola cruises. A one-hour tour with champagne costs $70. A

two-hour tour with dinner and champagne costs $180. Pickup at waterfront

restaurant is available. For more information, call (949) 675-4984.

Irvine Coast Charters in Lido Marina Village offers two-hour electric

boat cruises with a gourmet dinner. Cost is $180 for two people. Other

cruises are available, complete with free champagne. For more

information, call (949) 675-4704.

Zip through the water on a sea motorcycle -- it’s called a Seadoo -- at a

cost of $65 for a single/double-seater. A three-seater is available at

$75 an hour. For more information, call Walk on Water (949) 675-6800. It

is next to the ferry on Balboa Island.

Streamline, center-console fishing boats may be rented at Balboa Boat

Rentals on Balboa Peninsula. These new 19-inch boats are equipped with

live bait tanks, fish-finders and VHF radio. Available by hour and

half-day rates at $170. Full-day rates are $240. U-Drive offshore boats

equipped with VHF radios can be rented by the hour, half-day or full-day.

Rates range from $40 per hour to $195 for the day. Call Balboa Boat

Rentals at (949) 673-7200.

CRUISES

The Newport Landing Belle is available for weddings/receptions,

cocktail/sightseeing cruises and meetings at a cost of $250 an hour

(minimum two hours) and $150 each additional hour. For charters, call

(949) 361-3640.

Enjoy a lavish Sunday brunch aboard the Pavilion Queen. Harbor cruise

begins at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $28 per adult, $15 per child. For more

information, call (949) 673-5245.

Individuals and small groups can enjoy Saturday and Sunday champagne

brunch cruises with food from the Cannery. Cruises run from 10 a.m. to

noon and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $31 per person. The Cannery also

offers a dinner cruise for groups of 30 to 60. Cost is $63.50 per person.

For more information, call (949) 675-5777.

Fun Zone Boat Co. runs 45-minute cruise (adults $6, children $1) and a

90-minute cruise (adults $8; children $1), departing the Balboa Fun Zone

every half-hour, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A 60-minute showboat sunset cruise

leaves the Fun Zone at 7 p.m. at a cost of $6 per adult and $1 per child.

Private charters are available. For more information, call (949)

673-0240.

Catalina Passenger Service also runs 45-minute harbor cruises (adults $6,

children $1) and 90-minute cruises (adults $8, children $1), departing

the Balboa Fun Zone every half-hour, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on the

hour until 7 p.m. For information, call (949) 673-5245.

Cruise the harbor aboard the Electra, a 100-foot Classic Fantail vessel.

Charters with catering are available for up to 145 guests. For more

information, call (949) 723-1069.

Enjoy a three-course dinner and dancing while cruising the harbor. Friday

and Saturday night voyages depart at 7 p.m., Hornblower Dining Yachts,

2431 Pacific Coast Highway. Cost is $56.95 per person. Brunch cruises are

also available. For more information and reservations, call (949)

631-2469.

The Catalina Flyer departs the Balboa Pavilion at 9 a.m. and leaves

Catalina Island at 4:30 p.m. Cost is $33 for an adult round trip and

$16.50 for a child’s round trip. For reservations, call (949) 673-5245.