Balboa from a desktop

June Casagrande

Every day, the Balboa Island Ferry chugs back and forth between

the island and the Balboa Peninsula. Most every day, the Catalina

Flyer takes off toward its namesake destination. Constantly, boats of

every size and type cruise back and forth through the bay.

And now, people in dozens of countries throughout the world can

enjoy the show.

Balboa Bay West is the latest Web cam view available on

TalesOfBalboa.com, a site that specializes in Peninsula life,

history, news and happenings.

“It’s a really nice view of the bay. Breathtaking,” Web master Jim

Fournier said.

This new view brings to seven the number of Web cam views updated

every 30 seconds or so on the site.

Five of them are owned by other companies and individuals who

allow Fournier to piggyback off their Web cam for his site. Two,

including the new Balboa Bay West, belong to Fournier, who operates

the Web site more as a hobby than as a business. Paid advertising on

the site is meager compared with the cost of the $1,200 Web cam in the cupola of the Balboa Pavilion.

“I do it mainly for the personal satisfaction,” said Fournier,

whose Web site averages more than 900 hits a day. “I love Balboa.

It’s a wonderful town. It has great history. It’s just beautiful, and

I like to share what I see with the people of Balboa and the world.”

Web surfers from about 90 foreign countries have visited the site,

and that number keeps growing, Fournier said.

His next Web cam on the site will probably be in the same spot,

the cupola, but will face east toward the mouth of the harbor, he

said. That’s still about $1,200 away.