Larry’s Beach forever symbolizes his legacy

Lifeguard Larry will live on, where he is best and most fondly

remembered.

Larry Capune earned national prominence in the 1960s (and again in

the ‘70s, and then again in the ‘80s) for paddle boarding his way

along first the West Coast and then the East Coast. But it is a

150-foot length of private beach in Dover Shores where his true

legacy lies.

For nearly 30 summers, that strip of sand was under the watchful

eye of Capune, who brought far more than just ocean safety to the

denizens of that tight-knit community.

There were the countless barbecues. The Tuesday night movie

events. The constant beach parties.

Last month, the people Capune had protected and entertained for so

long returned the affection, holding a party in his honor and

christened the sand “Larry’s Beach.” It was a joyous, fun-filled

event, but one not lacking wistfulness: Capune is battling melanoma,

in an advanced stage, and that makes the fight as tough as paddle

boarding across the Pacific.

But the partygoers were not about to linger on what looms. They

recalled the generations, literally, that have grown up under

Capune’s watchful gaze. They remembered his swimming and paddling

lessons. They talked about his friendship.

The party -- and Capune himself -- represent what is best about

Newport Beach: the sense of community, the feeling of camaraderie and

the quick support for neighbors. Now, Larry’s Beach will stand as a

lasting testament to those qualities. And to his.