Balboa Island and WHALE WATCHING!!!!

Mom, Dad, and the kids and I went to one of our family's most beloved places...where it all began...Balboa Island/Newport Beach. My dad drove the ferry between Balboa Island and Newport Beach. Mom got on that ferry. Dad thought she was beautiful and gave her a free ride, and it's all history from there! What a ferry tale, eh?! :) We grew up visiting this quaint, beautiful man made island and it is a tradition to go there when ever I go back. So grandma, grandpa and I took the kids, walked around the shops on Main Street, played at the beach, and went WHALE WATCHING!!!!

Outside the toy shop.

Kate feeding the "cheepies!" She earned her beloved stuffed animal pigeon after she was potty trained and was thrilled to be able to feed them outside the donut shop. :)

Cheepies make her happy! :) Sick, dirty pigeons.

Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time...until our whale watching boat was to take off. Except for any time on a beach is NOT wasted.

Beautiful Balboa Island. If you haven't been there, go next time you are in California. So cute, quaint, ritzy, and fun.

You can walk around the whole island. You will pass several old rich retirees with their snooty, foofy haired groomed puppies. :)

My beach bums.

Zach and Papa in Papa's old stomping grounds. He drove this very ferry. :) I think mom and dad met on the 'Captain,' but the 'Commodor' will do too.

WHALE WATCHING!

I was a bit nervous to bring the girls AND Zach, but I knew they would love it. We got on the crowded boat and headed right up to the bow. That's the front tip, right? Anyway, that is where you should go if you can because the dolphins LOVE to race the boat and hang out there. I am proud to say they all did love it and no one fell overboard!! SO glad Papa and Mer Mer were there to help.

Just some sea lions waving at us. :)

Whales are cool...but the dolphins are where it's at! They were so fun to watch and RIGHT there under our noses. We actually were trying to get on the morning boat, but got stuck in traffic (typical California) and had to do the afternoon one. BAD for my girls/naps and all, but ended up being a blessing because we heard that they didn't see any dolphins on the morning boat and only 1 whale. We saw 2 or 3 different whales and 4 pods of dolphins!!

Kate LOVED watching the dolphins, but was SO tired. The driver let us between the rail and the edge when the dolphins were there and we were going slow, but when we were going faster he asked us to sit back so we wouldn't fall through. Kate DID NOT like this. She seriously bawled every time I had to take her away from the side. "Dolphins...dolphins..." IT was ridiculous! She wanted to see the dolphins and didn't understand that they weren't there all the time because every time we would let her look they would be there! It was a LONG almost 3 hours! When the dolphins were there she was so happy, and when they were, she was SAD and MAD!

A grey whale tail!! With the beautiful California coast behind it.

There's the whale's back...

And another tail shot! Really cool, awe inspiring, majestic, just not as entertaining as the dolphins.

Kate finally found a little peep hole she could watch through any time. We should have have found that earlier!!

And here are the stinky sea lions that are ALWAYS on the buoy right outside Balboa Harbor.

Kate and Mer Mer mesmerized by the dolphins. They followed us so far into the harbor!

Quite often they would turn to the side and kind of look up at you, say hello. :) I think they really loved to put on a show for us.

A lovely day on the sea.

And another beautiful sunset.