Sea

The actors in Shakespeare By the Sea's productions, coming to Newport Beach today and Sunday, could definitely be said to suffer for their art. How else to describe building a theater set, then donning a heavy costume and performing one of the Bard's plays in summer heat five days a week? "We've had higher attendance because the weather has been great ? because by the time 7 o'clock rolls around, it's a great time to be outside," Shakespeare By the Sea's founder and producing artistic director Lisa Coffi said.

It has been described as a place where "art, fashion and architecture combine. " A'Maree's exclusive boutique on Coast Highway in Newport Beach opened the pre-holiday season with a special sneak peek sponsored by The Visionaries, a ladies auxiliary of the Orange County Museum of Art. The destination for fashion has received national press, including a spread in The New York Times, for its rare and unique occupation of the landmark 1960s-era waterfront...

“The little foolery that wise men have makes a great show.” “As You Like It” Despite the slings and arrows of an outrageous economy, Shakespeare by the Sea is returning for its 10th season of performances in Newport Beach this weekend, presenting two different comedies two nights in a row. “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” to be performed Saturday, is thought of as one of Shakespeare’s...

"A Sea of Adventure" awaits visitors at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum when the opening this weekend of an interactive exhibit exploring maritime history. The exhibit highlights the relationship between man and sea, as well as the emerging role of Newport Harbor in oceanic exploration, museum Executive Director Rita Stenlund said Wednesday. "Man's relationship with the sea has no boundaries," Stenlund said. "The possibilities are almost limitless — it is the last frontier of exploration.

A local water enthusiast is among a growing number of sailors who help people celebrate the lives of -- and say goodbye to -- departed family and friends. Captain Bob Harrison didn't know what was in store when he purchased an 80-year-old schooner named Curlew. A sailor all his life, Harrison waited until the time was right to make the big purchase. In his four years of owning the 82-foot schooner and operating a charter company, Harrison has discovered a unique way to share his love of sailing and help others say goodbye to a loved one. After clients expressed interest, Harrison began offering memorials at sea, an opportunity for family and friends to set sail on Curlew and scatter the ashes of someone they have lost.

"I touched the crab!" "I touched it longer." "No, I touched it longer." Students from Harbor View Elementary gathered around the touch-tank at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum on Thursday and took turns feeling each of the sea creatures in the tank. "The starfish is really rough like pumice that you use for your feet," student Taryn Beaufort said with excitement. The touch-tank is one of the newest exhibits at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, which recently moved to the Balboa Fun Zone.

With his bulbous seashell nose and a few spiky tufts of seaweed hair, Bill the octopus seemed to want to crawl back into the ocean as soon as two Newport Elementary School students and their art teacher finished etching his tentacles out of sand Friday afternoon. “I think the tide is working against us,” said art instructor Jeni Erickson, who teaches sculpture with the Newport Elementary School’s After Class Enrichment program, as one wave after another washed over Bill.

Lolita Harper She was diminutive but adventuresome. Rugged but beautiful. And her unbridled spirit captured his heart for life. The unpolished canoe was the first in a series of many boats that gained the affection of Harold Wheeler. Growing up in Ontario, Canada, Wheeler said he and his brother would steal wooden railroad tracks and build boats out of them. "My brother was a feisty young kid," he said. A trait that rubbed off on the Costa Mesa resident.

Brad Avery Editor's note: This is the fourth in a five-part series about OCC's Alaska Eagle's voyage from Tasmania to New Zealand. We've spent the past few days exploring Preservation Inlet, and Dusky, Doubtful and Milford Sounds. A high-pressure system over New Zealand has created beautiful warm weather, making the verdant fiords and islands a cruiser's paradise. Fiordland, at the southwest tip of New Zealand, spans 100 miles along the coast, featuring a dozen steep-walled inlets reaching up to 30 miles inland.

With a 2011 trip to the state meet denied and a school record mark not reached, Karlèh Wilson entered this track and field season with some unfinished business. As she approaches Friday's CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at Cerritos College she is one step away from completing her mission. Wilson, the standout senior and Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, owns the school record in the shotput. Now she's trying to qualify for the state meet, which is June 1 at Buchanan High in Clovis.

VALLEY GLEN - The night before the biggest match of his high school career, Corona del Mar High senior tennis player Zach Williams couldn't sleep. It wasn't because he was nervous. It was because had a very raspy throat and felt nauseous. Players on CdM sometimes call Williams "Sausage" because of his tall, thin frame. For breakfast on Tuesday, Williams did not eat sausage. Instead, he said he swallowed eight Advil. "Probably not good for me, but I toughed it out," Williams said.

Winning a CIF Southern Section title is tough enough. Repeating is that much harder. Coach Steve Conti found out again how hard it is on Saturday, when his Corona del Mar High boys' volleyball team failed to defend its Division 2 crown. His Sea Kings took the opening set and all they needed to become the first CdM boys' volleyball team to claim two straight section titles was win two more sets. They never won another set as top-seeded Oak Park went on to take the next three sets to beat second-seeded CdM. Conti came up short of leading the Sea Kings to back-to-back section title wins once again.

CYPRESS - Coach Steve Conti has built three dynasties in three decades with the Corona del Mar High boys' volleyball program. Each of them made runs to CIF Southern Section title matches in consecutive years, from five straight appearances, to three in a row, to two. The latest group tried to make history Saturday, at the same venue where CdM won the Division 2 title last season. Leading up to the final, Conti said he kept hearing how hungry his team's opponent looked.

Even with a year of school left, Corona del Mar High junior Brynne Wong is one of the most accomplished swimmers in program history. The Sea Kings' record board doesn't lie. Wong is the record-holder in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly. She's also on the board as the anchor of a record-setting 200 and 400 freestyle relay team. But that record board can't tell people Wong's resolve. It doesn't tell you how Wong stood on the CdM pool deck May 4, thrilled about swimming a 55.20 in the butterfly at Pacific Coast League finals.

Earlier this week, before Parker Brown's jump serve, a couple of rowdy fans in the visiting bleachers yelled at the most fit player on the court. "No. 1 is on steroids!" the fans said together. There was a time last year when Brown said he was on drugs all the time. Without needing to leave his own two feet to smash a shot, the outside hitter was high on the volleyball court. Before matches, Brown said he smoked marijuana. After matches, he said he smoked out again.

LANCASTER — Corona del Mar High baseball coach John Emme called it the worst playoff loss in his 15 years with the Sea Kings. CdM gave up three runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Lancaster rallied for a 4-3 win in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs Friday. "This is definitely the worst playoff loss for sure and it's right up there with all of the [worst losses]," Emme said in a phone interview. Senior Brent Lawson gave the Sea Kings (16-12)

CORONA DEL MAR - In the corner of the Corona del Mar High gym, three banners hang near each other. They are the latest championships the boys' volleyball team has won, dating back to last season. The Sea Kings on Tuesday night moved a step closer to defending one of those titles. They earned the right to go for back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division 2 crowns. Second-seeded CdM swept West Ranch of Valencia, 25-12, 25-20, 25-18, in the semifinals at home. No opponent has challenged CdM (25-6)

CORONA DEL MAR - Corona del Mar High baseball coach John Emme took a bit of a chance saving his ace Andrew McCormack to open the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs. But the choice didn't seem like any sort of risk because of Billy Macdonald. The senior pitcher delivered a complete-game, three-hit shutout to help lead the Sea Kings to a 5-0 win over Beverly Hills (14-11) in a wild-card game Tuesday at CdM. "We rolled the dice and came up aces," Emme said. Macdonald struck out two and walked six. The CdM defense also played well.

CORONA DEL MAR - After his team won the first six sets Tuesday, Corona del Mar High boys' tennis coach Brian Ricker called it the best round his team has played all year. The Sea Kings did not stop there in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal match. They put together one of their best efforts of the season to thump visiting Calabasas, 16-2, at CdM. "I think maybe the boys were getting a little flat because of too many easy wins, but then they came in fired up for this one," Ricker said.