Nautical and nice in Orange County

Toto, there’s no port like home. Huntington Harbour, a master-planned community of six islands and a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway, was built for boat lovers. With its stunning multimillion-dollar homes and an intricate system of Venetian-style canals, this is -- as Dorothy would say -- definitely not Kansas.

Beginnings

Huntington Harbour is almost entirely man-made. In 1974, the harbor channels were dredged and the material reused to create five artificial islands. A series of bridges connects each island to the mainland and to one another, and each has its own channels. Developers, sensing the appeal of a luxurious waterfront lifestyle, built homes there. Today, the harbor bears the imprint of many different individual tastes.

What it’s about

Everything in Huntington Harbour has a nautical theme. Along the main channel, yachts bob gently at their individual docks in front of custom-built Colonial and Mediterranean houses. The community restaurants and shops have a seafaring theme, and an interest in boating is almost a prerequisite for residency.

Neighbors wave from decks as friends’ yachts pass. The open sea lies just beyond the main channel, and adventure is part and parcel of the community spirit.

Good news, bad news

Huntington Harbour balances the serenity of suburban life with the sense of adventure that sailing involves. Residents take mini-cruises to Santa Barbara or Dana Point, and the widely attended Christmas-time boat parade showcases ornately decorated vessels. For one recent “Saturday Night Fever” theme, professional dancers were hired to “hustle” the night away in attempts to win a friendly neighborhood competition for the best-dressed boat.

Just about the only requirement for yacht club membership is an interest in sailing -- or a desire to join. Friday nights are often celebrated with drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the more generously sized boats. Residents have their choice of clubs -- Huntington Harbour has a philharmonic committee, a performing arts club and numerous philanthropic organizations.

There’s a lot of wealth on display. The yacht club parking lot is full of luxury German cars, and residents sport substantial gems even to Friday-night get-togethers. A sense of one-upmanship pervades everything from yacht size to Christmas decorations.

“It’s not unusual for people to spend three or four thousand [dollars] getting their boats decorated,” said Rick Tarantino, the yacht club’s vice commodore.

And even a neighborhood this privileged isn’t immune from the many problems of a changing marine environment. In the last few years, Huntington Harbour was invaded by a species of algae that crowds out native plants and animals, and its waters have been polluted by trash and debris. The problems have been largely cleared up, but they are a reminder that living on the edge of the water comes with a price.

On the market

House-hunting in Huntington Harbour is a lot like yacht shopping: If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. Even relatively modest homes run into the millions, and a couple of houses, Tarantino says, are worth around $10 million each.

One original 1970s four-bedroom, 2 1/2 -bathroom house with 2,767 square feet is on the market for $1,499,000. It has vaulted cathedral ceilings and French doors and windows. It is not on the waterfront.

A three-bedroom, four-bathroom waterfront home with 4,450 square feet and its own 100-foot dock is on the market for $3,495,000. It has glass walls to take advantage of the view and has a rock waterfall and pool overlooking the bay.

Also on the market is a four-bedroom, 4 1/2 -bathroom Tuscan-style house on the waterfront that will go up for auction shortly with an opening bid of $2.5 million. It is anticipated to sell for a maximum of $4,320,000. The house has 4,716 square feet and hardwood floors, a courtyard with a fountain, and a 45-foot private dock.

Report card

Little yachters-in-training attend the Ocean View Elementary School District. Harbour View Elementary and Marine View Middle School scored an 883 and an 829, respectively, on the 2006 Academic Performance Index. High schoolers attend Huntington Beach Union’s Marina High School, which scored a 797.

Historical values

Residential resales:

Year...Median Price

1990...$560,000

1995...$462,500

2000...$590,000

2005...$1,292,000

YTD 2006...$1,300,000

Sources: Mike Stankewich, www.campbellrealtors.com/huntingtonharbour.htm; hhyc.ws; www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap; DataQuick Information Systems.