Party Update

Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) is now part of Naval Base Coronado (so you may see both listed but you are in the right place). Naval Base Coronado is comprised of two main units: the Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. This is fairly new. North Island itself plays host to 23 squadrons and 80 additional tenant commands with an endless flow of state-of-the-art jets and huge cargo planes on its flight line and aircraft carriers along its bay. The carriers include the nuclear powered carriers USS John C. Stennis, USS Nimitz, USS Carl Vinson and the conventionally powered carrier USS Constellation. It is a large and very busy base. In that there are nuclear powered, heavily armed aircraft carriers docked there, the security is tight. They have no sense of humor about security.

It’s easy to get to the Old Chief's Deck… just go over the Coronado Bay Bridge to Coronado and follow Third Street all the way to the front gate of Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI). At the main gate, you be stopped by a gate guard and asked for your name. CDR Wade (aka Pat Wade) will be submitting guest names to Base Access, Calvin Alexander, a few days before the party. To be allowed on base, you must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration. (You shouldn't be driving around without these anyway). If you have a rental car, the rental agreement will suffice for proof of insurance and registration. The rental agreement must have an expiration date later than May 3, 2008. My cell is 858-449-4440 and Patrick’s is 619-981-3041 if you have any trouble.

Once you make it through the front gate, it’s really easy to find the Old Chief's Deck. At the first light, take a left onto Rogers Road and keep following the road for 2 miles past the golf course until the Navy Lodge (Terra Cotta rooftop) is on your left. Just past the Navy Lodge on the left is the exit of the ONE WAY street "L Street" . Go to the next left and enter "L" Street. Park in the first lot on your left. DO NOT PARK in the next lot that says parking only for NBSW (Navy Band South West). As you are looking at the water, the deck is on the left hand side of the 710 Building.

Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) is a federal installation which means that talking on CELL PHONES while driving is ILLEGAL. You will be pulled over if Shore Patrol or the base police see you chatting on the phone. They will also give you a hard time if they see your phone out while you are passing through the gate. Every once and a while I will be “reminded” of the rule if they see my phone out. They are not picking on you… they take safety VERY seriously on the base. While driving on base, obey the speed limit. Not only will you receive a ticket, but CDR Wade as your sponsor will hear though his command up at Port Hueneme that there was a problem. This is not fun for him.

In the below picture (Zoomed out to see the street configuration), the Navy Lodge is the building with the terra cotta tiled roof. The 710 building is the one on the beach just to the left: