We blink and the sights and sounds of the holidays are upon us once again. Holiday festivities are in full swing. The sites and sounds and smells are deliciously familiar. Folks gather together with loved ones. Good food abounds.
By Ed and Pam McGrath
Published: December, 2005
We blink and the sights and sounds of the holidays are upon us once again. Holiday festivities are in full swing. The sites and sounds and smells are deliciously familiar. Folks gather together with loved ones. Good food abounds.
We deck the halls. We deck the decks.
We string the lights…up the mast and on the deck rails.
We put pretty balls on the tree (Shall we put the tree on the flybridge this year?)
The mooring balls at Ayala Cove go fast, so get there early.
Wait. What?
These are the holidays for yachtsmen. We make our lists and check them twice. Fuel? Check. Charts? Check. Lifejackets? Check.
The celebrations begin around Thanksgiving time. We discovered this after we became boat owners a year ago. In 2004, we prepared for our first Thanksgiving Day cruise. We made our way to Angel Island, where we were early enough to secure a dock. We tied up and put our hiking boots on. As we walked the 5 miles of trails around the island, we used our cell phone to call Minnesota to wish our daughter and her family a happy Thanksgiving. Missing them was mitigated by the beautiful scenes that surrounded us atop of Angel Island. As hunger set in, we made our way back to our boat, which was well stocked with cheese and fruit (We had no idea what wondrous meals could be prepared aboard.). As we rounded the last curve of the hiking trail and approached our dock, we noticed that the cove was filled with boats from which the delicious smells of turkeys roasting and pies baking intertwined with the warm sounds of laughter and merriment. The sight we were most curious was the food being loaded into the dinghies and taken ashore to the waiting tables. All made it just fine, and the day continued with folks enjoying food and other folks. Awesome! This scene was duplicated at various sites around the Bay and Delta, as it is every year.
Soon after Thanksgiving come the preparations for the lighted boat parades. This is when those steadfast and creative yachtsmen deck their decks and string lights up their masts for their own pleasure, as well as for the enjoyment of those who gather to watch the parades. Parades usually originate from yacht clubs in Alameda, San Francisco, Sausalito and San Rafael, as well as several venues in the Delta. The numerous yacht clubs around the Bay and Delta also host holiday parties and cruises, and do a great job collecting items for those less fortunate during the season.
The holidays and the year end with a gala fireworks display at the Embarcadero. This is one more opportunity for boaters to gather at the nearby marinas, in the coves and on the Bay to enjoy their boats, good folk and the unending beauty of the San Francisco Bay.
Our favorite time of year for cruising is now. The wind is hibernating and the sky is blue. The waters of the Bay are calm and the vistas are absolutely gorgeous. Pure Joy! How lucky can we get? Join us! It’s easier than you think. We’re nice folks who want other nice folks to enjoy boating in the Bay Area as much as we do.
