With Halloween in the rearview mirror, I guess it’s fair to say that the “holiday season” is upon us. As I write this in early November, we are looking forward to (in chronological order) Thanksgiving on November 27, the start of Hanukkah on December 16, Christmas on December 25 and the first day of Kwanzaa on December 26.
The boating community has a unique and very colorful way of doing its part during the holiday season of celebration. Boats are adorned with lights, decorations, costumed people and pets, and go on parade. Photo by Shirley Vaughan
By Captain Ray
Published: December, 2014
With Halloween in the rearview mirror, I guess it’s fair to say that the “holiday season” is upon us. As I write this in early November, we are looking forward to (in chronological order) Thanksgiving on November 27, the start of Hanukkah on December 16, Christmas on December 25 and the first day of Kwanzaa on December 26.
For some, these are religious observances, for a lot of us it is all about friends and family, and for many it is both. There are certainly plenty of ways to celebrate: family and office parties, decorating trees and homes, caroling, services at your place of worship and the giving and receiving of gifts—not to mention family feasts!
The boating community has a unique and very colorful way of doing its part during this season of celebration. We adorn our boats with lights, decorations, costumed people and pets, and go on parade. I’d like to tell you about four lighted boat parades that are happening here on San Francisco Bay so that you can add one (or more) of them to your schedule of holiday celebrations.
On Saturday, December 6, the first of these parades, called the Oakland/Alameda Lighted Yacht Parade, will take place in the Oakland/Alameda Estuary. This event has been going on for almost 40 years, with 35 to 50 boats participating. It starts just after sunset, about 5:30 p.m., and Jack London Square and Wind River Park are excellent viewing sites. Another attractive alternative for viewing the parade is to reserve a window table at one of the estuary’s waterfront restaurants—dinner and a show without having to move!
The following Friday, December 12, is your next opportunity, this time at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. This year marks the parade’s 20th anniversary, and there will be about 60 boats from the Fisherman’s Wharf fishing fleet and the Sea Scouts as well as the St. Francis and Golden Gate Yacht Clubs. Again starting at 5:30 p.m., boats will parade from Pier 39 west to the St Francis Yacht Club and back, ending about 8 p.m. Great viewing locations can be found at Pier 39, Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, the Marina Green and Crissy Field.
The very next night, Saturday, December 13, Sausalito will be hosting its own lighted boat parade. This will be the 27th year for the Sausalito parade and you can expect to see about 40 decorated vessels. The parade will start at 6 p.m. just north of the Bay Model and proceed south to the boardwalk at Old Town. The best outdoor views are from the Bridgeway Promenade and the ferry pier in the downtown area. Several restaurants, including Spinnaker, Trident, Barrel House, and Scoma’s Sausalito, offer great indoor viewing. As an extra added attraction, this boat parade will also include a fireworks display at 7:30 p.m.
At almost the exact same time, another parade is happening on San Rafael Canal. This one starts at 5:30 p.m. on December 13 and is sponsored by the San Rafael, Loch Lomond and Marin Yacht Clubs and the Classic Yacht Association. Along with the support from local business partners, the group plans to give San Rafael residents one of the largest lighted boat parades ever witnessed in Northern California, with the tradition entering its 10th year. The number of lighted boats participating each year has grown from a few in the early days to approximately 90 lighted boats in 2013. The number of spectators viewing the parade has also grown—from a few hundred to several thousand.
Local residents living in the canal area even decorate their homes and host gatherings in celebration of the festive event. Montecito Plaza, the Beach Park at the end of Yacht Club Drive and Pickleweed Park at the mouth of the creek make great outdoor viewing areas.
So, pack a picnic or make dinner reservations and go enjoy a unique way to celebrate the season!
On a personal note, I’m going to take the next three months off for some R&R and travel. My column, “Sailing Adventures,” will be back in Bay Crossings in the April 2015 edition, just in time for Opening Day on the Bay.
Ray Wichmann, is a US SAILING-certified Ocean Passagemaking Instructor, a US SAILING Master Instructor Trainer, and a member of US SAILING’s National Faculty. He holds a 100-Ton Master’s License, was a charter skipper in Hawai’i for 15 years, and has sailed on both coasts of the United States, in Mexico, the Caribbean and Greece. He is presently employed as the Master Instructor at OCSC Sailing in the Berkeley Marina.
Approximately 90 boats participated in last year’s Lighted Boat Parade on San Rafael Canal with thousands of spectators lining the route. Photo by Shirley Vaughan
There are several Bay Area lighted boat parades scheduled for December. Photo by Shirley Vaughan
