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Lighted Boats Parade into the Holidays

Island Dreamer in last year’s Lighted Yacht Parade on the Oakland-Alameda Estuary. 

© Fred Fago

Over the next couple of weekends, it will seem as if there are as many lighted boat parades as there are LEDs on a string of Christmas lights. To get in the (nautical) holiday mood, check out one or more of the following:

San Francisco Bay Area

December 3

  • 40th annual Lighted Yacht Parade on the Oakland-Alameda Estuary, 5:30 p.m. The theme is ‘Celebration of Lights’. The $30 entry fee includes a skipper’s goodie bag. Co-sponsored by Oakland and Encinal Yacht Clubs in Alameda.
  • Lighted Boat Parade on Mare Island Strait, 5 p.m. Hosted by Vallejo YC.

December 10

  • Lighted Boat Parade in Sausalito. The Winterfest tent (in the parking lot in front of the Spinnaker restaurant) will open at 5 p.m. ($10 suggested donation). The parade will start at 6, and a fireworks show will follow at 7:30.
  • Lighted Boat Parade on the San Rafael Canal, 6 p.m. Call (415) 272-0535 for info; the event’s website is currently offline.

December 16

  • Decorated Boat Parade on the San Francisco Cityfront, 6 p.m., hosted by St. Francis YC.
Santa waves from his reindeer sleigh during a parade on the San Rafael Canal.

© San Rafael Lighted Boat Parade

California Delta

December 3

Monterey Bay Area

  • December 3: Lighted Boat Parade in Santa Cruz, 5:30 p.m. The theme this year is ‘Santa Cruz’in Under Starlight Together’. Hosted by SCYC.
  • December 4: Lighted Boat Parade in Monterey. Hosted by Monterey Peninsula YC.

If we missed any, please let us know.

We haven’t collected a schedule of events in Southern California, but we do know of one (actually two) in San Diego. At 5 p.m. on December 11 and 18, the Parade of Lights will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the San Diego Zoo with the theme ‘It Began with a Roar’.

Not all of the craft in the Lighted Yacht Parade are actual ‘yachts’. For more of Fred Fago’s excellent photos, see fredfago.smugmug.com.

© Fred Fago

Getting a good photo of a lighted boat parade is tricky indeed, requiring a combination of good equipment, skill and a bit of luck. If you capture a really good image, please send it along.

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The Grand Poobah might be biased, of course, but to his way of thinking, the Baja Ha-Ha is "all about" small boats on a big, blue, warm ocean and cruisers making all kinds of new friends.
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