Lighted boats ready for holiday cruises

Published 8:00 pm Wednesday, December 6, 2006

POULSBO — Santa and his crew of merry elves are decorating their holiday fleet with lights as they prepare for the 37th annual lighted boat parade.

Members of the Poulsbo Yacht Club are again in the Christmas spirit and plan to make two trips spreading seasonal cheer to boys and girls eagerly waiting to hear from jolly old St. Nick.

“It’s more than a bunch of people riding around in a boat,” said PYC member Larry Elfendahl. “It’s about kids who moved knowing that Santa Claus knows where they are.”

Past parades have provided numerous heart-warming memories, which are the reason club members have continued supporting the event for more than three decades, Elfendahl said.

For fellow PYC member Linda Lant, this year’s event marks the fourth time she has sailed the North End spreading holiday cheer. She encourages other boaters to participate as well.

“Anyone who would like to decorate their boat on the starboard side (is) welcome,” Lant said.

Currently, a dozen boats including the lead ship called Rudolph — Bob and Pat Johnson’s Schottische IV— are already on tap for the event, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more, she said.

Each year, the parade takes the same routes and many waterfront homeowners make the event a part of their holiday plans, she said. But it’s the children who wait patiently on the shores for Santa to give them special greetings that make it all worthwhile, she said.

“We get some pretty heart-warming messages,” Lant said.

The Dec. 15 parade will start at the yacht club and head northwest to the head of Liberty Bay, passing Waterfront Park, where the general public is invited to view the boats.

The group will then turn south, passing by Scandia, Pearson and Keyport before making another turn at Point Bolin back toward the yacht club sailing past Lemolo on the way to port.

The Dec. 16 parade will cover the eastern half of the North End as the convoy will sail through Agate Pass before dipping down into Port Madison and out to Point Monroe. On its homeward stretch, the group will pass by Suquamish before concluding the 2006 lighted boat parade.

For children wanting to let Santa know they’ll be watching, a card or letter with a message, their names, telephone numbers, addresses and specific location where they’ll be watching should be sent to: Christmas Ships, Poulsbo Yacht Club, 18129 Fjord Dr. NE, Suite T; Poulsbo, WA 98370.