If it's December, it must be a boat parade - Reprise

The weekend of the 15th we joined the usual suspects (Rupperts, Boutilliers) along with Doug & Mo Oudin, on Breyers boat for the Naples boat parade. Another event instantly added to the "Favorites" category.

We met on Carpe Diem for cocktails, snacks, and chit chat before boarding Restless to join the boat parade. Yep....we were participants. I guess the reasoning would be that, if you want a parade to be done correctly....sometimes you just have to do it yourself! What a hoot.

Alamitos Bay has two parades on that same night. The large boat parade (anything that doesn't fit in Naples canal) kinda meanders around the bay while making merry. The whole deal takes about 20 minutes.

We, on the other hand, were part of the small boat parade which tours the Naples Canal. There must have been 50 or 60 smaller boats (including outrigger canoes, deck boats, barges, etc), all decked out with lights and decorations. The "Making Merry" thing was in full swing.

The gathering spot was Marine Stadium and from there through Alamitos Bay and clockwise around Naples Canal. It was very cool.

I've never seen this before (not sure if it's ever been done before) there were spectator boats anchored and rafted up in the bay. The parade snaked its way through the anchored boats and into the canal.

The canal including both sides and all bridges were totally lined with people. Sometimes several layers deep, sometimes on floats, etc.. All the houses and the bulkheads of the canal were decorated with lights. It would be hard to say which view would have been more impressive. To be a spectator watching the boats on parade or being a boat on parade watching the spectators.

For added fun Doug Oudin had brough bags and bags of hard candy which we threw to the crowds as we went by. That was fun all in itself. Watching the eager anticipation in the eyes of the kids followed by the jubilation if they actually were lucky enough to catch the thrown candy.

Following the parade it was back to Carpe Diem for some warmth, spiral sliced ham, and beverages. A good time was had by all.