Seattle Christmas Ship Festival 2013

We started our Post Thanksgiving  Holidays at the Seattle Center, there was live Holiday music all the way to New years.  

Ice Sculptures started with a Crescent Santa

The Ice Skating going full tilt

The Space Needle topped off

Even the 17 construction cranes in sight around Seattle were decorated

The MOHI on the right (Museum of History and Industry) joined in the festival offering a free night with music, Hot cider, and special holiday programming.  The Christmas Ship is on the long dock on the left.

MOHI is a True History of Seattle for sure

I wish I could find the guy who carved these ships Figureheads, I would commission him to do one of the Admiral for Wand'rin Star!

The Christmas Ship ready to lead the boat parade of lights across Lake Union. 

We were lucky to book passage on the second ship in the fleet.

This vessel will not be participating in the parade but they had music and Hot Cider to enjoy while waiting to board the other boats in the parade.

Just takes one guitar to create the proper mood.

Finding our Spot on the bow for the festival and parade.

Lots of smaller private vessels had already collected near the Christmas ship, we backed off the dock first to hear the Christmas Carolers on the Christmas Ship before starting the parade.

The boats part to let the Christmas ship through to start the parade.

The Right Message

All the decorated vessels follow the Christmas Ship North down Lake Union

The University Street Bridge opens on Command to let the Fleet though to Portage Bay.

The Christmas Ship stops in front of the Seattle Yacht club and the Carolers sing all the best as 100's of boats come in close to enjoy the Ultimate start to the Seattle Holidays. 

The very Loud Sound system aboard the Christmas Ship ensures that everyone can hear the music. 

The Glow of Downtown Seattle on the other side of the hill from Portage Bay

Due to about 10 mph winds and probably a bit of current some vessels had problems holding their position so they kept just enough way on to keep from drifting into others, this 80'+ sailing vessel crept just a couple of feet off our bow. 

And Funny that this huge yacht chose this time to depart Seattle Yacht Club, they were not spectators they were just going somewhere and had to find there way through 100 or so small vessels across Portage Bay

See the small electric vessel on the left that just looks like a dark shadow? You can rent these for $80 and they seat 10. thinking about renting one for a day. 

Christmas Carols are over, heading back to Lake Union.

Ahhh! we found the Original Ivar's, gotta go soon.

Through the bridge and back into Lake Union

Downtown just beyond Lake Union

A great start to the Christmas Holiday's

Seattle Christmas Ship Festival 2013

We had been hearing about the Fabulous Christmas Boat Parade of Lights on Lake Union but had trouble figuring out the date of the big event. That is because there are several boat parades around Seattle. There are parades on Lake Union, Elliot Bay, Lake Washington and The Argosy Christmas Ship Leads most of them. We wanted to go on the night that all the private boats participate but Private vessels participate in most of them as well and some parades go from Lake Union to Lake Washington or the reverse. We finally called the right person and realized the big event was the first one and with the longest tradition called the Christmas Ship Festival. 

We were to late to get tickets on the Christmas ship but we managed to book for the second (smaller) Argosy ship which was just fine since you can hear the Christmas Carolers from anywhere on the lake due to the excellent sound system on the Christmas Ship.

We have been fortunate to either participate or attend in several Christmas Boat Parades, our first on Lake Canyon with the Hill County Yacht Club on "Moon Chaser", the second on Lake Travis on "Hey You", Then from the shores of Portabella Marina in Kemah, from our docks at Corpus Christi Marina, from the shore along the Corpus Christ Ship Channel in Port Aransas. Aborad Wand'rin Star all along the Gulf ICW Particularly in Matagorda and New Orleans and in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL. If there was a contest, the Christmas Ship Festival wins hands down. 

Hundreds of vessels participated and frankly as a arm chair navigator that night I was amazed at the skill of everyone skippering a vessel and their ability to just have a great time without running into something.In a City that takes Christmas full tilt this is definitely one of the premier events for sure. in a upcoming post I will describe one of the other events that puts Seattle over the top when it comes to their full participation in the Commercial and Non-commercial spirit of Christmas. The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition. Settle does Christmas and we recommend that if you only choose one of the many events around Seattle to participate in, make it the Christmas Ship Festival!