WE HAVE A WINNER!

Here we are in the Inner Harbour for the Christmas parade...

Once it starts to get dark, the Legislative Buildings and Christmas tree lights come on, so this was our background, in every direction...

 The harbour ferries, who did a little 'water ballet' to start the Christmas light parade:

 The Market tent at Ships Point where hundreds of spectators gathered:

 The Wind Walker, just before dark, taken from the causeway...

And close up!

 

About 25 boats participated, the biggest one we've ever had here, I think. Here is a not-great pic of a few of the other boats, including the 1st-prize winner (the brightest one, a local sailboat called Pegasus). 

It might have been the snowman riding in the kayak, or it might have been the 8' tall red candy cane on the stern, or it might have been the spirited crew aboard (Michael and I, our daughter Mischa and boys Gibson and River, sister Julie and niece Trisha, and friends Penny and Robin, Mike from Galiano and Marian) who belted out Christmas carols almost the whole way -- or it might have been a  combination of 'all of the above' -- but the Wind Walker won SECOND PRIZE!! Not too shabby, huh? Second prize consists of: a night at a fancy-dancy local hotel, about $475 worth of MaryKay cosmetics (most of which I gave to Julie and Trisha, I'm not a 'cosmetic' kind of gal), and one more thing that I can't mention here because it will sort of be a Christmas present for someone we know and love.  :)


It wasn't *too* cold, and there wasn't *too* much wind, and only one boat hit a rock (so we heard, but apparently no damage was done), so we all had a pretty good time!

Michael and I will stay here until tomorrow mid-day and then head back to our marina. Knitting time!