Boating, with Terrance Phillips

In 1908 Newport Beach hosted the first boat parade, possibly making

this boat parade the oldest in California. No one really knows for sure.

It probably wasn’t called the “Parade of Lights” in those days, but

more likely the “Parade of Candles.”

Along came the Edison Company, Sylvania, GE, Westinghouse and what do

you have? Light bulbs covering 150 boats, waving participants, the sound

of Bing Crosby wafting through the chilly air and numerous Santas aboard

consecutive boats causing a great deal of consternation and confusion for

children under the age of six.

“We believe we’ll have between 120 to 150 decorated boats in this

year’s parade,” said Richard Luehrs, president of Newport Beach Area

Chamber of Commerce (NBACC), the host of the celebrated event.

There are several categories in which boats can win awards such as

“most traditional, best use of music, best humor or originality, best

lights and animation, best sail, best power, best new entry and the most

coveted, the sweepstakes award.

Seymour Beek will head approximately 30 volunteer judges to select the

winning entries that will be honored at the awards banquet held at the

Four Seasons Hotel on Jan. 14.

“We had over 340 guests at last year’s awards event,” said Luehrs.

“The event consists of both live and silent auction items, including a

round trip for two to Paris and four nights at the Hotel d’ Paris in

Monte Carlo.”

Proceeds of the auction offset parade expenses, one of which is the

required $13,400 insurance premium the Chamber pays for a non-owned

watercraft policy. The balance of the funds from the auction are applied

to next year’s event, the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the awards dinner and

auction. Tickets may be purchased for $60 at the Chamber of Commerce

office, across the street from the Newport Beach Police Station at 1470

Jamboree Rd.

The parade runs from Friday, Dec. 17 through Thursday, Dec. 23, and

lasts close to an hour. Be sure to plan ahead as parking and traffic can

be a major issue.

This is a great holiday gift that hundreds of Chamber volunteers have

given our community, so please attend this wonderful family event and

support the Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about the Boat Parade and tickets for the awards

banquet, call (949) 729-4400.

Some things in boating seem rather redundant redundant. Did you ever

think about the meaning and origin of the nautical term “aye-aye?” Well,

I did I did.

At first I pictured a sailor pointing to the two spherical things

under his brow and wondered if it should have been spelled “eye-eye? This

is a term for saying yes, so why do they have to say it twice?

Yes yes seems redundant to me me.

Another thing that bothers me is the term “porthole? I don’t remember

hearing a round nautical window being labled “starboardhole,” so does

this mean there are only windows on the left side of the ship?

Congratulations to the Newport Beach Yacht Club and its membership for

donating over 2,000 toys to Gen. Jay Hubbard, USMC Ret. for the Toys for

Tots campaign. Now that’s the holiday spirit.

Stocking stuffer of the week - A hand-held GPS for only $99 with

rebate at West Marine.

Well, here’s another one. “Bye-bye for now now. Be good humans and

have peace on water.

TERRANCE PHILLIPS’ boating column appears every Friday.