Boat Parade Winners Announced

Rebozo won “Best Overall” in the Opening Day Boat parade – Contributed photo

The Opening Day Boat Parade, “A Community Afloat” on May 1^st was a wonderful, fun community event! Forty boats were involved in the Opening Day festivities. Orca Star with the American Legion Post 163 Color Guard led the parade, saluted by 3 volleys from the American Legion Rifle Salute Squad, and followed by the classic wooden boat Baten with Grand Marshall, Sheriff Ron Krebs.

The Port of Friday Harbor and American Legion cannons added to the festivities, getting everyone’s attention. Representatives of the community in the parade included the Lion’s Club, Rotary Club, Masonic Lodge, Community Theater, Children’s Theater Workshop, Peace Island Medical Center, UW Labs, Friday Harbor Power Squadron, the Library, Pintail, the Port’s Pumpty Dumpty, four Vessel Assist boats, three Sheriff’s boats, a USCG patrol boat, and a host of other community boats. The Sheriff – Fire boat Sentinel closed the parade with her water monitors spraying the harbor.

Community boats competed in one of four categories; winning boats and their skippers are listed below:

Classic Wooden Boat:

• 1^st Place: Peniel, David Howitt & Barbara Bender
• 2^nd Place: Spike Africa, Gary Gero
• 3^rd Place: Baten, Dr. Carolyn Haugen
• 4^th Place: Lilliwaup, Kurt & Peggy Long

Commercial:

• 1^st Place: Pintail, Kevin & Kendra Martin
• 2^nd Place: Towline, Captain Charles Nash
• 3^rd Place: Sentinel, Officer Zach Reimer
• 4^th Place: Pumpty Dumpty, Allen Messick

Traditional/Nautical:

• 1^st Place: Lanna Ann, Norris & Karen Palmer
• 2^nd Place: Hokulele, David Aas
• 3^rd Place: Ambition, Brent Huntington
• 4^th Place: Inga, Chris Christenson

Theme; “A Community Afloat”:

• 1^st Place: Charisma, Wally Gillette
• 2^nd Place: Teal, Kit Pingree
• 3^rd Place: Orca Star, Bill West
• 4^th Place: Polaris, Michael Clark

Judges Award: Most Creative:

• Centennial, Craig Melvin & Meegan Corcoran

Judges Award: Best Overall:

• Rebozo, Bill & Rebbie Bates, Peace Island Medical Center

The Parade Awards Ceremony and dinner was held at the San Juan Island Yacht Club, with a packed room, and was a grand ending for “A Community Afloat”.

More photos at this SJ Update photo gallery

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