Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week and are looking forward to a quiet Christmas at home. Although traditions and gatherings may not be the same this year, the wish is for everyone to enjoy their family and friends at a distance. Reach out by phone, join an online meeting or gather for a socially distant driveway visit. The possibilities are endless; with just a little effort and imagination you can connect with your loved ones and share some holiday cheer.
The first annual Sail Pass was held on Sunday, Dec. 20 with at least 20 boats, including the RCMSAR-12 boat, participating in the cruise along the Halfmoon Bay shoreline. Boats were decorated with lights, Christmas trees, bright red bows and one even had a Santa, sleigh and all the reindeer. Another had a fireplace with an actual fire to cozy up to! We cruised through Welcome Pass from Secret Cove and hovered around Merry Island to wait for dusk. Lighthouse keeper Don and his family came out in their small boat to say hi to each boat and wished all of us a Merry Christmas. Don was even wearing a Santa suit!
As we approached the shoreline, we could see the light displays on homes along the way but what was most amazing was hearing all the cheers from people on the beach and from their homes. We even heard car horns honking and lights flashing as we cruised by. We used our boat horns, rang our boat bells and called out hello to everyone showing how much we appreciated them. One boater even yodelled. Comments coming in from boaters and viewers have been heartfelt with many thanks to all that participated both on shore and on the water. This was a first for my husband and I and we are very grateful to have participated in something so special. Our hearts are full! A huge thank-you to lead boat and organizers John and Lynn Smith.
As this is my last entry in 2020, I would like to say thank-you! Thank-you for your kind words and encouragement as I navigated through this new endeavour of writing in the Community section of the Coast Reporter. Thank-you to those that were happy to tell their story when I reached out to them and for sharing a little about themselves. Thank-you to those that advised of events and happenings in our beautiful community. Thank-you to the amazing efforts of organizers and volunteers for fundraising not only for the new Coopers Green Hall but for the Families in Need campaign, both of which exceeded the anticipated amount received. Thank-you to this very generous and caring community. Most of all, thank-you for taking the time to read each week. I hope that you have been entertained, enlightened and even laughed a few times.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring a much better time for all of us. No guarantees, no promises, just hope.
Be safe, be gentle and always be kind.
Have your “Say at the Bay,” please contact me before 5 p.m. on Mondays. [email protected].
