The annual (except for 2020’s hiatus) Olympia Yacht Club (OYC) Lighted Ship’s Parade, a popular long standing Olympia tradition, happens this coming Saturday, December 4th at 6:00 PM. While it’s an OYC sponsored event, ALL South Sound Boaters are welcome and encouraged to participate. South Sound boaters wishing to register their boat for the Lighted Ships Parade can do so either on the OYC Home Page (https://www.theolympiayachtclub.com) or at the OYC Clubhouse on Friday, December 3rd, from 5:00-7:00 PM.
While the Parade of Lighted Ships gets underway promptly at 6:00 PM Saturday December 4th, spectators are urged to arrive at Port Plaza Park starting about 5:30 to listen to the Capital High School Choir and enjoy complimentary coffee and cocoa from Batdorf & Bronson.
Starting at 6:00 PM the decorated boats will sail north from the Percival Landing area past the Judge’s Boat at the Port Plaza Dock and then north along the east side of Budd Inlet to Boston Harbor. Then boats return to Olympia by 8:00 PM along the west side of Budd Inlet.
Since many of the boats are decorated only on their starboard/right hand side the best viewing as they sail north will be from the Port Plaza area, the tip of the Port Peninsula by Anthony’s Hearthfire restaurant and KGY Radio or anywhere along East Bay Drive north of Swantown Marina. On the return trip south from Boston Harbor good vantage points include West Bay Drive, West Bay Marina and Tugboat Annie’s.
Checkout the OYC website at https://www.olympiayachtclub.org/ for more information.
