MIKE WHITEHEAD -- The Harbor Column

Ahoy.

The Newport Harbor Christmas Boat Parade is still afloat, but it is

official that in December 2002, a few changes will occur in attempts to

ensure the parade remains afloat.

I remember a decade or so ago when, on any parade night, the vehicle

traffic would be backed up for miles coming to the harbor from Newport

Boulevard, Coast Highway, Jamboree Road and MacArthur Boulevard, but now

on most nights, I can find a parking space. The harbor was so full of

boats that it was almost virtually impossible to move, so most boaters

not in the parade would “hole up” to watch the boats pass by.

Now, times have changed and, while the parade can still boast that it

is one of the top 10 events for the holiday season in the world, where

are the boats?

First, let me ask you: who manages and organizes the boat parade? No,

not the city of Newport Beach, but the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of

Commerce through its Commodore’s Club.

Who are the Commodores? The Commodores are a group of members of the

chamber. The Commodores, additional chamber members and others volunteer

their time to organize the parade and see that the parade happens on the

scheduled dates. As such, these members deserve credit for the amount of

time it takes to put together an event of this nature and size. (I ought

to mention that I am a Commodore.)

Brett Hemphill, who owns Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets on 17th Street in

Costa Mesa, is the volunteer parade chairman. He has had the task of

overseeing the changes. When he contacted the boat owners, the largest

response was that there were too many nights for them to participate

fully. And so, the parade will be reduced from seven to five nights next

year. It will begin on the third Wednesday in December and finish on the

following Sunday. Monday and Tuesday nights are slow nights, so beginning

on a Wednesday will fit better into most people’s plans.

The next major change is the shortening of the parade route. The Lido

Island westernmost channel between Lido Island and Lido Peninsula and the

entrance to the harbor at the Jetty turning toward the Harbor Master’s

office from Peninsula point both will be cut. These changes are meant to

reduce the overall time it takes to travel the parade in the hope of

having more boats finish the whole route.

The public affairs director for the chamber, Doug Stuckey, says the

chamber has held many open meetings, with great participation, to discuss

how to save the parade. A big upset is the loss of the title sponsors,

Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Co., which helped

financially support the event’s costs. One of the largest expenditures of

the parade is the insurance, but let’s not forget marketing, awards,

banners for the homes and boats, advertising, permits and fuel for Coast

Guard Auxiliary boats. The list goes on.

Richard Luehrs, president of the chamber, is very optimistic about the

parade, which has been host to millions of guests throughout the years.

During the meetings, there was talk about the gaps that form in the

parade. While some always try to blame the charter boats, just as

stop-and-go traffic occurs on the freeway, it will happen on the water.

All it takes is for one boat to stop and honk at friends on the shore.

Most charter boats do not enter the parade but remain in the center

channel, and on those slow nights, the charter boats are the parade. Most

gaps I personally see have no rhyme or reason -- just all of a sudden the

parade takes off or an inexperienced boater gets stuck trying to control

the boat in areas he or she has probably never seen nor cruised.

I am very excited that the chamber has the foresight to make the

necessary changes to save the boat parade before it dwindles to the point

of no return, which is its current course. These few changes are a good

start and let’s see next year how effective they are and how else we can

improve the parade.

Readers should get involved and one way to do so is by becoming a

sponsor, so contact the chamber to see how you can help. Remember, the

parade this year will still be held from Dec. 17 to 23, with the same

route as last year’s.

***

Tip for the week: Remember to check your fire extinguishers for

expiration dates, and if equipped look to see if the gauge is in the

green, plus shake your dry chemical extinguishers to loosen the chemical

powder solidifying on the bottom.

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or o7 https://www.BoathouseTV.comf7 .