Lights, Camera, Boat Parade - December 5, 2021

These painful, sleepless nights are really getting to me as they often do. They turn into painful, exhausting days and I must wait out the cycle until it calms down. I call these my “just getting through it” times. Finding a body part that doesn’t hurt is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Fun distractions, if paced, can be my saving grace. When I saw a poster on Route A-IA for a Christmas Boat Parade on December 4, I was all over it. It was not one of my better days but that just made me more determined to get there.

The parade was to happen on the Intracoastal Waterway at 6pm about 5 minutes from us. In the early afternoon, we took a drive to scout out a good viewing point. There weren’t many. This is prime property and most of the real estate is occupied by mansion owners with boat houses in their backyards. The few waterfront restaurants were booked weeks in advance. So, we joined the masses at the public boat ramp under the CR-210 bridge. People were shoulder to shoulder on the patio of the Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill with its illuminated Christmas tree and tiki torches lighting up the night. No doubt the bar was busy, and the drinks were flowing.

Hundreds of viewers set up camp with their folding chairs and parked their cars with tailgates down. We staked out a spot near the water and watched as decorated golf carts pulled in behind us, steaming pizza boxes were opened and “Santa Baby” played on someone’s sound system. Two dachshunds trotted in wearing matching red and green holiday sweaters. An RV in the corner was broadcasting a football game while a crowd in Santa hats cheered on. We met a couple from Ohio and an SUV family from Maine. A group of ladies in Georgia Tee Shirts were toasting their champagne to “Ladies Adventure Night.” I almost asked if I could join them. Is anyone even from Ponte Vedra? I haven’t met a local yet.

As I sat waiting for the show, I considered what I would be doing if I were in New Hampshire on this December night. Hibernating with a Hallmark movie, no doubt. But life is not a Hallmark movie. This is so much better. Every time I feel a little lost in my journey, God steps in like this, to show me life is so much bigger than pain. Perhaps we all feel a little lost sometimes.

“And we all have faith and we all have hope, but we’re all a little lost in the same damn boat. It’s a helluva life.” – Frankie Ballard

It's a helluva life, indeed. Cheering and clapping erupted as the first boat arrived; a blue lit sailboat so tall my camera could only capture a vertical shot. There was a nativity scene on its starboard side, so the captain twirled the boat around as if it she was a runway model, making it visible to our side of the waterway. The crowd gave thunderous applause. The next boat looked like a reindeer – red and white lights along its gunnels and white lighted antlers on top. More and more boats appeared, brightly lit palm trees on a rockin’ party boat blaring “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas time,” and another playing “We Will Rock You” while the crowd sang along. Paul said, “These boats are either playing Christmas songs or 80s music.” Yes, and it was all glorious fun. One even showcased a blow-up Santa sitting on a blue and white striped jet ski on top of the boat. Florida Santa knows how to celebrate.

As the last boat cruised the Intercoastal, we all began to pack up. But wait, we heard cheering and clapping from the other side of the bridge. And there it was, the last little boat, all lit in white, just a little bit late to the party and trying to catch up. We all ran back to see it, the last little bit of Christmas for the night. And don’t we all need just a little bit more Christmas?

“For we need a little music, need a little laughter Need a little singing ringing through the rafters And we need a little snappy, happy ever after We need a little Christmas now”- Jerry Herman, lyricist