Skip to content

Seasonal ships light the way to Christmas

Some people go carolling or hike into the woods to find a tree to get into the Christmas spirit. Barry Wilson goes boating.
Christmas cruises
Barry Wilson warms up his Santa belly laugh as he prepares to lead a series of seasonal sailpasts from Reed Point Marina of about 20 to 30 decorated pleasure boats. The armada cruises around Burrard and Moody Inlets every Friday and Saturday evening until Christmas. One of the highlights will be a stop at the dock at Belcarra Regional Park, where Wilson will disembark his 32-foot 1966 Ohmancraft wood and fiberglass cruiser dressed as Santa Claus to collect kids signatures in a big book he can "deliver" to the North Pole.

Some people go carolling or hike into the woods to find a tree to get into the Christmas spirit.

Barry Wilson goes boating.

Since 1991, the Port Moody yachtsman has been leading a flotilla of power and sail boats decorated with all manner of colourful, twinkling lights, inflatable Christmas characters and tinselled trees on seasonal sails around Burrard Inlet every December weekend evening leading up to the big holiday.

In the early years, the noel navy tagged along on the famous cruise of carol ships out of False Creek in Vancouver. But as the number of those commercial and heritage craft diminished, Wilson kept the cruise going with a ragtag assembly of pleasure craft from Reed Point Marina, Port Moody Power Squadron, Burrard Yacht Club and Deep Cove, although, Wilson said, anyone with a decorated boat is invited to join the sail.

The season kicks off tonight (Friday), when about 20 to 30 boats will cruise around the mouth of the PoMo arm of Burrard Inlet, past Belcarra Park, Cozy Cove, Bedwell Bay, Camp Howdy, Deep Cove and Cates Park. On Saturday, the festive fleet will coordinate its sail-past with PoMo's Holiday Cheer at the Pier event, when the pier and gazebo at Rocky Point Park will be illuminated with thousands of colourful lights at 6:30 p.m.

“We’ll be like moths to the flame,” Wilson said.

But the highlight of the seasonal sail-pasts will be on Dec. 9, when Wilson — who bears a passing resemblance to Santa Claus — dresses as the man in red and leads the contingent of watercraft to Belcarra Park, where he'll disembark at the dock at the picnic area with a big book for kids to sign that he can then deliver to the North Pole. He also collects goods and donations for Coquitlam’s Share Family and Community Services. The flotilla will then circle around Boulder Island as fireworks are blasted into the sky.

• The Christmas cruises go every Friday and Saturday evening until Dec. 23, weather permitting. Each sailing lasts two to three hours and the flotilla never goes past the Ironworkers Bridge.