September Full Moon Party and Floatie Parade

9/14

What a party! This year’s September Full Moon Party and Floatie Parade were held 9/12in La Gringa just north of the Bay of LA. Twenty three boats showed up for the mid-day lagoon ride. We met at the beach just before full slack tide, rode the last of the current into and around the large lagoon then caught the current and flowed past the judges back out into the anchorage. A good 50% of the attendees came in full costume or float regalia

What is a floatie Parade you ask? Well it’s sort of like off season grown-up Halloween. The judged categories included: Best All Around, Best Homemade and Best Store Bought, along with two Honorable Mention, Cutest and Most Detailed. The only requirement is that it floats (at least initially.) The secondary characteristic is that all of them were made out of things we had on hand on our boats. A few had been here before and had given enough thought to their designs as to purchase and bring components from back in civilization. My own design though it won no prizes was made from a blue pool noodle –a five foot long spaghetti noodle shaped piece of foam with a hole running down the middle though its length- which I sat on like in the crick of a big foam “J.” A black polka dotted umbrella was duck taped to a length of aluminum rod and then the rod was stuffed down into the hole of the noodle. I and the umbrella were festooned with lengths of beads and sequins. I floated along in my sparkles and bit of shade trying to stay upright and above water by paddling along with my snorkel flippers. Bill on the other hand came sans costume and was hoping for the prize for Least Effort. He did though help me in and out of the water so I didn’t lose my bangles and beads.

The other entries ranged from a giant blue hammerhead shark, a rendition of the Love Boat, a wonderful homemade jellyfish costume and a beautiful and intricate blue ringed octopus. There were a host of pirates, numerous decorated chairs, a young mermaid complete with her own parade float and 14 year old Jack from S/V Just a Minute who came as Tom Hanks from the movie Castaway. His escape raft came complete with a piece of port-a-potty as sailing rig and his faithful companion “Wilson.” The party ended with a great potluck and the awarding of prizes. This time next year I will be thinking of everyone here and the parade but I have filled away some ideas for future reference. You never know when you might need a costume that floats.

Kat