It’s time to light up
the ocean

It's really hard to beat the effect of a long line of brightly decorated boats, following one after another, as the thousands of lights are doubled in intensity by their reflection off the water.

In California's Newport Beach, the Christmas boat parade has become an annually televised event that is held nightly for a week or more and is sponsored by the city's chamber of commerce.

There, the boats taking part range in size from 6-foot skiffs to 100-plus-foot yachts and they number in the hundreds. Many of the owners of the larger vessels actually hire professional decorators and technicians to help create lavish displays of lights and music.

If you haven't seen the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Harbor, it's well worth making plans to go one day.

Christmas boat parades here are somewhat less extravagant, but certainly no less enthusiastic. And fortunately for Honolulu residents and visitors, there will be two separate boat parades to watch or participate in this evening.

One will be in the sheltered waters of Hawaii Kai and the other will go from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor to Honolulu Harbor and back.

Hawaii Kai's "Festival of Lights" will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and is organized by the Hawaii Kai Marina Association. And although entrants must be owned or sponsored by association members, some 30 or more boats are expected to participate.

The parade will begin in front of the Hawaii Kai Towne Center, take a couple of laps around the marina there, and then make its way to Mariner's Cove and back.

The Marina Association has announced there will be a $1,000 prize for the best decorated boat.

Closer to downtown Honolulu, the Hawaii Yacht Club will begin its 10th annual Christmas Boat Parade this evening at 5:30 as well.

But it will be more than just a parade as it will also be a fund-raiser for Harbor House, a non-profit organization that serves more than 70,000 meals to needy families every month.

Boat owners are asked to donate entry fees of $35 and there will be a silent auction during and after the parade as an additional fund-raising event.

The HYC will also provide a buffet awards dinner after the parade for just $7 per person.

This year's parade theme is "An Island-Style Christmas" and entrants have been encouraged to decorate their vessels for a number of different categories within that theme.

With separate divisions for sail and powerboats, there will be prizes awarded to the Best Hawaiian-style Christmas, the brightest, the most creative, the merriest keikis, the most nautical and the funniest.

Naturally, there will be an overall grand prize for the best in theme.

As this parade's route will take it from the Ala Wai marina, to Honolulu Harbor and back, it will be easily seen from the shore anywhere along the way and perhaps even from Ala Moana Shopping Center's second floor.