Essex, CT is a very quaint, charming New England town near the mouth of the Connecticut River. The town of Essex really loves a parade. A large shipbuilding town and important port on the way from the Atlantic Ocean to New York City, Essex even has a parade for the "Burning of the Fleet", the day the British tried to put a halt to the American Revolution by burning the fleet of merchant and pleasure ships at anchor in Essex. The 1st submarine was built in Essex in order to destroy British ships. Invented by David Bushnell, it is know as "The Turtle". It is now housed in the CT River Museum with copies in various other places, including the one built by students at Old Saybrook High School last year.
Anyway...back to this most recent Essex parade to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season. There were antique cars and the antique Fire Engine, children & adults carrying lanterns, Fife and Drum Corps as well as Carollers, of course. I was with the Maritime Education Network and their Pirate Ship float. Earlier in the day at the school, after the men decorated and rigged the cannons so they would "fire" (smoke) found and hoisted the sails onto the ship and attached them, Kathy found the parrot and Sloan and I spruced up the children's faces looking out of the window of the stern of the ship. Kathy David is the Director of the Maritime Education Network and marched alongside the ship with the "Pirate Monkey". Sloan and I carried the Banner we'd decorated with tinsel and local children were found to ride in the float along with the adult volunteers. You can get more information at
www.maritimeeducation.org .
After leaving the Town Hall parking lot and parading down the hill into town and stopping on Main Street "The 12 Days of Christmas" with the crowd, someone towed the Pirate Ship back to the school so the rest of us could watch the parade of boats light up the darkness on the Connecticut River competing for the best Christmas & Holiday Season's light display.
As they sailed by us a couple times, delighting us with their creativity and originality, you could hear the "oohs" and "ahhhhhs" from the crowd. Anyone connected with Essex Yacht Club frostbiting on the CT River was very happy to see our own "Fair & Square", the Race Committee boat, so beautifully decorated as Santa's shop on one side with the American flag on their other. There were even a couple of specially decorated and well lit kayaks paddled by very brave, hardy souls that had not ever been seen before, judging by the applause. Santa Claus was then ferried up to the CT River Museum dock where he was greeted by a long line of youngsters wanting to say "hi" and tell him their wishes. If you happen to be in chilly New England during Christmas season - "Trees in the Rigging" certainly gets you in Holiday Spirit!
Anyway...back to this most recent Essex parade to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season. There were antique cars and the antique Fire Engine, children & adults carrying lanterns, Fife and Drum Corps as well as Carollers, of course. I was with the Maritime Education Network and their Pirate Ship float. Earlier in the day at the school, after the men decorated and rigged the cannons so they would "fire" (smoke) found and hoisted the sails onto the ship and attached them, Kathy found the parrot and Sloan and I spruced up the children's faces looking out of the window of the stern of the ship. Kathy David is the Director of the Maritime Education Network and marched alongside the ship with the "Pirate Monkey". Sloan and I carried the Banner we'd decorated with tinsel and local children were found to ride in the float along with the adult volunteers. You can get more information at www.maritimeeducation.org .
After leaving the Town Hall parking lot and parading down the hill into town and stopping on Main Street "The 12 Days of Christmas" with the crowd, someone towed the Pirate Ship back to the school so the rest of us could watch the parade of boats light up the darkness on the Connecticut River competing for the best Christmas & Holiday Season's light display.
As they sailed by us a couple times, delighting us with their creativity and originality, you could hear the "oohs" and "ahhhhhs" from the crowd. Anyone connected with Essex Yacht Club frostbiting on the CT River was very happy to see our own "Fair & Square", the Race Committee boat, so beautifully decorated as Santa's shop on one side with the American flag on their other. There were even a couple of specially decorated and well lit kayaks paddled by very brave, hardy souls that had not ever been seen before, judging by the applause. Santa Claus was then ferried up to the CT River Museum dock where he was greeted by a long line of youngsters wanting to say "hi" and tell him their wishes. If you happen to be in chilly New England during Christmas season - "Trees in the Rigging" certainly gets you in Holiday Spirit!
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