Christmas ships arrive with perfect timing

The rain had stopped only minutes before, and the breeze had calmed. The sky was dark and the air crisp. Indeed, conditions were perfect for reflecting the lights and resonating the sounds of the arriving flotilla of Christmas ships as they made their way into Madison Park waters late yesterday afternoon.

The beach crowd of several hundred, mostly decked out in rain gear and toting umbrellas, had lucked out. The boat display was joyous and colorful and the musical performance by the Vivace! Cathedrals Choir was truly outstanding.

But in twenty minutes it was over. The boats sailed on to their next stop, leaving an appreciative and presumably uplifted audience behind. Many in the crowd immediately decamped to the Bathhouse for jazz and refreshments sponsored by the Montlake Community Center. Others piled into neighborhood restaurants or headed up the street for cookies and hot drinks provided by the Madison Park Community Council. And for once, no one had to complain about the weather.

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[Argosy Cruises would no doubt take it amiss if we did not acknowledge that, officially, their vessel is the one and only "Christmas Ship" (a trademarked term) and that all others in the flotilla are, well, boats.]