Too much rain in the forecast for the early part of the day. No one wants to boat in the rain. Let’s do it next weekend

Lake Washington had a great Opening Day yesterday 5/7/22 (first time since Covid), let’s continue our emergent parallel Lake Sammamish tradition with our own opening day parade around the lake next Saturday.  We’ll start at the state park boat launch, and proceed clockwise around the lake, with music playing and festively decorated boats and costumes – whatever you like to celebrate our return to boating season.  It should take about 4 hours depending on our speed – fast idle about 4-6 MPH, so we would get to the north end around 4 PM and finish at the boat ramps around 6 PM.  Photos are from last year’s parade.

We welcome all boaters on and off the lake.   Feel free to join in for whatever portion you like.  Life Jackets and Thermal protection (e.g. wetsuits) are MANDATORY in small people powered and sail boats as the water is under 50F and very dangerous.  Anyone in small boats who refuses to WEAR a lifejacket is asked to demonstrate their swimming skills by swimming or treading water for 3 minutes in this 50 degree water before joining the parade.  It would be great to have a safety boat at the end as Todd did last year.  For safety let’s please keep the people powered boats behind the powerboats (excluding the safety boat if we have one) so we don’t have a problem with a capsize and a long line of closely spaced boats coming right at them (while skippers are looking at the shore waving). All boaters, if you see anyone go into the water sound your horn (continuously) and point at the person in the water (while trying to render aid).

I have 4 boats from the Sammamish Neighbor’s Facebook website confirmed so far and hope to have Lakeside Fueling join us to promote opening their “Gas delivery on the Lake” season.  
Let me know if anyone wants to sponsor a decorated boat prize!  Last year Nothing Bundt Cakes delivered a bunch of cakes for the participants at the launch ramps which was great.
Please reply below if you can join us.

For those without boats, I’d recommend viewing from the Sammamish State Park, as we should go past there a little after 2 PM.  I don’t want to overplay this as a big “destination worthy” parade, we’re still in the growing phase, but hopefully we can add more boats this year to keep building it up.

As with all our Lake Sammamish Yacht Club parades, this is WEATHER DEPENDANT – if rain is in the forecast we will RESCHEDULE the date or time, as it’s no fun to parade in the rain.  Look here to confirm it’s on.  Current forecast is 61F with a little rain in the morning ending before noon.

Jim Mackey

LSYC Commodore

(425) 449-0070