Last night, not a drop of water entered as Kandu weathered the heaviest rains experienced in Ventura over the past 5 years.  While winds gusted to a crescendo at 1 a.m., I slept peacefully with the knowledge of how sound Kandu is, the benefit of having worked so hard and meticulously these past two years.  In the aft cabin berth (bed), quiet and snug, I was able to take full advantage of being docked in slip with six dock lines (ropes) securing us, instead of being anchored in a cove and having to take anchor watches.  Around 5 a.m., having knocked over and re-assembled the 4-foot Christmas tree Bryce had configured between their berths three days earlier, Trent crawled into our berth between Leslie and I, waking me up.

One of the neighboring motor yachts had their Christmas display damaged by the storm, its wooden frame collapsed, its black plastic sheeting shredded.  With a break in the storm and some help from friends, the boat’s display looks as good as new and ready for tonight’s annual Parade of Lights, an event where lavishly decorated boats, bedazzled in lights, travel around the inside parameter of Ventura marina for the benefit of the city’s spectators.  This year’s theme: “Holidays of the World.”

The storm has brought large surf, 15-foot waves and greater, so no surfing.  When Bryce returns from school this afternoon, if better weather holds up, we’ll finish decorating our dinghy, installing his Christmas tree, mirror-ball, blue rotating police light, Trent’s stuffed animals, our mini-PA sound system with Christmas music, and tree lights powered by our little Honda generator.  We’ll join the parade unofficially, putting between boats and waving to the crowds.