A new tradition?
January 5, 2009
By Christopher Huber
Pine Lake neighbors take to the water
Pine Lake Resident Carol Taylor greets the boaters. Contributed.
Dozens of Sammamish residents took to the waters of Pine Lake Dec. 22 to celebrate the holiday season, according to Pine Lake resident Susan Gerend.
The Pine Lake Christmas Cruise included six boats, some of which were small barges, and participants gathered in the middle of the lake to party and display lights on the water, Gerend said.
“It proved to be a magical night with mirror-like waters,” Gerend said in an e-mail. “Yes, it was crisp and cold, but the clear skies and reflective waters gave all participating quite a show.”
Despite bitter cold and days of snow leading up to the Dec. 22 cruise, approximately 35 lake residents turned out to meander along the shoreline and enjoy holiday lights, as well as each others’ company, said Gerend and Pine Lake resident Dave Bradley.
“The night we actually did it, it was cold, so we got bundled up in all our snow gear,” Bradley said.
After parading the boats — the Gerends led the group and picked people up on their 10-by-16-foot barge — the group met Leonard and Ilene Birkwood, who offered the boating party a chilled bottle of champagne at their dock, Gerend said.
Gerend said she invited all 130 Pine Lake waterfront homeowners and their families, but many were unable to attend due to being snowed in or stranded in various parts of the country.
The cruise event was the first of its kind in years on Pine Lake, Gerend said.
She coordinated the original one about 20 years ago, but it was difficult to get enough people to attend.
“We’re trying to make it a tradition this year,” Gerend said.
Cold weather and severe weather warnings caused Gerend to cancel the first planned cruise Dec. 20, but Gerend said she plans to host the event again in 2009.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or at chuber@isspress.com.
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