Down Woodside Road, all the way out to the bay, lies the charming Westpoint Harbor marina. On chilly winter nights, dozens of boats illuminate the water with bright lights and holiday spirit, and particularly glowed for the annual boat decorating contest last Thursday night.
Twinkling lights and giant ribbons wrapped the masts of towering sailboats, while Christmas inflatables featuring icons like Santa and Frosty the Snowman brought joy and humor to the decks of nearby yachts. Out of the serene stillness of the water, faint music drew attendees towards the crown jewel of holiday cheer: a 55-foot yacht, the Teak & Holly.
For the past four years, Jeff Birdwell and Holly Winnen have anchored the Teak & Holly in the harbor and taken first place in the annual boat decorating contest each time.
Birdwell and Winnen’s yacht blasts holiday music, including songs like “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Vibrant Christmas tree lights blink and change color with the rhythms, anchored to the ship by tripods built by Birdwell himself. The whole bow deck glows with winter inflatables, standing as a beacon in the harbor.
“This is the first time we’ve had this scale of a boat. We’ve just gotten a little crazier each year, gone a little bit further overboard, you could say,” Birdwell said, while dressed in a red head-to-toe elf costume for the special light-judging night.
The Teak & Holly was on another level compared to the competing boats, but it’s the collective spirit that makes the harbor special this time of year. Over the years, more and more boats have gotten involved in the decorating tradition, likely due to the persistent success of Birdwell and Winnen.
“It’s a wonderful community,” Birdwell said. “I’d never imagined owning something like this [boat]. It just happened by chance, but we’ve had a lot of fun with it.”
The boats’ lights and decorations will be displayed throughout the holiday season through Dec. 25, and anyone can walk around the harbor and enjoy the holiday cheer for free.
