Need a Christmas Post!

[Ndavies]

I felt sure someone would have a good Christmas post - but struggling to find one, I Googled and found this great little poem. Hopefully Capt. Dennis Kirk will not object to my posting it here.........just seems appropriate that Cruisers Forum should have something at this time of year!

Merry Christmas Cruisers!
Crew of Midnight Sun III - presently celebrating Christmas in Porto, Portugal


’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the boat, not a creature was stirring on anything afloat.

The fenders were hung off the gunwale with care, with hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were all nestled and snug in their beams as visions of coconuts danced in their dreams.

With Mamma in her slicker and I in mine, we just settled down with a good glass of wine.

When out on the deck there arose such a splash I sprang from my bunk and made a mad dash.

Away to the porthole I flew like a flash, tore open the curtain and shone the flash.

The reflection of moonlight on the snow-colored deck gave the illusion of midday with bioluminescence below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight Dolphin dressed as reindeer.




With a little old driver so barefoot and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
He flipped the sea kelp he used for a rein and called to each dolphin. He knew them by name.

“On Flipper, now Coco, now Wavy and Spray, on Coral and Nemo on Wake and on Splash!”

To the top of the mast, to the top of the deck, now dash away, dash away and be quick like heck.

So up to the yardarms the coursers they flew with a sleigh full of toys and St. Nicholas, too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the deck the flipping and flopping of each little fin, as I readied my camera and was turning around, down the hatchway St. Nicholas came with a bound.



He was dressed in flowered shirt from head to toe, and his feet had flip-flops that looked like sandy shoes.

A sack of toys he had on his back, and he looked like a merchant with a Lazy Jack.

His eyes, how they twinkled — his dimples so merry. His checks were like roses; his nose like a cherry.

His smile was drawn up like a bow(line)

And the beard on his chin was white as the snow.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old sailor.

And I laughed when I saw him, as he was much smaller.

A wink of his eye and a nod of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his bag, setting out Garmins and braids and sailors’ rags.

He then filled the stocking with taffy and rum; gave a quick nod as up the companionway he had run.

He sprang to his sleigh to his team gave a whistle, away they all flew like the sail of a thistle.

I heard him exclaim as they sailed out of sight, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Capt. Dennis and Nancy Kirk wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Fair winds; calm seas. ¦

— Capt. Dennis Kirk has been traveling the Peace River since 1979. His life adventures are written from various chapters in his three decades of experience in Southwest Florida. He is part owner of the Nav- A- Gator, a riverfront restaurant and marina in Lake Suzy, just off Kings Highway. For more information, call 627- 3474.