The last time I covered a story was back in April of this year. The biggest factor for the hiatus was being around more to help my wife as we expected our first baby. This included, among other things, turning her office into a nursery.
Well, the baby, a boy, was born December 2.
By Saturday, December 15, I had my press credentials dangling from my neck and a Red Sox diaper bag dangling from the stroller parked next to me as I covered the Independence Seaport Museum's 3rd Annual Lighted Boat Parade. Of course, my wife was there as well.
You can see the story, which ran in the Weekly Press here.
Below is a slideshow featuring pictures by Ramone Purcell and Angela Hess, courtesy of the Independence Seaport Museum.
As a boater (even the baby's nursery is nautical themed) and someone who loves history, I love the Independence Seaport Museum. Not only have I covered various exhibitions and events there, such as the exhibition on the history of mariners and their tattoos (which also gave people the chance to get real tattoos on the Spanish American War-era Olympia) and the antique wooden boat show they hosted, but I've also been to the museum as a ticket-buying visitor with my wife, with my father when he's visited from out-of-town, and whenever I can find a reason to. I just wish they'd fix the interactive display where visitors are given the chance to use a tiny crane to lift cargo off a model ship. It has NEVER worked in all my visits to the museum.
I'm hoping that the boat parade--although a lot of fun this year--will be even bigger next year with local, private boaters (not just working vessels like tug boats) will take advantage of the opportunity to participate. These lighted boat parades are huge all over the country and Philly--with all the marinas along the Delaware--should become one of the biggest parades on the east coast.
