If you’re new to Portland, go see the Christmas Ships before December 20. They head out from the marina—a good viewing spot is the south side of the Hawthorne Bridge, every night at 7pm. Then, they head up or down the river on alternate nights for about 5 miles, turn around, and come back around 9:00.
CHRISTMAS SHIP: Funky scuba-diving santa…

Last night I headed downriver on one of the ships, the green dragon, with a new mate of mine from Citizen’s police academy, Duane Westfall. Westfall has been running his dragon boat, which shoots a 6-foot flame from a propane tank out of the dragon’s mouth, for the past decade. I got to shoot the flame, which was, of course, no fun whatsoever:
FLAMING GREEN DRAGON: Jeepers…

FLAME: 20% safe, 120% awesome…

Christmas Ships have been at it since 1954. More (slightly blurry—it was dark) photos after the jump.