Santa takes tour of Dana Point Harbor, boat rides continue Sunday

DANA POINT  Rosemarie Gonzalez couldn’t  contain her excitement when she saw Santa pull up to Dana Wharf on the 95-foot Dana Pride.
“Mommy, hurry it’s Santa,” the 3-year-old from Anaheim screamed as she jumped up and down, nearly knocking off the reindeer horns she wore on her head. “I want to see him!”
Lake Streett, center, chats with Santa during a boat ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Families get their chance to meet Santa during boat rides through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Julian Kenney, left, smiles as he meets Santa during a boat ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Kai Perino, left, chats with Santa during a boat ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Cali Schmidt, left, and Clara Yoshimi pose for a photo before boarding a boat to meet Santa at the Dana Point Wharf in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Children get their chance to meet Santa during a boat ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Children wait for their chance to board a boat to meet Santa and ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Kai Perino, center, and his sister Lili get their chance to meet Santa during a boat ride through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Abigail Abell, right, dressed as an elf, waves to children as they board a boat to meet Santa in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Children wait to board a boat to meet Santa and ride through the harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Children get their chance to meet Santa during boat rides through the Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo by Foster Snell, Contributing Photographer)Caitlyn Barry, 7, James Barry, 4, Makayla Barry, 10, from Ladera Ranch, sit with Santa on Dana Pride. (Photo courtesy of Andrea Barry)Best friends, Nicole Ferrara, of Aliso Viejo and Andrea Barry, of Ladera Ranch, kick off Christmas festivities Saturday on Dana Pride with a visit to Santa. (Photo courtesy of Andrea Barry)Show Caption of Expand
It was their first time on a boat for Rosemarie, her sister Madilynn, 2, and mom Jacqueline Gonzalez, 20.
On Saturday, Dec. 2, they were among hundreds who came out to take a cruise through Dana Point Harbor and get face time with Santa. Lines formed early and in some cases, people waited for 45 minutes to get aboard.
The tradition started more than 41 years ago is a collaboration between Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching and the El Camino Real Junior Woman’s Club, a nonprofit based in Dana Point.
Proceeds from the event benefit charities like Family Assistance Ministries in San Clemente, the Dana Point Library and the Ocean Institute. Most participants made optional $5 donations to go on the rides. Organizers expect to raise more than $1,000 over the weekend as boat rides continue on Sunday.
The original Santa boat rides were started by Don Hansen, who started whale watching in Southern California more than 50 years ago when he took school children out on boats off the San Clemente pier. Donna Kalez, Hansen’s daughter, now manages Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching and continues a tradition she and her family grew up with.
“I remember being on the Seahorse,” Kalez said. “That’s how I remember seeing Santa. I never went to see a mall Santa until I had my first kid.”
In 1976, youngsters visited Santa on that boat. In 1980, the event was moved aboard the Sum Fun and harbor cruises were started.
Now, the event is held aboard the Dana Pride and cruises take about 20 minutes. Santa sits at the back of the boat and patiently listens to each wish. There are elves who assist him with the lines of children. The boat cruises through the harbor to the Ocean Institute and Baby Beach and back to Dana Wharf. Capt.
Tommy White has been driving the boat during these cruises for 15 years.
Kalez donates her boat and staff time to the two-day event and decks out the boat with decorations. After the ride, all photos are uploaded to the Dana Wharf Facebook page and boat riders can download their photos for free.
“I would never change that tradition,” Kalez said. “It gets people to Dana Point and on the boat and introduces them to a beautiful experience. A lot of people use it for their Christmas cards.”
For Andrea Barry, 37, of Ladera Ranch and her family, the Santa rides are a tradition.
The Barry family of five, including husband, James; daughters Makayla, 10 and Caitlyn, 7; and son James, 4, were second in line,
“It’s festive and it’s a California Christmas,” Andrea Barry said.
Both Makayla, 10 and Caitlyn, 7, were dressed in sparkly red shirts and black pants. The outfits were important to the two girls.
“Santa sees we know he’s real,” said Makayla, explaining why it’s important to dress up.
Makayla asked Santa for a remote-controlled animal and Santa told Caitlyn, who wanted a doll carriage and twin baby dolls, she was on his “Good List.”
For Barry, this year’s tradition was even more special because she got her best friend, Nicole Ferrara, 38 and her family, including 7-month-old twins Scott and Bryan and 2-year-old Thomas, to experience the boat rides.
“This is the first time Thomas is really aware who Santa is,” said Ferrara, of Aliso Viejo. “He looked really authentic and was very nice.”
Ferrara and husband, Robert, were glad they took Barry’s recommendations.
“It was long enough to get a cool breeze and feel like you were out in a boat,” he said, “but not too long to make the kids grumpy.”
“Now we’re going home to put up Christmas decorations,” he said.
If you go
When: 10 a,m. – 2 p.m., Sunday Dec. 3
Where: Dana Point Harbor, 24921 Dana Point Harbor Dr.
Source: Oc Register