New Year’s Eve Cruise to Lake Boca

December 31, 2025 – January 1, 2026

By Barrie Soloway & Vern Lustgraaf

Section 1 — A Not-So-Serious Retelling of a Very Serious Party

After the holiday party and the Tipsy Turtle race, the November HISC meeting delivered

a plot twist: no host yet for the annual Lake Boca New Year’s Eve Cruise. The Sharyn

Leigh was scheduled to go out of service right after the Tipsy Turtle (a well-earned

break), and things were not looking promising.

Then—because the universe loves dramatic timing—on December 1, Good Nuf

appeared at Barrie’s dock after a glorious sail north from Dinner Key. Around that same

moment, Vern & Kelly brought Stolen Dance to their new dock near the Pompano Inlet.

By December 2, thumbs were flying:

Good Nuf + Stolen Dance = Hosts.

What could possibly go wrong?

Section 2 — The Roll Call

The raft-up formed quickly and chaotically in true HISC style—boats tying in, dinghies

shuttling crews, and Lake Boca echoing with jokes, cheers, and the start of a great

night.

Here’s who made up our floating neighborhood:

• Good Nuf (Barrie & Marie) — the anchor of the evening, setting the tone for the raft-up

• Stolen Dance (Vern & Kelly) — slipped in quietly on electric power like a ninja

• Commotion (Astrid & Ross) — anchored off to keep an eye on the growing circle

• Serendipity (Craig & Tyler) — tucked in under Commotion’s wing

• Solitude (Frank & Reyna, plus Louie the dog and their powerboat friends David & Sara

with their niece & nephew)

• No Compromise (Captain Jim hosting Carol and Gail) — bringing the good vibes and

great stories

• Chasing Blue (Chip & Mariel) — anchored solo, but their dinghy made them the life of

the party

• And Jamie — arriving later aboard Commotion to join the fun and keep the energy

high

Section 3 — Shrimp Happens: Champagne & Cold Noses

By 5:00 PM, the wind eased, the air felt brisk, and the first round of champagne and

shrimp cocktail began its grand tour from cockpit to cockpit. Potluck rolled in

next—Kelly’s pulled pork tacos kept spirits high and stomachs happy.

There was so much shrimp cocktail, we were really shrimp-ly overwhelmed. It was a

prawn to be wild kind of night!

Section 4 — How Many Can Fit in Good Nuf’s Saloon?

Answer: Twelve, if lubricated by champagne and a shared willingness to lose personal

space.

It was part cozy, part comedy, and completely effective.

Section 5 — Gifts, Trivia & Dinosaurs

Marie nailed the gift swap—AirTags, tool bags, assorted swag, and the now-legendary

pet dinosaur that Chip won. And when we say “won,” we mean owned the moment. He

was like a kid on Christmas morning—grinning ear to ear, giving his new prehistoric

friend a name, and immediately making dinosaur noises while staging a full-on Jurassic

attack on Barrie. It was hysterical. That dinosaur became the unofficial raft-up mascot

for the night.

Then came trivia—Barrie’s masterpiece. He came up with the questions, and Marie

made sure the prizes were perfect. Together, they turned trivia into a highlight of the

night. Drinks were flowing, laughter was echoing, and the cozy vibe inside Good Nuf

made everyone feel like family.

The funniest part? Barrie’s trivia questions were clever, but somehow almost every

answer ended up being “The Battle of Saratoga.” It became an ongoing joke—by the

end, if you didn’t answer “The Battle of Saratoga,” you were clearly on the wrong side of

history.

Everyone walked away with a prize, and no one left without sore cheeks from laughing.

Warmth didn’t come from the weather—it came from the jokes, the camaraderie, and

the champagne.

Section 6 — Boca Midnight: The 10 PM New Year

Most boats started winding down around “Boca Midnight” (10:00 PM), but the fireworks

pulled everyone back out like sailors to free beer. Bundled up, drinks in hand, we braced

for the show.

Just before the countdown, Chip from Chasing Blue came flying in like he was late for

the start of a regatta—except his “race boat” was a dinghy with a 40-horse outboard and

a cooler full of ambition. In one swoop, he scooped Vern and Kelly aboard and throttled

toward the fireworks at a speed that made Kelly question her life choices.

They ended up directly under the fireworks—close enough to feel the boom in their

bones and smell the gunpowder. Vern said:

“I was so close, I thought I’d sailed straight into the Battle of Saratoga!”

A truly explosive start to the new year. ��

Florida Cold, Champagne Warm

It was calm… but cold. Florida cold—the kind that makes locals dress like they’re

crossing Antarctica while our northern friends stroll around in T-shirts saying, “What

breeze?”

With a northwest wind turning mid-60s into “feels like mid-50s,” the only sensible

insulation was champagne. So we layered up… with bubbles. If champagne counted as

thermal gear, we’d have been rated for Antarctica.

Section 7 — New Year’s Morning: Coffee, Lox & Heavy Blankets

We slept like rocks—some didn’t stir until 11:00 AM (which in sailor time is practically

mid-afternoon). Coffee tasted like liquid gold, and bagels toasted on the grill were the

perfect pairing for lox with all the fixings. There was enough cream cheese to caulk a

hull.

Not long after, Jim Williams had to break up the raft, which meant we peeled off and

dropped anchor in Lake Boca. We ended up close to Ross and Astrid, and before long,

we were shouting back and forth across the water—laughing, swapping stories, and

proving that even when the raft breaks, the party doesn’t.

Ross eventually called out for us to come over and tie up with Commotion. After we

rafted up, Ross stepped aboard Stolen Dance to check things out. We appreciated him

coming aboard, looking things over, and sharing solid advice. It was the perfect start to

the new year—good coffee, good friends, and a little extra boat knowledge to keep us

out of trouble.

Section 8 — The Great Battery Mutiny of 2026

Eventually, it was time to head home. That’s when Stolen Dance’s aging AGM batteries

staged a full mutiny—three-quarters of the way back, they threw in the towel and said,

“You’re on your own.”

Our speed dropped to a heroic 2 knots—just barely faster than a motivated manatee on

a mission.

Frank & Reyna, who had left an hour after we did, caught up and asked if we were good

or needed a tow. We told them we were fine and planning to call Sea Tow. They stayed

with us for a little while, chit-chatting like neighbors on the ICW, before heading on their

way back home.

Finally, Sea Tow showed up fast, gave us the kind of smile that says, “Yep, seen this

before,” and hooked us up for a smooth tow home.

Since then, the old battery bank has been retired and replaced with shiny new lithium

power—48V, 300Ah. Translation: fewer surprises in 2026 and a boat that’s ready to race

instead of nap.

Final Thoughts

Eight boats. One epic raft-up. A night of shrimp, champagne, trivia, fireworks, and

enough laughter to warm even a Florida winter.

This is what HISC is all about—friends on the water, sharing good times, and turning

every cruise into a story worth retelling. If you missed Lake Boca, don’t worry—2026 is

just getting started, and there are plenty more adventures ahead.

What's next?

We’re planning more fun events, more raft-ups, and more chances to make memories

like these. So mark your calendars, bring your best jokes, and join us on the water.

Because at HISC, the only thing better than sailing is sailing together.

Click here to view photos from the 2026 NYE Cruise