The Fire Boat Was Back !

The Annual Dragon Boat and Kite Festival kicked off this morning on the canals of Las Colinas and Lake Carolyn. This was my fourth year to attend. The first year, the Irving Fire Department had just gotten their fire boat and were having fun shooting streams of water in the water with a few mis-directed that sprayed a few on-lookers. It reminds me of a mis-fired seltzer bottle in the hands of a circus clown. It brightened the day of many people. Then, for the past two years, I've ask," where is the fire boat?" and with grim looks, a fireman would say, "it's not here this year."
Today, walking along the vendors and food vendors row of tents I ran into a group of water rescue firemen. The first thing I ask was: "Is the fire boat here this year?" Laughing , the reply came. "Yes".

So, I set off to find the boat. Nothing else was in focus. There it was. That little boat with a canon  that can shoot a powerful stream of water 75 to 80 feet.  Wow! She was beautiful resting there in the water along the brick and concrete wharf. There was only one fireman sitting at the wheel. He said he was working overtime today and didn't know that the boat had not been at the festival the past two years. In fact, there were a lot of people who didn't know that the boat had been missed by a few more than just myself.

Then, out of the blue came this young Asian girl and her tag along "friend". Before the fireman and I had completed our conversation,she butted in telling the fireman she had been "hired" by one of the event planners to take pictures and informed the fireman that she had also been told that they would take her and her "friend" out on the water. They exchanged cell phone numbers and were still talking as I walked away toward the Marshal's tent to find the team  I had photographed a couple of weeks ago practicing at White Rock Lake, the Dallas De lite Team.

The Crew of Irving Firemen



Welcome Home little fireboat

I found the team, shook hands with one of the members that I had meet at White Rock and like a bad penny, there is this rude little girl and her "friend" and that whinny little voice. With that, I headed toward the wharf on the other side of the even ropes where the teams came down to board their boats and run their scheduled heats. Finding some amazing kites being flown, I walked the entire wharf  around the kite field and headed toward the car stopping here and there to photograph as I made my way closer to the car. The last look I had of the festival was of the fire boat heading out for their water-shooting playtime. I took a quick shot  only for the honor of the boat and the  crew of Irving Firemen who are a class act.

Never Judge An Event By The Color of the Portapotties!

Here's the scoop: There were only about a hand full of protesters at the Arboretum this morning. By 1 P.M. only one lone man was out in front with his sign.The city begins cutting grass and destroying the wildflowers on Monday after the judge's ruling on Friday.

The porta- potties had arrived for the European and Classic Car Show at Dreyfull Point tomorrow late morning and early to a little after mid afternoon. A group of 12  bright orange porta-potties were at Winfrey Point but I would imagine that there was a big rental of the facility for tonight as several large stage speakers were already on the circle grass. The porta-potties at Dreyfuss Point were blue and grey,hence: you can't judge an event by the color of the porta-potties, but if there's 12 bright orange ones in a row......you are NOT at the European and Classic Car Show --most likely!

The surprise of the day was to find the Dallas Delite Professional Dragon Boaters working out on the lake at the Filter Building docks. Two weeks from tomorrow the 2012 Dragon Boat and Kite Festival will kick off at Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas. I understand that the Delite have already won a medal in Austin this year! Congratulations! and because of the metal......well, here's a view of the Delite crew! Good Luck at the Red River and at Sugarland later on this season.