THE FAMOUS WITCH PADDLES OF HALLOWEEN, a late-October tradition up and down the California coast, continued in a different way in 2020. If you saw the more-delightful-than-frightful photographs from salty-aired places like Oceanside or Morro Bay, you saw that the witches kept a considerate distance from each other, giving each participant a safe circle of roominess. Of course, the witches who paddle usually do this, even before 2020 changed our personal space considerations, as the ocean tends to be rather wide and roomy (no spoiler alert required). Now a new paddle is on the horizon, one that has also been around for some time. It's the...
SANTA PADDLE... of Ventura Harbor, but it isn't only about paddlers wearing their St. Nick hats. Elves, too, are invited, so when you see snapshots from the day, which is scheduled for Dec. 12, you'll likely see a few festively dressed helpers, too. If you hail from an area that's currently observing the Safer at Home order, keep an eye on the social pages for Ventura Harbor Village to see pictures from the day. And, of course, to give the water-adjacent shop-and-dine district some support and attention in the months to come (keep in mind that the village observes Mermaid Month every March, a multi-week happening that features mermaid-themed deals, specials, and occasional mermaid sightings, too).
