A group of kayakers and dragon boat paddlers enjoy celebrating the solstice by lighting up their fleet of non-motorized boats with holiday lights and paddling the Willamette River each year.
Saturday’s Illuminata Regatta was the 18th year paddling. These intrepid sailors launched their boats in the dark with frigid temperatures to paddle from the dock at Salem’s Riverfront Park to the bridge across to Minto Brown Island and back. They were treated with beautiful clear weather to perfectly show off their colorful lights. Santa was on hand at the top of the dock for pictures afterwards.
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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.
