When Mark Mozur started planning his wife’s 40th birthday he had two choices. He could either pick a celebration involving their two kids or one requiring babysitting services.

Originally from Turkey, Mozur’s wife grew up around boats and water. During the summer, families like his wife’s often vacation on what is known as Princes’ Islands, a cluster of nine islands southeast of Istanbul. Mozur wanted something water-related for his wife’s birthday.

The couple, who live in Washington D.C., visited Annapolis when they were dating, and Mozur has “fond memories” of that trip. He doesn’t remember how he came across the Jolly Express last year but when he did, he knew it was right the vessel to create more fond memories with the whole family.

“It was obvious from the beginning that it would be very appropriate to have kids with us. And then it was also obvious that you know, there was a chance that this could be even more special because it was the same weekend as the [Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade],” he said.

The Jolly Express, a Santa-themed boating excursion put on by Watermark Journey, has been running since at least 2020, according to Alex Knoll, director of sales and marketing for Watermark. The 45-minute boat ride around Spa Creek is sprinkled with the holiday spirit. The Jolly Express — known as the Miss Anne during the regular season — is captained by either Santa or Mrs. Claus, accompanied by an elf, who is also a crew member. The boat is decorated to resemble Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer: a big red ball to resemble a nose and antlers decorate the small boat. Inside, blankets and a cup of hot chocolate await. The boat cruises out of Ego Alley into Spa Creek, under the Eastport Bridge.

“You’re seeing the residential area from a perspective that unless you’re a regular boater, you might not see otherwise. So there’s so much water around, but we’re actually able to get people onto it that might not have the means to get onto the water otherwise,” Knoll said.

Tiffani Worley has been a boat captain for Watermark for three seasons. Before coming to Watermark in 2022, she was a dive instructor in the Caribbean. Then she moved to Southern California where she worked on deep sea fishing and whale watching vessels.

“I don’t get to drive these little cute tugs a lot throughout the season because I have a larger license, so I’m on their bigger boat. So I do like to get on these littler boats. Now this season’s kind of like ending, and this is the last push. … I like being on the smaller ones and kind of zipping them around. And they’re fun, getting dressed up in these funny outfits … it’s cute,” she said.

Mozur said that he and his family have not been back to Annapolis since that trip, but boat trips like the Jolly Express will “always be a theme” for him and his family. “I was immensely happy that we had found something that was a combination of a … time for the kids, plus a way to get her to feel a little bit not homesick, that’s the way she grew up, which is hard to come by in America,” he said.

The Jolly Express will end on Jan. 1. More information is available at watermarkjourney.com.

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