In July, I will have lived in San Diego for 7 years. That means for about 6 years and 11 months, I have wanted to buy a boat and float up to Humphrey’s for one of their summer concerts. ‘Tis the season! The boat arrived in the mail about 2 weeks ago—100 pounds of shiny blue and grey plastic that would soon be carrying my hopes and dreams across San Diego Harbor. Really, it was rad. The maintenance guy seemed to think it was odd when he stopped by to find a 12-foot inflated raft in my living room. But when I told him about my plans, I could tell he was a tiny bit jealous.
So Tuesday afternoon rolls around. After attempting to wrestle this deflated hulk of a boat into my car, I realized I would need some help. Putting on my best “damsel in distress” face, I approached a guy getting out of his pickup truck with New York plates.
“Could you help me?” I asked.
“Uh…what is that?” he said.
He’s not from around here.
“I’m going to Humphrey’s. On a boat.” Obviously.
He was jealous too.
A short car ride later, followed by 15 minutes of vigorous exercise inflating our boat, 30 minutes of paddling, and a cup of adult hot chocolate, we had arrived.
Humphrey’s opened in 1982, initially holding performances on a makeshift stage with about 650 seats. In 1984, the location was sold in conjunction with the adjacent restaurant and hotel, to Bartell Hotels. Over the next 33 years, the Humphrey’s concert series grew from 15 concerts a season to over 60 a season, hosting legends like B.B. King, Whitney Houston, Willie Nelson and Garrison Keillor. Perched outdoors on the edge of Shelter Island, the venue now holds 1,450, plus a few dozen “boat people” who float nearby in the adjacent marina. In terms of the quintessential small San Diego concert venue, I think this is the jackpot. A disclaimer though: A raft is a great way to hear the show, but if you actually want to see the performers, shell out the cash for a ticket.
Around 7:30pm, Lukas Nelson took the stage (Willie Nelson is his dad), followed shortly after by Sheryl Crow. She played a lot of her old tunes, followed by new work from her upcoming album. She even gave a shout out to the “boat people” while concert goers snapped pictures of our rafts tied up in the marina. There was a sense of camaraderie amongst the boat people. All of our rafts intertwining, conversations mixing, ideas flowing for fun ways to make the next boat trip that much better. We gazed at other rafts who had obviously done this before, complete with cup holders and Christmas lights. Next time.
Overall, the night was magical. Music, palm trees, mugs of wine, and friends snuggled under blankets in our 12-foot floating cocoon—I think the 7-year wait was worth it.
Thanks to Stacy and the three other stowaways for signing up for the maiden voyage. Even if we got heckled for paddling in circles, I can’t wait to do it again.