Devon river cruiser's maiden voyage to ring in holidays

By Bryan Dean

Published: November 16, 2007

It's hard to upstage Santa Claus, but the star of Saturday's Devon Energy Centennial River Parade might be the boat leading the parade, not the jolly old man and his sleigh bringing up the rear.

The Devon Discovery is the first of three river cruisers that will begin ferrying commuter passengers on the Oklahoma River next spring. The boat, delivered Oct. 31, will lead the parade and give those watching a peek at the realization of an idea that once seemed more fanciful than flying reindeer.

When city leaders proposed building dams along the river and developing its bank, they dreamed of one day ferrying passengers along a river that was, at the time, not much more than a mud pit.

"A lot of people say, ‘Can you believe what's happened with our drainage ditch?'” she said.

City leaders expect the river cruisers will become a tourism draw and a way for residents to show off downtown Oklahoma City to out-of-town visitors.

Saturday's parade will be the boat's official maiden voyage, although crews have been testing it since it was delivered. Crews took the boat for a spin Thursday afternoon with its decorations for Saturday's parade.

The boat is covered in about 18,000 lights.

"It's actually decorated as a gift with a bow on the top because it's Devon's gift to Oklahoma City,” Devon spokeswoman Alesha Leemaster said.

The Devon Discovery will be christened at 5:30 p.m. Saturday before the parade at Regatta Park, SE 6 and Byers Avenue. A fireworks display and the parade will follow at 6 p.m. The parade can be viewed from Regatta Park or Wiley Post Park at SW 17 and Robinson.

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