Moses Lake’s Mick Hansen honors nurses with liberty parade around the shoreline
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Larry Schwab, left, and Mick Hansen, right, pilot Hansen’s boat around Moses Lake, with patriotic music blasting and Statute of Liberty standing above them, in honor of 2020 International Nurses Day.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Mick Hansen’s Statue of Liberty boat makes its way along the shorelines of Moses Lake on Tuesday as locals gather around the shoreline to investigate the patriotic music ringing through the air.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald A staple of the annual Boat Parade, Mick Hansen’s Statue of Liberty made an early appearance this year to honor nurses and health care workers.
Protective mask and all, Mick Hansen’s Statue of Liberty towered above Moses Lake as patriotic tunes rang out from the boat’s speakers on Tuesday afternoon.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Locals came out to their balconies or down to the shore to check out Mick Hansen and his Statue of Liberty boat as they made their way around Moses Lake on Tuesday.
MOSES LAKE — Faint sounds of patriotic music were swiftly followed by a glimpse of a green torch over the treetops as Mick Hansen made his way around Moses Lake in his Statue of Liberty boat on Tuesday.
Hansen traveled near the shorelines on Tuesday to help commemorate International Nurses Day, which comes on each year on the birth date of Florence Nightingale.
“This happens to be the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale,” Hansen said. “She’s kind of the mother of all nurses.”
Hansen’s boat displayed signs on the side in support of nurses and health care workers. Hansen’s third sign came from a saying he heard that he said he liked, with the message “6’ apart, or 6’ under, your choice.” Hansen even took the time to ensure Lady Liberty was wearing her protective mask during the tour of the lake Tuesday.
On top of helping honor health care workers and nurses for International Nurses Day, Hansen said he wanted to do something for everyone who’s been stuck inside recently, looking to break up their routine.
“I can’t tell you how many people along the way were coming out and waving; some of them brought their own American flags out and were waving them,” Hansen said. “It almost brought tears to my eyes some of the people that came out there.”
Hansen said he wanted to continue his route farther around the lake before being cut short by strong winds. He said he’d been wanting to bring the boat out and felt like the tour on Tuesday would be a great way to do that. Hansen said it almost felt like a private parade with people coming out to meet him on the shoreline.
“People were coming out on their decks and, with loudspeakers going, they can hear us coming from quite a ways away,” Hansen said. “But, the response was unbelievable, quite honestly.”
There have been a lot of people stuck at home, including a lot of kids, during the coronavirus pandemic. Seeing how many little kids came out to check out the boat, and their excitement, Hansen said, was great to see.
Hansen’s Statue of Liberty, whale, and Loch Ness monster have become staples at the annual Boat Parade in Moses Lake. When asked how he got started in all of it, Hansen said simply, “I don’t know.” He said he had fun building the whale and got a great response anytime he brought it out. With the Loch Ness monster rendition, Hansen said the response only grew. The Statue of Liberty boat was actually started without a boat, only two big pontoons. Adding that to another pontoon boat he already had, with more pontoons being added over time, the Statue of Liberty slowly became the vessel it is today.
“She handles beautifully out there, even with the wind we had out there, so I feel like I can take it out in just about any type of weather,” Hansen said.
