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| Best in show, “Santa’s Flight Under Twin Moonlights,” Paula Sturdy and Van Marr |
Best powerboat 26’ or longer, “Wizard of Oz,” Skip Wilson |
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| Best powerboat under 26’, “Santa’s Guide to Wrightsville Beach,” Eric Eberhardt |
Best costumes and crew spirit, “Fishing for Christmas,” Steve Arnold |
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Best sailboat, “Charlie Brown Christmas,” Steve and Christy Sutton |
Fireworks light up the sky over Banks Channel following the flotilla. |
Another year of planning went out with a flash at this year’s Holiday Flotilla Festival, when 19 decorated vessels cruised the waters around Wrightsville Beach Saturday evening, Nov. 28, to the awe of thousands of spectators.
By the awards ceremony the following Sunday afternoon, members of the Flotilla board were already calling this year’s event the best ever.
“The weather was great and the parties up and down the waterway looked great,” Ashley Miller, co-chair of the Flotilla board of directors, said during opening remarks at the awards ceremony in the Blockade Runner Resort on Waynick Boulevard.
Some uniquely decorated vessels participated this year. Themes included the Wizard of Oz, Surfing Santa, a Charlie Brown Christmas and Santa’s Guide to Wrightsville Beach.
Vessels in the parade Saturday traveled from Bradley Creek down the Intracoastal Waterway. Then they took a right into Mott’s Channel, moved north to the bridge and then south to the United States Coast Guard station.
Spectators massed on every dock, bridge and water’s edge to catch a glimpse of the majestic, bright-shining boats floating down the waterway. Many of the spectators and boat crews shouted holiday cheer back and forth to one another.
Before the event there was concern that the parade would be dampened by poor weather conditions. The long-range forecast called for rain, but the actual weather Saturday was cool with hardly any wind.
Some officials, however, believe that the forecast and the economic conditions contributed to a lesser number of boats than years past.
For boat captains like Paula Sturdy and Van Marr, who took the Best in Show category, the fact that there was hardly any wind was a blessing.
“This year was so fabulous compared to last year,” Sturdy said after the announcement of her crew’s win. “This year I got to see everything around me and all the other boats. It was like summer out there—and there was no wind.”
Sturdy’s vessel was themed Santa’s Flight Under Twin Moonlights. The boat was packed with a smorgasbord of Christmas cheer, and hanging overhead were two red moons, all of which came together to create an image of the enchanting mystical world of Santa Claus.
“I love the moon and I love the stars, and as children we all dream about Santa coming to visit,” Sturdy said.
Sturdy used her late-father’s sails from his boat in her decorations. She credits this inclusion as the reason for their victory.
“I always bring daddy with me,” she said.
As Sturdy was speaking, Dorothy Baggett, co-owner of the Blockade Runner, approached her and said, “Your father would be so proud.”
Other boat captains were just as excited about the outcome.
Like Eric Rydzewski, the captain of Louisa, who has participated in the Flotilla for years.
“When you’re in the show, you only see a couple of boats,” he said. “I can’t pay attention to what others are doing. I just have to make sure I don’t hit anything.
“But I didn’t see any boats acting stupid, and I’ve seen a lot of stupid over the years,” he said.
Flotilla officials said there was an enormous amount of coordination between the town of Wrightsville and the Coast Guard.
“We plan all year long and then kind of ad lib when it gets to the event,” said Keith Beatty, co-chair of the Flotilla. “You have to go with the flow.”
