Christmas Boat Parade in Eden Isles
Saturday – December 20, 2014 @ 7pm
Eden Isles will be lit for the holiday season and many boats will be parading past the decorated waterfront homes. The 2013 parade was great and it is expected that 2014 will be another great year.
Parading boats should begin boarding so that they arrive for the line up no later than 6:30 pm. Boats will assemble near the "The Dock" (http://www.dockslidell.com) harbor entrance area until the parade roll-out at 7pm. Just meander around the area until there is an opportunity to fall in line. The parade should last about 2 hours after which participants typically disband as they pass their home dock.
There is really no formal order to the line up. Simply fall in line as spacing permits. Boaters usually coordinate on VHF channel 68.
The parade will first head down the Fire Station canal to the Eden Isles bridge and continue to Windward Passage, turn around and come back the same route, also passing through the larger side canals and cul-de-sacs that are lighted with Christmas decorations. Canals without decorations are usually passed by so tell your neighbors to light it up so they will be on the parade route. Some of the smaller canals will be skipped because of maneuvering problems. Weather permitting, the parade will continue down the “Clipper Canal” on a mirror route. It is simply “follow the leader” for as long as it lasts.
Please remember that most boats and especially those boats steering by rudder loose much of their control if they have to stop. With courtesy given, please keep the parade uniform and not leave excessive gaps between boats but keep in mind all of Eden Isles is a no wake zone. If you leave the parade or get out of line, do not rejoin until the last boat passes or you find a gap that will not slow down the parade. The parade is informal in that the route is subject to modification while in progress.
The parade may be seen by the public from the “Dock” Bar & Grill and near the Eden Isles Fire Station by the Waffle House.
Safety First: This is not an event for unattended children, non swimmers or those not familiar with boats. All maritime laws apply for the parade. Children MUST wear life jackets. Flotation of some sort should be considered by everyone on board as well as spectators on the shoreline. Entering cold water can "freeze" the muscles in your body and cause even good swimmers to go down. It is nearly impossible to find someone under water at night in cold, cloudy water. Infants & toddlers especially go straight to the bottom. Please be careful while having fun. All participation is at your own risk.
Disclaimer: Since there is no sponsor, this info has been assembled from hearsay and observations from past years. If additions or corrections are required please visit www.eihoa.org and send us an email.