Beach residents crowd around for lighted boat parade
It was a perfect night for the chamber’s Christmas boat parade,” said the Greater Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber’s 21st annual Christmas Boat Parade set sail Saturday night, Dec 6 right on schedule at 6:10 p.m.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission assisted in leading the parade and following for safety.
Not counting the law enforcement vessels, there were 20 boats in the parade that registered and were judged, several others followed along to join the parade that ended at Matanzas Inn Upper Deck approximately at 8 p.m.
There, trophies were awarded the winners by the Chairman of the Boat Parade Committee and Parade Marshall Dan Eaton, public information officer with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary Flotilla 91D7.
Winners in each category include:
Power boat
under 26 feet
First place – Plan B (John Gibbons); Second place – DIS IS IT (Mike & Paula Poe); 3rd place – Mike Hotz.
Power Boat
over 26 feet
Firt place – Four Relaxin’ (Capt Ted Shindler); 2nd place – Barbara Ann (Rich LeVine); 3rd place – Frosty the Snowman (Ann Lump).
Sailboats: 1st place – Bright Star (Mary M Burch); 2nd place – Starboard Tack (Ken Olinger); 3rd place – Bountiful (Bob Yahn).
Congratulations to all from the Beach chamber.
Sponsors of the Event were Pink Shell Resort & Spa; Matanzas Inn Restaurant; SunStream Resorts & Hotels and Snook Bight Marina.