From Andrew McBride,Sea of Lights Coordinator, Royal Victoria Yacht Club:
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s annual SEA OF LIGHTS parade will set sail on Friday December 7, 2018, at 6:45pm. This parade of lighted boats has been held annually since 2006 when it helped celebrate Oak Bay’s Centennial. In partnership with the Districts of Oak Bay and Saanich, the Victoria and Oak Bay Sea Rescue Societies and the Maritime Forces Pacific it contributes greatly to civic pride and enjoyment of the holiday season and supports the Salvation Army Christmas Fund, and the Oak Bay Kiwanis.
The parade is led by a Canadian Navy training ship, and usually brings out up to twenty brightly-decorated boats. The event is expected to again attract several thousand spectators to Gyro Park beach and Willows Beach, where judging of the best-lit boats takes place. Also, many waterfront residents in Cadboro and Oak Bays use this colourful event as the ‘kick-off’ to their Christmas social calendar.
The event offers great family fun starting with the fleet leaving RVYC in Cadboro Bay at 6:45pmand passing Cattle Point at approximately 7:00 pm. Spectacular viewing will be at Willows Beach at 7:15 pm where the Kiwanis serve hot chocolate by donation at the Willows Beach pavilion. A roaring beach bonfire run by the Oak Bay Fire Department is sure to keep everybody warm. At approximately 7:45 pm the fleet parades past Cadboro Bay’s Gyro Park beach, where hot Chocolate and coffee donated by Cadboro Bay merchants will be served by the 12th Garry Oaks Sea Scouts. Last year’s parade raised a bumper hamper of food and other donations for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Hamper Fund and to the Oak Bay Kiwanis.
Admission to this spectacular beach event is free, but the public are encouraged to bring along a non-perishable food item or other donation to the Kiwanis or the Salvation Army.
The Club acknowledges the generous support of the local merchants and area marine suppliers for providing prizes to be awarded to the lighted boats. Rescue crews from local units of the Coast Guard Auxiliary help to ensure safety on the water by marking and patrolling the route.
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club welcomes all boaters to this event. Registration is free and full details can be found online at: www.rvyc.bc.ca
For additional information please contact:
Michelle Glenn or Rachel Van Hahn at (250)592-2441or by email at info@rvyc.ca
Best regards,
Andrew McBride
Sea of Lights Coordinator,
Commodore 2015,
Royal Victoria Yacht Club
Club: (250)592-2441
Cell: (250)884-4406
