Of course, most Essex Boat owners recognize it’s not the games and prizes that brings them together; but the ability to meet up with other proud Essex Boat owners and spend time making new friends.

Saturday morning started out with the Essex Boat parade. Over two hundred boats set course single file around the Island. Unfortunately, the local police wouldn’t let the Essex Regatta Parade pass under the London Bridge. They claimed they didn’t have the staff for the number of boats at that time of day. This brought us around to the other side of the Island and allowed us to take advantage of a special privilege. We used the wide-open waters for a helicopter photo shoot. It is not often you get to photograph your boat and family from a helicopter’s perspective. (These photos are available by going to our helicopter shoot-out page.) These photos are classic shots of beautiful Essex Boats flying through the water (and I mean that literally).

Where were all these boats going? You guessed it, the infamous sandbar. A spot on the river where hundreds of boats and thousands of people can come together. On this day Essex dominated that little corner of the world. Firefighters, Police officers, Construction workers, Business people, you name it - were all able to shed their work moods and just get loose.

Meanwhile back at the Nautical, some chose to stay and take part in the kids’ fun. Games, contests, water slides and much more were available to the Essex youngsters. If you were neither at the sand bar or the Nautical, then you must have been taking part in the poker run. What’s a poker run you ask? Well, it’s poker…boating style. You receive a map designating specific places on the river where someone awaits you. At each point they give you a playing card, and then you move on to the next location. After receiving all five cards, this is your poker hand. There are usually three prizes. The first prize hand for the Essex Poker Run totaled $2000.00.
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