ACROSS NSW, ACT and Victoria, the hulls are being cleaned, the paintwork is being brightened and the motors tuned up for the weekend of November 8-9 when the 9th annual Narooma BoatsAfloat Festival celebrates traditional boats on beautiful Wagonga Inlet.
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A healthy 48 boats have registered so far with coming from as far as Smiths Lake near Forster and Yarrambat in Victoria.
“The public is invited as well," committee president Smile Magill said.
“On Saturday things kick off in Forsters Bay around 9.30am when the boats all head off for their picnic at Paradise Point.”
From 10am the second MACS-organised art exhibition - “Art in the Boatsheds” - will be open all day in a couple boatsheds on the water's edge.
The familiar festival sound of the boats putt-putting back from their morning cruise will happen from 12.30pm when everyone is invited to have a stickybeak, meet the skippers and generally “mess about with boats”.
At 1pm the atmosphere gets even better as everyone enjoys live “Jazz on the Water” with The Jazz Pack till 3pm.
Sunday is of course the now famous and much anticipated “Grand Parade of Boats” - from 10am the boats will circle Forsters Bay and at 10.30am the fleet will head across the inlet, cruise down the channel, and from roughly 11am motor under the bridge before circling in front of the Mill Bay Boardwalk for everybody's enjoyment until around noon.
The committee apologises in advance if strong winds cause the parade to be shortened or cancelled as happened last year, and hope the public understands we have to act in the interests of “safety first”.
This year will feature two visiting steam-powered boats with their unique whistles, as well as the classic putt-putt sounds of Blaxland engines, Stuart Turners, Simplexes as well as a variety of diesels.
Many boats are now electrically powered as well.
Local and visiting boaties will enjoy a program of social events and cruises and a “Buy-Swap-Sell” session, as well as the traditional festival dinner and fund-raising auction on the Saturday night.
“Our festival brings like-minded people together in this beautiful boating environment and showcases our town each year. It has become a real part of the boating calendar,” Smile Magill enthused.
“It also adds colour, character and business to the local tourism year.”
Check out more at www.naroomaboatsafloat.com