The Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s annual Sea of Lights nautical parade has been cancelled due to restrictions on gatherings during the pandemic.
This is the first year since 2006 that the night-time flotilla of brightly festooned boats has been scuttled.
The event usually attract several thousand spectators gathered along the shore from Gyro Park Beach to Willows Beach, where judging of the entries typically takes place.
“There was no way for us to control the crowds that would turn up,” said said Andrew McBride, co-ordinator for the Sea of Lights.
Before the latest round of restrictions were announced, the club considered organizing a static marina light-up instead, with people driving through the club to admire the decorated boats.
That idea was sunk when tighter restrictions were announced recommending no gatherings of more than five persons. Organizers realized that they couldn’t control what happens if people decided to leave their vehicles to take a closer look.
“We came to the conclusion that keeping the event alive wouldn’t be in the spirit of what the new COVID-19 restrictions are about,” McBride said.
The yacht club is instead encouraging boat owners to decorate their vessels while moored so that people can enjoy the lights from shore over the holiday season.
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club will continue to encourage and accept donations for the Salvation Army Christmas Fund and the Oak Bay Kiwanis. For information, go to rvyc.bc.ca.
