Pirates Care Parade of Lights to Set Sail This Month

Ahoy, maties! How would you like to be a seafaring pirate for a night and do a good deed at the same time? Pirates Care is a nonprofit organization devoted to raising funds for worthy local charities, ranging from helping those dealing with debilitating diseases to supporting area environmental groups and other area causes. Founded in 2015 by a group of local Jersey residents who not only love life on the water and along the shore, but also love the opportunity to promote the area and give back to the community, Pirates Care organizes an annual celebration of boaters on the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers. Participants are invited to decorate their vessels in lights and come out for a fun night to raise money for local humanitarian and environmental causes.

Last year, Pirates Care donated to the Key West and St. John Relief Funds to assist in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes. They also donated to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, paid for 200 holiday meals through the area food bank, and fulfilled all of the wish lists for children at the Valerie Fund Children’s Centers, plus provided toys and other items for their holiday toy drive.

This year’s Fourth Annual Pirates Care Parade of Lights is scheduled for Saturday, August 11, 2018, with the main body of the parade starting at 8:30 p.m. from SeaStreak Beach in Highlands, NJ. Boaters from launch points in Red Bank and Sea Bright will leave their areas beginning at 7:45 p.m. The parade will travel along the Shrewsbury River to just north of the Sea Bright/Rumson Bridge and back again.

Whether you’re a boater or a spectator along the shore, mark the date and come out for this fun night for a good cause! Part of the proceeds of this year’s event will once again benefit children at the Valerie Fund Children’s Centers, who will be asked to fill out wish lists of things that may make their cancer treatments a bit more tolerable. In addition to fulfilling those wishes, Pirates Care is also seeking to raise enough funds to provide a media viewing system for the treatment rooms, so the children can watch their favorite shows while undergoing infusions.

The 2018 Parade of Lights will also assist the American Littoral Society and its Operation Oyster program, which strives to bring oysters back to the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers. Their efforts include community outreach, education, and research into the viability of oysters in the rivers, which help to keep the water clean. The American Littoral Society works with local schools in Rumson and Red Bank to educate students about the importance of natural resources and oysters in the rivers. The organization also partners with residents and marinas who own property on the river to hang bags of shells, which attract natural spat – the oyster larvae that navigate the water until they find a suitable habitat and attach to a surface. The shells that hold the spat are secured to frames or cages and submerged in the water. Pirates Care would like to sponsor as many bags as possible to support this program. If you have riverfront property and would like to be part of the effort by allowing bags to be placed at your docks, contact Pirates Care at piratescarenj@gmail.com and they will help add you to the partner list.

For the August 11 event, sunset is at 8 p.m. and the tide will be high. Boats leaving from Red Bank or Sea Bright are asked to leave at about 7:45 p.m. and head to SeaStreak Beach to join in the route. The fun flotilla will then head south to just north of the Sea Bright/Rumson Bridge and return to SeaStreak Beach. At that point, the parade – which is anticipated to be about one and a half hours – will be complete and boaters may continue where they wish. This event is not a race and all participants are reminded to follow all rules of the water and be respectful of boats around you. Make sure navigation lights are visible, do not overload your boat with guests, have plenty of life preservers, and stay safe.

Spectators who would like to view the Parade of Lights are advised to check the route and find a location where you can access a view of the water. If you’d like to make a night of it, head to one of the many riverside restaurants for dinner and some of the best seats in the house! Boats will be coming from different directions, with most of them gathering in the Highlands area.

For more information about the Fourth Annual Parade of Lights, the Pirates Care organization, and how to donate, visit www.piratescare.org or look for PiratesCare on Facebook.