The Jernigan brothers’ entry into the annual North Carolina Holiday Flotilla is always a rush job, as Brent and Chris have made decorating for the boat parade a Thanksgiving weekend tradition. This year, the owner of the smallest boat in the flotilla didn’t even know how the boat would look to spectators in Wrightsville Beach, as they didn’t even have a chance to test the view from a shoreline perspective.
The design was impressive enough to win Brent Jernigan’s 11-5-foot CraigCat boat, the smallest in the parade, Best in Show at the 33rd Annual North Carolina Holiday Flotilla for the second straight year, and on his birthday, no less.
“We were asking people on the shore, ‘Does it look like Santa Claus?’” said Brent Jernigan, whose creation was Santa on whitewater, complete with rowing arms that he operated with his brother’s help.
“We have no idea what the boat looks like when it launches.” Chris Jernigan said Sunday after learning
The brothers, Brent from Lake Waccamaw and Chris from Morganton, make assembly of Brent’s design a holiday project, which often coincides with his Nov. 27 birthday.
In earning the People’s Choice award, Mark and Leslie Armstrong won $1,500 for non-profit RescueConnect, which encourages animal adoption and foster rescue to help prevent animal abuse and neglect through the cartoon basset hound dog and green“ADOPT” sign. This year, in a theme of “Hang Claws,” the hound surfed a wave while fans from the shore texted in their votes, helping to secure the donation to the organization.
“We say, “‘Adopt not shop,” said Leslie Armstrong, the co-founder of the Wilmington based organization.“We encourage people to spay and neuter their pets and go to their local shelters. There are so many great adoptable animals there. And we’re always looking for new foster homes.”
The creation of the artwork is a time consuming process, Mark Armstrong said, as he and Leslie will devote hours to threading a pegboard with the lights, but they said the reaction from the crowd makes the hard work worth it.
“That’s the best part,” Mark Armstrong said. “The little kids like to see the dog.”
33rd Annual North Carolina Holiday Flotilla Winners:
Best of Show
Captain: Brent Jernigan
Vessel: Craig Cat #11
Theme: White Water Christmas
Peoples Choice
Captain: Mark and Leslie Armstrong
Vessel: Come on Cletus #2
Theme: Hang Claws
Crowd Favorite
Captain: Jordan Messick
Vessel: Tall Tail #8
Theme: The Jolly Jellyfish
Best Powerboat 31ft. and over
Captain: Jewell Jessup and Carlos Ferrario
Vessel: Endless Summer #1
Theme: Rock the Boat – A Floating Studio 54
Best Powerboat 23ft. – 31ft.
Captain: Patrick, Christina, and Charlie Hudson
Vessel: Charlie #5
Theme: The Pirates of Wrightsville
Best Powerboat 22ft. and under
Captain: Tim Morrison
Vessel: Wake Zone #16
Theme: Train
Best Sailboat
Captain: Kevin Snyder
Vessel: Why Knot? #17
Theme: Coastal Christmas
Best Costumes & Crew Spirit
Captain: Michael and Chris Spivey
Vessel: Angler Management #7
Theme: The Christmas Kraken