[Written by Mikaela Ian Pearman]
Rafts have been a long-standing tradition in Bermuda, and carnival weekends have taken it a step further.
Raft Up is back as one of Carnival’s signature events in Bermuda yesterday [Saturday] It was a little different, but it was still a great event.
This year, Raftup has moved to a new location called Kings Point, just off Mangrove Bay. I wasn’t crazy about the venue, so I didn’t know how good it was, but I was open.
There were two official charter boats, but I decided to charter a small boat to enjoy the day with my friends. And enjoy what we have done.
After 1:00 pm, I headed to Kings Point on the Mona Lisa cruise. On a windy day, it took a little longer than usual to cross the Great Sound, but it was a very beautiful day and we enjoyed the ride quality.
When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was how widespread everything was. Kings Point wasn’t as compact as I expected, as it’s a larger area than the previous venue.
This wasn’t a bad thing, but it definitely got harder to swim in other boats to find friends. And the wind and shallow areas helped spread everything more.
I chose a location near the barge where the DJ is playing music. Not too close, but close enough to the action. After taking lots of pictures, having lunch, refilling drinks, it’s time to join the party.
I decided to swim to the barge area. It became surprisingly fast and shallow, and a few feet further, so we were able to stand and walk to the barge.
Soca, dance hall, and Afrobeats rang from the speakers. I caught the end of Just Jay’s set, and most of DJ Rusty G’s set.
It was fun to stand in the water and have a good time. And there was so much space that I never felt cramped in the area. It could be due to the majority of participants staying on or near the boat.
After enjoying the music, we returned to the boat to walk and swim and prepare to leave on the beautiful afternoon waters.
Overall, Raft Up was a great event. I saw police patrol the area by boat or jet ski to ensure everyone’s safety. It was a great addition to make the event go smoothly.
This is the light year of the carnival, so I went straight back to bed. Next – Two white parties back to back.
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