Boca Bash 2024: 5 things to know about party on Lake Boca: Boating, booze and bikinis

The Boca Bash is a once-a-year boating extravaganza held on Lake Boca Raton in, you guessed it, Boca Raton.

The city of Boca itself has no official involvement with putting on the annual water gathering, and the state actually has jurisdiction over Lake Boca.

And once again on Sunday, thousands of eager boaters, jet skiers, kayakers and paddleboarders are expected at the event. Typically, it draws anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 participants on the water.

But make no mistake — the Boca Bash is all about boozing and bikinis.

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Here are five things to know ahead of Sunday's boat party on Lake Boca Raton:

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Police agencies emphasize that safety is of utmost importance, especially when boating and drinking intersect. One peril of the event is the possibility of a boat crash into another vessel. With so many boats in the water at the same time, it's easy for a collision to occur or even death.

Often it turns into an aquatic demolition derby or, at the very least, Costco on a Saturday morning.

And that often will prompt aggressive behavior and fighting, which leads to even more problems.

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The Boca Bash: Is drinking on the water illegal?

Drinking on the water is legal in Florida, but operating a vessel while intoxicated is not and state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers will patrol throughout the day, ready to issue multiple citations and boating violations.

In 2023, FWC, which is among several agencies expected to be patrolling the waters, arrested 18 people on charges of boating under the influence. Five other calls were for medical assistance.

In 2022, authorities charged nine people with boating under the influence, one for using a fake ID and another on an out-of-county warrant.

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A man died at the Boca Bash in 2018

A 32-year-old man attending the water party drowned in 2018. West Palm Beach's Francis Roselin had gone missing the Sunday afternoon of the event, and another swimmer noticed him at the bottom of a shallow part of the Intracoastal Waterway at about 5 p.m.

Authorities pulled Roselin from the water and placed him in a marine-unit vessel. Medics attempted CPR as Roselin was transported to the boat ramp, where he was pronounced dead.

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The Boca Bash: Is Lake Boca a lake?

Lake Boca is not very deep and water in many parts is only knee- or shoulder-high, which is good for those who might fall in.

However, it is not easy to anchor because boats often find nothing to grip except soft sand. Boats can often drift. The inlet will lead to a channel of more active water, which eventually flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

What day is Boca Bash? Plus, the weather forecast for boat party

Boca Bash is always the last Sunday in April, which this year is Sunday, April 28.

For Sunday, April 28, the weather is forecast to be 80 degrees under partly cloudy skies in Boca Raton. Winds will be moderate for boating conditions from the east at 15 to 25 mph. The threat of rain is low and humidity will only be around 60 percent.

But even with partly cloudy skies, boaters are advised to wear a lot of sunscreen. With plenty of skimpy swimsuits, skin will be exposed quite a bit and the UV index will be a 9 (out of 11), which is one notch below extreme.

And that sunscreen should be applied all day at numerous times as the sun won't be setting officially until 7:51 p.m.

James Coleman is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jcoleman@pbpost.com and follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @JimColeman11. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 2024 Boca Bash boat party on Lake Boca Raton