Waterlogged chaos took over Mangrove Bay in Somerset yesterday as the Non-Mariners Race brought the Cup Match holiday to a close.

Dozens of boats, jet skis and swimmers looked on with glee as the non-mariners fulfilled the motto ? ?The Sea Does Not Want Them, The Sea Shall Not Have Them?.

Now in its 33rd year, hundreds of spectators lined the shore in what organisers estimate as one of the best turnouts in years as 14 floats went out to sea. Non-captain of the White Heron, Paul Maccoy, attempting his 20th straight non-win, told The Royal Gazette he was once again celebrating his right to be completely silly for one day of the year.

Dressed in his non-captain?s metal helmet and trench coat, Mr. Maccoy was rallying his crew members for the non-competition before taking off out to sea yesterday afternoon.

?This is a never-to-be-forgotten occasion, it celebrates our right not to be serious all the time,? he added. ?We?ve blackmailed and bribed the judges and on one occasion we even kidnapped a judge, but now we?re determined to have another non-win.?

Master of ceremonies Bruce Barritt said the event was one of the best attended in years.

?It?s an impressive turn out, it?s enjoyable because it?s a chance to poke some fun at the political foibles of the day,? he added.

Political satire was the order of the day as most of the floats used politics as their inspiration with the Pop By Float spelling out messages ?Pop By Hott 107.5 We Dish Out All the Hits, Non Exclusive Non-Trinidadian Coverage? and ?Pop By Boaz Island, We?ve Got Crap Swimming? or ?We Must Not Talk to Strangers?.

The closure of Trimingham?s also made its way onto a float with ?Bye Bermuda? and the recent Belco power outage inspiring a crew to erect a 16-foot windmill on their float with the message ?Government?s Back-up Power Supply ? Hot Air and They Don?t Run Out? which made its way just past the dock at the Sandys Boat Club before toppling over and throwing non-mariners into the sea.

The Calypso Pipe Band also captured the attention of spectators as musicians in skirts, wigs, beads and head-dress marched along the shore to get the ?non-event? off to a start.

Karen Jones, who entered a float, said it was her first time entering the race.

?It?s a great way to keep a Bermuda tradition alive, hopefully even more people will enter next year,? she said before heading out to sea with her float spelling out the message, ?Government?s water supply; the Panam Hol?.

Nancy Atkins, who was the ?Beach Combing Babe?, made her float from completely natural material with a water cooler, detergent bottles, an old chair and a piece of old wood. ?I?m here on the Island visiting and I thought I should enter. My friends thought it was hilarious and I?m having a great time,? said Ms Atkins.

Non-winners of the race yesterday were undeclared and difficult to determine with several floats toppling over simultaneously, but undeclared winner White Heron may have also captured a non-title said organiser David Panchaud.

?It was an absolutely fantastic time, a lot of thought went into it all of the floats and all of them deserve a prize and I think they got it,? said Mr. Panchaud. ?I?m not sure if this was the biggest turn out in years, but we were blessed by the weather. We thank everyone who helps to make this a good event from Mr. Barritt to Razzle Dazzle Disco and the Calypso Pipe Band who have been doing this for many years.?

Funds from the event will be donated to the Somerset Rest Home.