Early in the morning, steps outside offices in Hamilton were packed with workers unable to get into their offices and unsure how their day was going to proceed.

Three hours later, however, there was no such uncertainty ? the suits or uniforms were gone, the laptops stowed away and there was only one thought on the minds of accountants and waiters everywhere, having fun.

The only panic buying going on in these peoples? minds was of the cooler, ice, beer variety and the beaches and bbq-infested gardens reflected that.

A trip down to Elbow Beach revealed that no one parties like people with unexpected days off work, with the pink sands as crowded yesterday afternoon as they would ever be on a weekend.

Even the volume of beachgoers on July 4, the most recent excuse to spend time on the Island?s most perfect of natural assets, paled into insignificance as volleyball nets, umbrellas, towels and loungers covered the expanse between the Elbow Beach Hotel and Coral Beach.

?This is the best day of work I?ve ever had,? said one auditor, who asked that their name not be published for fear their bosses would be angered that their employee was having so much fun while the company suffered.

?I turned up this morning for a normal day, Bermuda shorts, laptop bag and calculator at the ready and then I ended up here.

?The beach life was always a great appeal for me in moving to this fantastic Island but I didn?t think I would get the chance to spend a Thursday down here.

?I am not looking forward to going home covered in sand and sweat and spending a night without power or water but, as you can see, pretty much my whole office is here and we might as well make the most of it.

?I appreciate that the damage was terrible to Belco and that it is going to take a while to get things back together but I can?t feel that guilty for enjoying myself.?

The frolicking in the waves wasn?t just taking place at Elbow, Horseshoe Bay also attracted a spectacular number of merrymakers keen to enjoy the sun and sand and avoid the heat and boredom of power-less homes.

Fifty-year-old Debbie Kay Martin, along with her seven-month old granddaughter Kayah Angel, 13-year-old son Tristan, daughter Erica and friends made the most of their day off.

?We?re heading down the beach. Instead of grumbling about the situation we decided to make the most of it,? she said. ?We are going to experience, during the week, just how the tourists enjoy the beaches. And we?re going to cool off in our beautiful blue water. Water is the essence of life.

?My heart goes out to senior citizens who can?t come out to the beach today. Also, the people who are keeping our Islands afloat, such as the Police, the hospitality industry, the fireman and the staff at the hospital.

?This reminds me of the old days when we had to rely on nature. A life without TV ? how interesting. I got to play more with my grandbaby ? she loves the water.?

Yan Leclerc and Melissa Boivin, both 27, were told when arriving at PricewaterhouseCoopers yesterday morning, that they could go home ? instead they went to the beach.

?Our business closed today so we?re not working and we don?t have water but we have a barbeque,? they said. ?Not that we don?t like our job, but free vacation ? you know, you can?t turn that down.?

The beaches weren?t the only place, however, where people were enjoying a day without work.

The tell-tale smell of barbeques wafting across the Island?s roads suggested that gardens were also the place to be, with many an afternoon spent with a cold one and some perfectly grilled steak.

?What else could you do on a day like this,? said Eve Paterson, from Manchester, England, visiting the Island to see boyfriend and resident squash professional Patrick Foster.

?Power or no power, sitting in the garden relaxing and having a drink is the best way to go.

?We did the beach thing first but there is only so much heat you can take before you have to return home, even if a shower isn?t on the agenda.? Although the majority of bars remained close, revellers made the most of the makeshift bar erected outside the Beach on Front Street while locals and tourists mingled like never before at Woody?s in Dockyard.

A bit of music, a bit of old motown and plenty of laughter helped up to 25 people at a time enjoy the ocean views and the peace and quiet of life without cable, Internet and other electrical-powered distractions.