Wet and wild in Florida: Multiple people arrested at massive ‘Boca Bash’ on the water

Some people had a blast at this year’s annual Boca Bash on Lake Boca on Sunday.

Others ended up Googling local lawyers: At least a dozen partygoers were arrested at this year’s splashy event — which was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yes, at least 12 people returned to the land in handcuffs. Charges included boating under the influence of alcohol, disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest, The Palm Beach Post reports.

That number could rise as officials review footage of the raucous day. Agencies that assisted with the wet and wild gathering were the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Boca Raton Police Department, Boynton Beach Police and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Before the water lovers’ event, a Facebook post said that Boca Bash was “most widely known for its large crowds and tolerance by law enforcement.”

The post also provided a description of this seafarers’ fave: “It is a gathering. A gathering of people brought together by the promise of sun, sound, and energy. The energy of thousands of people on boats, rafts, tubes, jet skis, paddle boards, and just about anything else you can manage to float on!”

Pictures on BB’s Instagram page show a snippet of the day’s festivities — smiling partiers in bathing suits crammed in the water, shoulder to shoulder. No masks were spotted in any of the collection of photographs, despite an unsettling number of COVID cases still being recorded in the Sunshine State.

The one-day unofficial event that started in 2007 drew more intense safety concerns in 2018 when a male attendee drowned. It’s held each year on the final Sunday of April.

Boca Bash organizer Chad Hamilton told the Miami Herald on Wednesday that he was pleased with the outcome.

“Initially, I was a little anxious to see the turnout as I didn’t want it to be overwhelming seeing how we did have to cancel last year, but with the great help from our city and first responders the event was phenomenal,” he said, estimating about 5,000 souls showed. “[Boca Bash] brings awareness to our city and business to our small business owners in East Boca as well. I wish to continue to try and develop this event, creating a positive economic impact on the community. Florida strong.”