Beach Bum’s 33rd Ye
Introducing the Grand Marshall,hauling those huge floaties down to the beach and behaving silly. After that,
33 years and counting! That is an epic feat for a parade that started out as a
conversation at a softball game and morphed into the party of the year that
continues to grow and become one of Tybee’s must participate events for
both tourists and locals alike! People travel far and wide to go to this party
and it never disappoints!
Having written about this shindig for four years now, I always giggle when
Jack Boylston (Ringleader) calls me and tells me one of the worst kept
secrets on this island: Who is the Grand Marshall, the Big Kahuna and the
Queen going to be this year? We all try very hard not to spill our guts because
part of the fun is the anticipation at the coronation, but some people do need
to know for deadline purposes and I always feel honored that this secret is in
my possession. This year, I only told all of my closest friends, so I’m getting
better at this gig, but now it’s time to spill and off we go! Drum roll please…
We are flat out delighted to announce the Grand Marshall is Alfred (Alfie)
Waite! Our Big Kahuna is Eric Thomas and our Queen is Tess Winchester!
Fantastic Court! Let me give you some background on everything you need
to know by starting with the photo shoot.
We are always trying to come up with new fun ideas for the Beachcomber
and I had an epiphany (which could go either way looking at my past
epiphanies) to have our Court dress up in formal wear and get into a water
fight on the beach. Why not and who doesn’t want to see Eric Thomas and
Alfie Waite in tuxedos with Tess Winchester bejeweled and begowned? It
turned out to be a great shoot and we all had so much fun with the crew
36 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | MAY 2019
I got to sit down with the group and get all of their secrets.
Grand Marshall, Alfie Waite
Alfie bought his first beach house 30 years ago and six years after that, finally
got to move into it permanently. Tybee was home and there was nowhere
else he would rather be. He moved his accounting business here too and
with his partner, Ted Lynch, started Accountants on Tybee, the island’s go-to
for tax help. Alfie was here when the random conversation at the softball
game started and has been a key participant since the beginning. Not only
does Alfie work hard for his business, he also gives back to Tybee as the
President of the Tybee Lite Shrine Club and the Chaplain of the Masonic
Lodge.
I asked Alfie what being the Grand Marshall means to him and he is so
deeply honored and thrilled to be a main character in an event that he’s been
a background part of since its inception. Alfie managed to keep the secret
far better than anyone else and didn’t even tell his wife! When I asked what
he was going to wear in the parade, Alfie smiled and said, “Why my tuxedo
of course!” Love it!!
Big Kahuna, Eric Thomas
As far as our Big Kahuna, all I gotta say is “It’s about time!!” I think everyone
on the island and on this planet agree that as far as Tybee love, charity and
probably deserving of the key to the City goes, Eric Thomas of Huc A Poo’s
fame is our man! Eric has lived on Tybee for 20 years now and has been a
float participant in the Beach Bum parade since 2000. He claims it is his
favorite parade and truly epitomizes what Tybee is all about. Family, fun,
good times and a water fight!
Eric is a Tybee favorite owning and operating Huc A Poos Bites & Booze with
his awesome wife, Heather, and his two kids, Ava and Troup. The man will
literally give a friend the shirt off his back (probably not the doo rag, but
I didn’t ask), and help anyone in need. Every disaster that befalls Tybee,
whether it be a hurricane, power outage, or similar event, you can bet Eric
will be front and center helping out those that need it with a smile and a kind
word for one and all. One-of-a-kind gentlemen and Tybee is blessed to have
him and his family call here home.
I asked Eric what his thoughts were when he was asked to be the Big
Kahuna and he is profoundly humbled and honored. He stated that people
save up all year to come for a week or so and visit Tybee. He lives here. Life
By Alaina Loughridge - Photos by Wen McNally