Aug. 25: Margate 4th Annual Duck Derby: A Floating Quack-a-Palooza

MARGATE, NJ — Down the shore, Margate, N.J. is getting their ducks in a row ahead of the 4th Annual Duck Derby: A Floating Quack-a-Palooza on Sunday. Hundreds of locals and visitors will eagerly line the docks at Scott’s Dock where the Margate Business Association (MBA) will dump a load of small rubber ducks in the bay and cheer as they float down the current in a race to the finish.

“The best part is watching the kids,” said Ed Berger, president of the Margate Business Association. “All these kids have their ducks in a race. Nobody actually knows which duck is theirs, but they cheer them on in a race and it’s really a great event.”

Berger and Ann Maria Blescia-Courter, the executive director of the MBA, an organization dedicated to promoting the economic and physical revitalization and welfare of area businesses, introduced the duck derby to the seaside city.  Hundreds of weighted, numbered rubber ducks are plunged into the bay into a closed course. With a little help from the current, the ducks are funneled towards the finish line. After the event, Scott’s Dock kayakers use fishing nets to collect the ducks.

“Sometimes people ask if we’re using real ducks, and I have to remind them that these are tiny, yellow rubber ducks,” Blescia-Courter said.

Scott’s Dock , Margate’s sole recreational rental business will play host to what has become a beloved citywide event. It is the oldest, continuously-running business operating for 65 years. Ray Scott’s family opened the bait & tackle, kayaking, and bay conservation shop in 1959. It’s a 3rd generation family-owned business that provides boat rentals, seasonal boat and jet ski slips, winter storage, marine supplies and more.

“We call ourselves the stewards of the bay at Margate,” said Ray Scott, owner of Scott’s Dock. “We offer a different experience for visitors who just sit on the beach. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there’s a lot more to the environment and this island that we live on here.”

Scott’s Dock champions environmental and conservation efforts on the bay. For the past 25 years, it has operated a rehabilitation program for diamondback terrapin turtles inside the bait & tackle shop. Scott said the turtles are the size a quarter when they hatch, and a tennis ball by the time that they’re ready to return to the wild. He added that without human intervention, only one to two percent of the turtles would survive. During the city’s annual Funfest, the community helps Scott’s Dock release the rehabilitated turtles into the bay.

“It’s cool to see young people get into fishing, because eventually that turns into caring about that environment that they’re fishing in a lot more and training young people to be aware of that is a big deal.” Scott said. He began working in the shop when he was 15 years old. He said all he cared about was going fishing, but his dedication to environmental activism would gradually surface as he grew older. “That’s why it’s so important exposing the youth to fun activities on the bay, because they’ll have to take care of it one day.”

Scott’s Dock employees are devoted to maintaining a healthy bay, and their commitment is one of the reasons why Margate, N.J. city leaders invest in their community members, small businesses and local events like the Duck Derby.

“This just gives Margate a sense of community,” said Commissioner Cathy Horn. “It allows from young and old to come together, have fun. The cornhole is for 21 and up, the Jenga and Connect 4 are for the kids. We’re making this a great place to be.”

Children can also try their luck at the Duck Chuck, Quack in the Hole, Fishin’ for Fowl and other great activities for some fun prizes. Providing musical entertainment is USA DJ who will host a Chicken Dance competition with the best dancer winning a prize!

The Margate Business Association is also preparing for the Margate Fall Funfest by the Bay on September 28 and 29. The city’s marquee event features more than 110 booths and amusements comprised of mouthwatering foods, unique fine arts and crafts, Margate retailers, sponsors, nonprofits, Margate City municipal departments, kid’s activities, live music, parades and tournaments.

For more information on the Duck Derby and future events in Margate, go to Margatehasmore.com.

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