Santa on the Coosa River is a decades old tradition in Wetumpka.
Santa replaces his sleigh and reindeer for a few moments with a wakeboat pulling him as he waves to the crowds along the banks of the river and the Bibb Graves Bridge for Christmas on the Coosa. Tyler Royal was a skiing elf as a teenager while Barry Parker assisted Santa. Royal was called up when Parker needed a rest 10 years ago.
PHOTOS: Wakeboarding Santa on the Coosa River
“I heard something on the roof,” Royal said. “I put on my jacket and went outside.”
Royal didn’t see Santa but he found a note inside his jacket asking him to be Santa’s No. 1 assistant on the river.
Royal has been on the job for a decade now but not without an assistant. His friend Price Perdue controls the boat while Royal aids Santa donning a wetsuit and his famous white trimmed red Santa suit.
Others aid in the process as well. Royal’s father Jeff used to drive the boat and it is still his boat used on the river. Other friends aid as well.
The Wetumpka Fire Department marks rocks with lights to make sure the new sleigh doesn’t hit a speed bump. ALEA Marine Patrol aids in controlling boat traffic. Royal also has a few friends in the boat as spotters and rope aiders.
The ride always starts out the same. Tyler’s father Jeff always prays with the group before backing the boat in the water to pick up Santa.
Jeff Royal said Parker used to aid Santa ski and knee board three decades ago. But since Tyler has become head elf, Santa has wake boarded.
It is something Royal has more than 20 years of experience with.
“I started after I broke my femur and was in a body cast,” Royal said. “I started wake boarding as part of the recovery from it.”
Royal was about 9 years old at the time. Since then he has been wakeboarding on Lake Jordan and Lake Martin and competes professionally. Just last week he was in Orlando and made a comparison of the difference between the waterways.
“The water was a chilly 57 degrees in Florida," Royal said. “It was warmer in the Coosa while aiding Santa (Saturday night).”
This year’s excursion with Santa on the Coosa also had Royal finding a fishing rod to add to the bag of toys.
Royal said he and Santa will likely continue their partnership on the Coosa River.
“It’s been fun and I enjoy it,” Royal said. “It’s great to see how everyone looks forward to it.”
