Earlier this month, in conjunction with National Fishing & Boating Week, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey unveiled the latest edition of its popular GOBOATINGNJ.ORG website, which is packed with new videos and features designed to share the excitement of boating in the Garden State.

“Our new website is more comprehensive and appealing than ever,” says Melissa Danko, executive director. “It’s packed with curated resources that cover everything from getting into boating in all its forms, to waterway guides, rules and regulations, good weather resources, tips and useful links, and more. Its format is contemporary, fast-paced and easy to navigate.”

Danko also emphasizes that the revamped website has added more highlights of some of the state’s most popular boating areas and activities to illustrate and entice the wide-ranging boating opportunities that New Jersey offers.

All MTA/NJ members, which number more than 300, are encouraged to share the link and materials with customers and prospects.

National Fishing & Boating Week also saw Twiggy the water-skiing squirrel make television news appearances to promote the National Safe Boating Council’s “Wear It” Campaign, with a stop at the Mall of America in Minnesota.

Over the years, Twiggy has appeared at countless boat shows, festivals and TV shows, even America’s Got Talent. This pint-size Florida squirrel has carried the “Wear It” safety message to Canada, Europe and Japan.

Now, please indulge my reminiscing. I have had a relationship with Twiggy and the Chuck Best family going back nearly 40 years. In late 1985, I received a phone call in my Cleveland office from a Chuck Best who said he had a water-skiing squirrel and wanted me to book him for our Cleveland Boat Show. I recall snidely saying: “Why don’t you send me a video tape” and quickly hung up.

I then told my staff that some guy from Florida had just called claiming he had a squirrel water-skis, and he wanted us to book him. However, when the video tape arrived and I saw Twiggy was real, I ate humble pie and got Twiggy to appear in our 1986 show. Thereafter, Twiggy performed in Cleveland and nearly all the other shows I produced before I retired from the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association.

Today, Twiggy’s critical safety message is still a key part of every performance. She always wears her squirrel-size life jacket. And the message is shared now by Chuck Best Jr., the founder’s son, who with the encouragement of his mother, Lou Ann Best, succeeded his dad following his untimely death.

Remarkably, Twiggy’s popularity has never waned. These days, parents bring their kids to see to this furry skier they first enjoyed years ago. (This is actually the 10th Twiggy to hit the circuit.)

While her crowd-pleasing power is more than enough, as a show producer, perhaps I valued most the media coverage she consistently commanded. There wasn’t a TV crew or newspaper covering a boat show that didn’t want to feature Twiggy. She is invaluable.

I witnessed Twiggy’s show last January in Cleveland. Chuck Best Jr. and his fiancé, Toni, have revamped Twiggy’s performance with interactive components and narration. Nothing compares to Twiggy’s show and I am most thankful I took that first phone call.