2008 Blessing of the Fleet
Planning is now in progress and volunteers
from the Occoquan community are asked to contact ORMA to help with the
Blessing on May 10. Get on the ORMA mailing
list by sending an e-mail to George
Allen.
2007 Blessing of the Fleet
Planning is now in progress and volunteers
from the Occoquan community are asked to contact ORMA to help with the
Blessing on May 12. Get on the ORMA mailing
list by sending an e-mail to Chris
Webster.
2006 Blessing of the Fleet
2005 Blessing of the Fleet
2004 Blessing of the Fleet
2003 Blessing of the Fleet
The Occoquan Blessing of the Fleet was to be held on May 10, 2003, from 11am to
2pm, but the event was canceled due to bad weather.
History of the Occoquan Blessing
of the Fleet
For years, the Occoquan community sponsored an annual Blessing of the
Fleet. In about 1990 or so, the tradition was discontinued. But in 1999,
the Yacht Clubs of the Occoquan re-established the tradition. In 1999,
nearly 70 boats participated in the event, which was facilitated by the
Occoquan Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
In 2000, the number of vessels blessed more than doubled, with about 114
vessels participating. And the supporters more than doubled, too: the
Coast Guard Auxiliary, Tow Boat U.S (Potomac Marine), public safety crews,
and the volunteers who donated their spare time by collecting and painting
plastic milk jugs with orange paint, to mark the route so well, and stayed
behind to laboriously pull the markers back out of the water afterward.
Chaplain
Gunter's blessings from this year (2000) are quoted below, for those of
you who would like a copy. The first one is the opening invocation. The
second one is the prayer used to bless each boat as it hove into sight
of the Blessing Boat, the "General Quarters."
The
Invocation
Eternal Father, who created
the seas and the great waters of this good earth, we come here today to
ask your blessings on us who find joy and serenity in running before the
winds of your warm Presence. As we regard the beauty of your sunsets, may
we thank You for eyes to see. As we hear the sounds of the wind and the
waves, may we thank You who gave us ears to hear. And as we embrace the
invigorating air, may we thank the God who gave us taste and smell to appreciate
the good things in life. May we experience You in this ceremony today. Create
and maintain among us cheerfulness and a good ship's spirit in all we do
both ashore and afloat. Grant Fair weather in all our voyages and always
bring us safely to port. Now bless those whose labors and skills have made
this event possible. We pray in Your name. Amen.
Boat Blessing
Dear God, we commend to your gracious
care the vessel known as ___________. May your blessing be on this good
craft and all who sail in her. Bear her on with favorable winds and deliver
her from harm upon the waters. Amen.
Pictures from 2002
Newspaper articles about the
Blessing
Who got blessed this year
Pictures from 2001
Newspaper articles about the
Blessing
Pictures of the Fleet
Pictures from 2000
The
"Blessing Boat"
Guests
on the VIP Boat
Another
view from the VIP Boat
Procession
in the Morning Haze
A
Beautiful View of the Procession of Boats
VIPs
posing for a picture, before getting underway
A
few of the many patrol boats, keeping us safe, and on course
Pictures from 1999
OYC'
s "Cheers" (U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 42922) Helps Control the Traffic
Flow
A
Navy Chaplain blesses a passing boat from the aft deck of OYC's Shalimar.
Blessing
another boat...
1999
Blessing of the Fleet Parade Route
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