\nBlessing of the Fleet

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Thursday\, April 25

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5:00pm &ndash\; Hooper Strait Lighthouse

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Celebrate the beginning of this year&rsquo\;s boating season by joining the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels\, Md. for its annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony. The April 25 ceremony begins at 5:00 p.m. near the \;boatyard\, inviting the public to honor the working vessels and pleasure craft of the Chesapeake Bay\, including CBMM&rsquo\;s floating fleet. Prayers will be offered to boaters for a safe and bountiful season\, and also for those mariners whose lives have been lost at sea.

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Easton High School&rsquo\;s NJROTC \;will begin the ceremony with a presentation of the colors\, followed by the Star Spangled Banner and Navy Hymn. The blessing will be performed by the \;Rev. Kevin M. Cross of \;The Church of the Holy Trinity \;in Oxford\, Md.

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At this year&rsquo\;s event\, a special blessing will be given for the 1889 log-bottom bugeye\, \;Edna E. Lockwood. A registered National Historic Landmark\, \;Edna \;represents the last remaining historic log-bottom bugeye still under sail\, and is considered the queen of CBMM&rsquo\;s fleet of historic Chesapeake vessels. This historic restoration of her log-hull is underway in the boatyard through 2018.

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Blessing of the Fleet is free and open to the public\, with a reception following\, offering light refreshments and live music with a Chesapeake theme from the \;Royal Oak Musicians. In the event of rain\, the ceremony will be moved into \;CBMM&rsquo\;s Small Boat Shed.

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&ldquo\;The Blessing of the Fleet is a terrific way to kick off the season for all \;boaters and CBMM guests\,&rdquo\; said CBMM Guest Services Manager Ed Rowe. &ldquo\;Our campus starts to fill up in April\, with a wide range of activities and projects for guests of all ages to engage in. We can&rsquo\;t wait to see everyone.&rdquo\;

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Boaters are invited to bring their vessels to the ceremony\, with marina reservations made by contacting CBMM Guest Services Manager Ed Rowe at \;erowe@cbmm.org \;or at 410-745-4981. For more information\, visit \;cbmm.org.