Post by robspace on Aug 8, 2008 9:08:12 GMT 9.5
I left Vancouver Wa. at 3 am to be there for the Blessing Of The Fleet at 11.00 am. I stopped to pick up my daughter in law and her son and my grandaughter Amiah. We got there and there was about 70 people or so sitting on the chairs on the dock overlooking the ocean and the boats on the pier. These are fairly small commercial boats but these guys go out there and ride the waves to bring in the fish every day.
The ceremony started with a lady blowing bag pipes to Amazing Grace then there was a color gaurd. We all stood up as the flag was raised and it blew in the wind. Then a prayer was read and a blessing to the fishermen that will be going out again this year. About 4 or 5 people read poems and there was different musicians and singers. Then the part that I came 300 miles for. The reading of the names of the fishermen lost at sea in their area.
There was about 20 names read out from the oldest dates to the newest. When a persons name was called out a bell was rung and a member of that persons family would go up front and recieve a rose that they could keep or put on the big wreath sitting there which would be taken out to sea. When my sons name was read Lisa , my daughter in law, took the kids and went up to get the rose. Amiah was given a rose for her dad and her grandpa cried. I was supposed to take some photos of her getting the rose but I got too choked up and only got a couple and I don't know how good those will be. It was just too hard to hear his name being called.
After the ceremony there is a big lunch out on tables but I couldn't eat. Lisa says we need to be there every year for this and I suppose she's right but I sure hope it gets a little easier to handle.
I spent the next 3 days down there enjoying my grandaughter. She looks so much like my son. She has beautiful blond hair and solid blue eyes and laughs real easy. A really good girl. So happy to have her. Her dad would have loved her alot!
The ceremony started with a lady blowing bag pipes to Amazing Grace then there was a color gaurd. We all stood up as the flag was raised and it blew in the wind. Then a prayer was read and a blessing to the fishermen that will be going out again this year. About 4 or 5 people read poems and there was different musicians and singers. Then the part that I came 300 miles for. The reading of the names of the fishermen lost at sea in their area.
There was about 20 names read out from the oldest dates to the newest. When a persons name was called out a bell was rung and a member of that persons family would go up front and recieve a rose that they could keep or put on the big wreath sitting there which would be taken out to sea. When my sons name was read Lisa , my daughter in law, took the kids and went up to get the rose. Amiah was given a rose for her dad and her grandpa cried. I was supposed to take some photos of her getting the rose but I got too choked up and only got a couple and I don't know how good those will be. It was just too hard to hear his name being called.
After the ceremony there is a big lunch out on tables but I couldn't eat. Lisa says we need to be there every year for this and I suppose she's right but I sure hope it gets a little easier to handle.
I spent the next 3 days down there enjoying my grandaughter. She looks so much like my son. She has beautiful blond hair and solid blue eyes and laughs real easy. A really good girl. So happy to have her. Her dad would have loved her alot!