Blessing of the Fleet
Monday, June 16, 2008

AHOY BOATERS ! ! !


CRUISE DOWN AND GET BLESSED AT PITTSBURGH'S

FOURTEENTH ANNUAL "BLESSING OF THE FLEET"



WHEN: SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2008



VESSEL SAFETY CHECKS BEGIN AT NOON



BLESSING CEREMONIES AT 2:00 PM



WHERE: POINT STATE PARK WHARF

ALLEGHENY SIDE



SPECIAL EVENTS


* VESSEL SAFETY CHECKS

U.S.COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

U.S.POWER SQUADRON



* MARINE FIRE EXTINGUISHER CHECK

BOATING FIRST AID SUPPLIES

A B C FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY


* WATER & CHILD SAFETY INFORMATION

CHILDREN'S LIFE JACKET SAFETY

CHARTS OF THE THREE RIVERS

SAFE BOATING CLASS INFORMATION

PITTSBURGH SAFE BOATING COUNCIL

This is the Fourteenth year that the Pittsburgh Safe Boating Council has sponsored this ecumenical event, which begins with a Proclamation from the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, proclaiming the week of the Blessing of the Fleet, through the Fourth of July, as "Safe Boating Week In Pittsburgh".

Beginning at Noon on Sunday, June 22, 2008, vessels can gather at the wharf adjacent to Point State Park, on the Allegheny River side, where vessel safety examiners from the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadron will be on hand to give courtesy examinations to their boats. These examinations are voluntary and are given for the safety and education of the recreational boaters. There is no law enforcement involved with this procedure and no penalty for any failures to comply with regulations. However, should any vessel fail to have the necessary safety equipment, the examiners will not be able to affix the inspection decal to their windshield, and the owner will be properly advised as to what is needed for compliance.
Information on the availability of Safe Boating Classes will be provided along the wharf and the "Guide To Three Rivers" book of navigational charts of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers will be available for sale, with valuable information about the locations of the Locks & Dams along all three rivers as well as other important navigational information. These charts are provided by the Pittsburgh Safe Boating Council and have been an important addition to assist recreational boaters for many years. They also contain information pertaining to facilities and services at various marinas along the waterways that prove valuable to traveling boaters who may need to find food, fuel or emergency repair services along their way.

At 2:00 PM, from the upper deck of the Gateway Clipper's Keystone Belle, an ecumenical group of Pittsburgh Clergy will offer their blessings to the assembled boaters and, finally, a blessed floral wreath will be laid in the river to represent a prayer for all those who have lost their lives in the water in the past and a petition that no lives will be lost in our waters in 2008.
The continued partial closure of Point State Park should not affect our event as we only utilize the wharf section along the Allegheny river side and we do not anticipate attendees from the land. However, should anyone plan to attend from the land. Please be advised that access to the wharf through the Point State Park entrance is still fenced off. It will be necessary to come down the steps at the downtown end of the 6th Street (Clemente) Bridge and walk along the wharf to the park.

I welcome all recreational boaters, large or small vessels, to attend this "kickoff" to the Summer Boating Season of 2008"

Captain George Boyle - Chairman


Submitted by: Captain George

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