Blessing of the fleet as much a memorial as a wish for safety
The vessels populating the waters of Pleasant Valley Beach on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, got some well wishes from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, which performed its annual blessing of the fleet at the Moraine State Park Regatta.
This is the first time the ceremony took place during the Regatta. But the move from Memorial Day weekend to the annual celebration of Lake Arthur helped grow the attendance, according to an official with the Western Pennsylvania division of the auxiliary.
Jim Meyer, the financial officer for the division, said the blessing is both a prayer for safety of the people boating on Lake Arthur and a memorial for the people who died over the past year for water-related reasons. This extends past just the Coast Guard or military personnel.
“It’s a memorial for people who passed away, but it’s also a blessing,” he said. “To make sure that when they’re out there, they are safe.”
For the blessing, the Coast Guard Auxiliary laid a wreath in Lake Arthur to memorialize those who died, and the ceremony featured a bagpipe player, who closed the ceremony with “Amazing Grace.” The ceremony also included the playing of “Taps.”
And while the blessing is a four-year tradition of the area division of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Meyer said it’s just one part of the organization’s work. The auxiliary also performs vessel checks, which help ensure boats in the park are prepared to be on the water.
Meyer said the vessel check looks at the condition of the boat as well as the supplies on board. Members of the auxiliary will make sure a vessel has all its safety equipment, including personal flotation devices, a supplies box and a fire extinguisher if the boat has a motor.
The auxiliary will give a certification sticker to boats that pass the inspection or tell the boat owner what they need to do to get it into compliance. Meyer, who has done 22 vessel checks this year, said the fire extinguisher is usually what prevents a boat from passing inspection.
“The biggest stickler is the fire extinguisher,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize they see it charged, but it can’t be over 12 years old. If it’s over 12 years old it’s out of compliance.”
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary meets at 7 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, 473 Airport Road in Penn Township. Meyer said anyone can attend.
