Photos by Anthony Wihlborg
More than 50 boats and other vessels, under sunny, almost cloudless skies, sailed past Canarsie Pier Sunday during the 51st Annual Blessing of the Fleet.
Hosted by the United Inter-Yacht Clubs, the procession of boats from the metropolitan area included vessels from the Midget Squadron, Riley’s, Brooklyn and Hudson River Yacht Clubs and the Howard Beach Motor Club.
After the ceremonial cannon boom, dozens of pleasure craft, plus Coast Guard Auxiliary, National Park Police, NYC Fire Department and NYPD ma-rine patrol boats, passed the pier in review at six knots as a wreath of flowers was tossed into the sea and a special commemorative prayer was in-toned in memory of all those who had lost their lives at sea.
Rev. Mike Tedone of the Shrine of St. Jude Church and Rabbi Rister of Temple Hillel of Flatlands gave the traditional blessings as the flotilla passed in review.
Pictured (clockwise from top): procession of boats on Jamaica Bay pass Canarsie Pier; yacht club commanders salute passing vessels; Rabbi Rister and Father Tedone; canoers paddle by; Fr. Tedone, City Councilman Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., event organizer Ray Pagano, Vice Commander Tom Polito, Commander Richard Brew, John Coon-ery, Jr., and Rabbi Rister; two of the many boats that were blessed.
Text by Neil S. Friedman
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