2012 Date and Theme are set, there is a slight change in the routes,
click on the "Boat Parade" tab for more information.

Benefit for the Blessing of the Fleet!
Saturday, June 9th from 1 PM to 4 PM
Scroll down for more information.

PRESS RELEASE AND MEDIA INFORMATION IN A TEXT FILE, CLICK HERE
RIGHT CLICK HERE AND SELECT "SAVE TARGET AS" TO DOWNLOAD

Click HERE to read the article in the Alton Telegraph about the 2011 Blessing of the Fleet!

Here are some pictures of the winners from 2011,
click on a thumbnail to see the larger version.

Cruiser Category	Storm Treasure
Houseboat Category	Sandy M
Pontoon Category	Ginger Bell
Runabout Category	The Shark
Sailboat Category	Gypsy Rose II
Con Trios Yacht Club	Storm Treasure

Click HERE or on poster for full size version to print or download.

Click HERE to read the article in the Alton Telegraph about the 2011 Blessing of the Fleet!

News articles on the 2010 Blessing of the Fleet:

Click here to read the article in the Alton Telegraph

News articles on the 2009 Blessing of the Fleet:

Click here to read the article on STLToday.com

Click here to see a photo gallery of the parade on STLToday.com

Click here to read the article on TheTelegraph.com

Website design and hosting compliments of CaptainWeil Computer Services LLC

BLESSING OF THE FLEET AND PARADE OF BOATS

DATE: SATURDAY, JULY 21st, 2012

THEME: "Mark Twain"

PARADE STARTING POINTS:

1:00 PM Yacht Club of St. Louis lead by Captain Randy Bicknese in the cruiser "Lady Di"

1:00 PM Harbor Point Yacht Club lead by Captain John Bloch in the cruiser "Audy B II"

2:15 PM Blessing Commences at Shrine of Our Lady of the Rivers

CELEBRANT:

Reverend Robert L. Banken

AWARDS: Presentation at Palisades Yacht Club immediately after the Parade

Decorate YOUR BOAT and JOIN US!

VIEWING THE PARADE FROM LAND

Non boating spectators are invited to watch from the Shrine, Palisades Yacht Club and neighboring LongShot Saloon / My River Home Marina where courtesy boat docks are available. Palisades Yacht Club and Longshot Saloon will both have live entertainment, food and drink available. They are within walking distance of each other so you can enjoy a full day of fun on the river. Other locations to watch the parade pass by are The Boathouse Food & Deck. Grafton Harbor, Alton Marina

Thanks to the following supporters:

Palisades Yacht Club

LongShot Saloon / My River Home Marina

Bloch Marine Service / TowBoatUS

Grafton Harbor

Alton Marina

Con Trios Yacht Club

www.RiverBills.com

The Boathouse Food & Deck

www.RiverWebCams.com

Printing furnished by Stolze Printing Company, Inc., Bridgeton, MO.

Live Video of the Parade courtesy of Tom Stolze of OfallonWeather.org

NOTE: Parade is comprised of Two (2) Sections departing Harbor Point Yacht Club and Yacht Club Of St. Louis respectively at 1:00 PM.

Both Sections will proceed toward the Shrine Site to merge for the Blessing commencing at 2:15 PM.

MONITOR VHF CHANNEL 71 DURING PARADE,
PLEASE KEEP CHANNEL CLEAR FOR PARADE INFORMATION.

PARADE ROUTE CHANGES IN 2012

The Parade of Boats heading downstream will now pass by Grafton IL
by using the "2nd cut" below Mason Island. Any boaters that are
not comfortable to go thru there are welcome to continue downstream
to the Confluence Bouy area and rejoin the parade.

The Parade of Boats heading upstream will now pass by Alton IL
Captain John Bloch in the "Follow Me" boat will either circle down
to the Alton Riverfront or actually start from that area.

As always, boaters are invited to join the parades anywhere along
the routes and pass the Shrine for a Blessing with the others.

2011 Blessing of the Fleet Parade Route

click on map for printer friendly version

The Parade will be made up of two sections.

First: starting at Harbor Point Yacht Club Mile 204.5 UMR at 1:00pm and proceeding upstream toward the Shrine Site.

Second: starting at The Yacht Club of St. Louis in the Dardenne Chute at 1:00pm, approximately equal to Mile 215.6 UMR proceeding downstream. This section of the parade proceeds downstream in the Dardenne chute and enters the main channel of the Mississippi River near the upper end of Mason Island. The parade continues downstream in the main channel until approximately Mile 212 UMR (abeam of the Our Lady of the Rivers statue).

The parade turns toward the Missouri shore where it merges with those from Harbor Point parading upstream and passes the statue at 2:15pm going upstream. After receiving a blessing at the statue, the parade continues upstream in Portage Chute, passing Palisades Yacht Club where the boats are judged for awards.

Note: All boaters are invited to join in the parade along the route as it passes your marina.

Blessing of the Fleet webcam will go live soon.
Click HERE or on image below for more pictures on RiverWebCams.com

2012 Awards

Awards by the Blessing of the Fleet, Inc. in five (5) categories:

Best Decorated Cruiser

Best Decorated Houseboat

Best Decorated Pontoon Boat

Best Decorated Runabout

Best Decorated Sail Boat

Awards based on Best Decorated to the year's selected theme as judged by this year's panel of Judges;

Commodore Alan Deutschmann, Con Trios Yacht Club

Bill Kelley, webmaster www.RiverBills.com

 

Special Prize Sponsors

Con Trios Yacht Club - Best Decorated Con Trios Yacht Club member's boat.

Alton Marina and Harbor Point Yacht Club - Best Decorated boat from the upstream group.

From the St. Charles area take Highway 94 North about 12.5 miles north of Interstate 370 to Highway J.

From North St. Louis County and Illinois take Highway 94 about 9 miles West from Highway 67 to Highway J.

Picture Galleries from previous years, all albums will open in a new window.

2011 Blessing of the Fleet aerial pictures courtesy of Mike and Sherri Stanczak

2011 Blessing of the Fleet pictures on Lisa Hickey's facebook page
you need to be a member of facebook and logged on to view Lisa's album

2011 Blessing of the Fleet photos by Tom Stolze.
Tom also broadcast the parade live on the internet via his website http://ofallonweather.org/

2011 Pictures by Maureen aboard the Follow Me boat "Scoundrel"

2010 Pictures by Lisa Hickey aboard the "Texas Lady"

2010 Pictures by Sharon from the Follow Me boat "Scoundrel"

2010 pictures by Pat Reid of Crystal Photography

"Gypsy Rose" Pirate Ship

Historical Photos Courtesy of Rick Estes

2008 photos courtesy of Darryll Weil

2007 photos courtesy of Mike and Sherri Stanczak

2007 photos courtesy of Lynn Tighe

2007 photos courtesy of Darryll and Maureen

2006 photos courtesy of Tim and Lynn Tighe

2005 photos courtesy of Tim and Lynn Tighe

2004 photos courtesy of Darryll Weil

2004 photos courtesy of Tim and Lynn Tighe

2003 photos courtesy of Tim and Lynn Tighe

HISTORY OF THE BLESSING OF THE FLEET, INC. We are proud to announce that The Blessing of the Fleet, Inc., an organization whose purpose is to promote safe boating, will be celebrating their 55TH Anniversary on Saturday, July 21, 2012.

The Blessing of the Fleet, Inc. is responsible for organizing an annual event on the river rich in tradition, The Blessing of the Fleet and Parade of Boats. This event is held on a mid-summer afternoon in July on the Mississippi River between Mel Price Lock and Dam in Alton, Illinois and the Winfield Lock and Dam, Missouri.

The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rivers in Portage des Sioux is the actual site of the ceremony and gets her name from the fact that three major rivers - the Illinois, the Missouri and the Mississippi - all meet within a few miles of the statue. The first pleasure Boat Blessing materialized as a result of a flood that threatened Portage des Sioux in the early 1950’s. The towns’ parish, headed by Rev. Edward Schlattmann, prayed together to the Virgin Mary for the town of Portage des Sioux to be spared from the perils of the raising waters. They together coined a name for the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rivers. As history records, the flooding waters parted and traveled just above and below the river town without entering it. To pay tribute to their Lady, the town people and parishioners, Schlattmann and local businessmen and local boatmen formulated plans for the first religious fiberglass statue.

Eventually the 25’ Statue of Our Lady of the Rivers and a 25’ Base were erected at the site of Portage des Sioux. It remains today as the fourth tallest statue of Mary in the world. Over the years it has served as a navigation aid for the area and the podium from which the annual Blessing of the Fleet takes place. As each vessel approaches the base of the Shrine and slows to idle speed a blessing is bestowed as they pass imploring heaven to protect and bless them in these waters. This tradition has proven to be the highlight of the areas boating season and each year attracts hundreds of participating decorated pleasure craft, as well as, spectators to the area. Together they display an exquisitely executed celebration of the season, exhibiting a long inspired passion for boating and relating knowledge of history.

Participants compete for awards in specific categories by decorating to a designated theme for each year and are invited to gather following the parade and blessing for a fun and festive awards ceremony held at a local area marina.

The Blessing of the Fleet works in conjunction with area marinas, harbors, various related area businesses, as well as civic and local organizations and has the cooperation of the City of St. Louis Fire Department-Marine Division, The City of St. Charles, Mo., U.S. Coast Guard and U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the U.S. Power Squadron, Missouri Water Patrol, and Our Lady of the Rivers Shrine Committee of Portage des Sioux, Mo.

To all past and present officers and committee members of the Blessing of the Fleet, Inc. who have dedicated their time and talents over the past fifty plus years to preserve and maintain this tradition, we are honored to congratulate you on achieving this 55th Anniversary. To generations yet unborn, The Shrine and this Annual Tradition will together serve as a symbol of our generations appreciation of the nautical sensibility and natural beauty of this area where three rivers meet near the site of the Statue of Our Lady of the Rivers, Portage des Sioux.

Congratulations Blessing of the Fleet, Inc. on these Accomplishments

Obituaries

Posted 5/15/2012

Jeanette Eberlin who was very active for many years with the Blessing of the Fleet passed away this week. She was the media go to gal for newspapers, radio and got the event on TV many times. She may have been one of the original members.

Here is her obituary from the Post Dispatch.

Jeanette M. Eberlin
(nee Roux), Monday, May 14, 2012. Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church.
Beloved wife of the late James A. Eberlin Sr.; dear mother and mother-in-law of Rita (Greg) English, James A. (Randie) Eberlin Jr., Conrad Hoormann, Glenn Hoormann and Jean (Greg) Vedvig; dear grandmother of Elizabeth, David, Erika, Frankie, Mackenzie, Tyler, Kevin, Tina, Krista, Crissy, Tiffany, Alexis, Jessica and Jennifer. dear great grandmother, great great grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend. Special thanks to her caregivers, Cathy, Pat and Deb.

Jeanette proudly served the City and People of Hazelwood as Ward 6 Councilwoman for 28 years. She also performed community service roles as Mayor Pro Tem, Planning and Zoning Commission and she was instrumental in bringing Mills Mall to Hazelwood. She spoke of her fellow City of Hazelwood employees and residents as the finest in the entire State of Missouri. The world loses a great community servant, devout Catholic, journalist, editor, speech writer, friend and mother, who will be greatly missed by all.

Services: Funeral from HUTCHENS Mortuary, 675 Graham Rd., Florissant 9:15 AM, Friday, May 18 to St. Ferdinand Catholic Church for 10 AM Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation 4-8 PM, Thursday, May 17 at Hutchens Mortuary.
Published in St. Louis Post-Dispatch on May 16, 2012

______________________________________________________________________________

June 14th, 2011

Denny Galkowski

Blessing of the Fleet Board Member and Con Trios Past Commodore (2009) Denny Galkowski passed away following complications from surgery after he had suffered a stroke. Denny was my mentor and Commodore my year as Fleet Captain and I could not have done it without his help and input. He was a very strong supporter of both the Con Trios Yacht Club and the Blessing of the Fleet, having served as a Board Member on both organizations. Denny was a Paramedic with the St. Charles County Ambulance District. He was an accomplished boater along with his lovely wife Pat in the cruiser "2XS" out of Polestar Marina. Denny will be sorely missed by all of us. Our Condolences, Prayers and Love go out to Pat and their family at this sad time.

______________________________________________________________________________

Posted October 28th, 2007

Lynn A. Tighe

Lynn Tighe, beloved wife of Commodore Tim Tighe has died at her home after a brave and private battle with pancreatic cancer. Lynn was an avid and accomplished boater that loved being on the rivers with friends and family aboard her yacht " Patience ". She was an active and strong supporter of CTYC and played a major role with Tim as Fleet Captain and this year as Commodore.
Lynn was also a very active officer of the Blessing Of The Fleet, Inc. and help guide that organization to it's 50th anniversary celebration this year.
Lynn was a friend to many, always warm, welcoming and fun loving.
Lynn A. Tighe, the First Lady of Con Trios Yacht Club will be missed.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Tim and the Tighe family. Arrangements are as follows:
A memorial service will be held Thursday, November 1, 2007 at Sunset Hill Funeral Home located at 50 Fountain Drive at Route 157, Glenn Carbon Il. 62034 ( 618-656-3220 ). The family will begin receiving friends at 4:00 PM. A memorial service will be held at 7:00 PM. A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, November 2, 2007 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, 325 East Vandalia, Edwardsville, Il. 62025.( 618-656-6420 ). The family request that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Lynn A. Tighe Gardens at SIU-E, c/o The SIU-E Foundation, Campus Box 1082, Edwardsville, Il. 62026.

Click here to read Lynn's obituary in the Edwardsville Intelligencer newspaper

Click here to read the story in the Alton Telegraph newspaper

Thanks to Bill Kelley from www.riverbills.com for the link

______________________________________________________________________

Posted October 22nd, 2007

David A. Simon

Suddenly while boating on the river on Sunday, October 21, 2007. Dave was loved and cherished by family, friends and pets. He also loved boating and was active in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Services: Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2007 at SHEPARD Funeral Chapel, 9255 Natural Bridge at I-170 from 9:30 until time of service at 11:30 a.m. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. Family request Memorial Contributions to Humane Society, 1201 Macklind Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110 or Blessing of the Fleet, 853 Brentford Drive, St. Louis, MO 63125.

Photo and information from http://www.riverbills.com/ and http://www.legacy.com/stltoday/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=96651724

Contact Information

Darryll Weil, President, Blessing of the Fleet Inc.

Telephone: 314-303-2819

Email: captainweil@sbcglobal.net

FAX: 636-326-1898

Website design and hosting compliments of CaptainWeil Computer Services LLC