All vessels in the local fleet took part in the annual Blessing of the Fleet in perfect weather at Beachport on Saturday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, all bar one of the 18-strong fleet had checked their lobster pots on the first day of the second month of the 2022/23 lobster fishing season.
Parish priest Father Lyndon Sulzberger of the Millicent/Penola Anglican pastoral district led the mid-afternoon service at the foreshore war memorial rotunda.
The Bible lessons were read by Hazel Watson of St Matthews Uniting Church and Yvonne Sargeant of St Brigid’s Catholic Church.
With a gathering of 200 looking on, prayers were offered for the safety of all seafarers and the Royal Navy hymn “Eternal Father Strong to Save” was sung.
It was the first time in his 25 years of ordained ministry that Father Lyndon had led such a service.
The jumping off the jetty to retrieve the blessed cross followed the on-land service.
As the jetty is in the midst of a multi-million-dollar upgrade, special access was made available by the maintenance crews to the general public by contractors Maritime Constructions Pty Ltd.
Only two young females braved the cold water and the blessed cross was retrieved by Rose Fry and Matilda Lush.
After the cross was retrieved, the fishing boats’ skippers and their crews steamed past the jetty and received a blessing from Father Lyndon.
The annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony dates back decades and is organised by the Beachport Professional Fishermens Association in association with the churches of Beachport.
