OPENING DAY ON THE BAY

&

THE BLESSING OF THE PLEASURE CRAFT

By: Doug Owen, CYC

For the 46th consecutive year, Corinthian Yacht Club will sponsor the Blessing of the Pleasure Craft on San Francisco Bay as part of Opening Day on the Bay activities on Sunday, April 26th.

Traditionally hailed as the beginning of the summer boating season, Opening Day takes it tradition from the 19th Century. During the months of winter storms, the arks, floating summer homes on barges, would take refuge in the lagoon located where the Belvedere Post Office now stands. In spring, the bridge spanning the lagoon would be opened, allowing the arks to once again seek anchorage in the areas of Belvedere Cove and Richardson Bay for the summer months. Many of those arks now line Main Street in Tiburon.

In 1963, Captain ElmerTowle and Staff Commodore Charles White, members of Corinthian Yacht Club, took the position that, if the fishing fleet received a blessing at the outset of their season in the spring, why not the pleasure craft? It was decided among Corinthian members that a yacht would be anchored in Raccoon Strait with, among others, members of the clergy aboard, allowing pleasure craft to pass in review on Sunday morning to receive a blessing for their summer season on the water.

From that humble beginning, the tradition has grown, and has received continuous leadership and support from notable members of CYC. For some of the early years, the United States Navy became a participant, lending at one time a Destroyer as the platform for the festivities. The U.S. Coast Guard has continued the tradition for many years, and each year has graciously supplied a cutter as a platform for what has grown to include a Protestant Minister, a Catholic Priest and a Jewish Cantor to administer the blessings to a floating congregation on Opening Day.

Set your watches & calendar for:

Date: Sunday, April 26, 2008

Place: Raccoon Strait in front of Corinthian Yacht Club (enter from the north)

Time: 10:30 am until 12:00 noon

Bring friends & family; parade past the USCG cutter, receive your blessing and then continue over to the City Front to be part of Opening Day on the Bay Parade, a wonderful San Francisco tradition!