Blessing of the Fleet

Submitted

Everglades City celebrated the blessing of the 2015-2016 stone crab fleet on Saturday, September 26. The event was hosted on the grounds of the Rod & Gun Club and included music, a bake sale, local arts & crafts and a frog jumping contest.

Many children from the community enjoyed the festivities. Local correspondent, Amelia Perchalski, reports that “at the blessing of the fleet they had a frog race and they had flower girls that put

flowers out on the docks. I was one of them. The frog race you had to pick a frog and make it jump to the finish line. At the docks the flower girls had baskets and they just put flowers on the docks, similar to a wedding flower girl.”

A local pastor blessed each boat and its crew for a safe and successful season. The stone crabs will begin arriving on the docks on Thursday, October 15. Good luck!