The Blessing of the Fleet

Here is an article on the Blessing of the Fleet. I will post my pictures later. My favorite event every year!



Darien's Blessing of the Fleet is listed among top 10 events in Georgia on a Web site called Top Events USA.

It shows the Blessing of the Fleet as the third of 10 best events of the year after the Martin Luther King March and Rally in Atlanta and the Cherry Blossom Festival in Conyers.

"A tradition for over 40 years, the Blessing of the Fleet is a three-day festival that attracts thousands of people to Darien," www.topeventsusa.com says.

Rightly so, said McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce President Wally Orrel.

The 41st annual event, which runs from Friday through Sunday on the Darien waterfront, will swell the population of the small city 20-fold, he said.

"Darien has a population of 1,700," Orrel noted. "We're expecting 35,000, so we're going to be bulging at the seams."

Blessing of the Fleet events include music from nationally known acts, vendors, arts and crafts, a parade, food, a 5-kilometer race, a classic car show and, of course, the shrimp boat parade on the Darien River.

"What makes this festival so great is that we pay tribute to the fishing industry," Orrel said. "There are decades of tradition, and this year, the theme is, 'Still Shrimping After All of These Years.'"

Darien Mayor Kelly Spratt said the Blessing of the Fleet brings national attention to the city and McIntosh County, while paying homage to an important aspect of the area's history.

"It certainly puts us on the map," she said. "It's an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our heritage and our natural resources."

Two dozen shrimp boats are expected to participate in the water parade and be blessed by a Catholic priest and protestant clergy at the Darien River bridge, Orrel said.

"We can't find anyplace else in the world that has a larger shrimp boat parade," he said. "It's a gorgeous event, very picturesque."

The expected large crowd will provide an economic boost to Darien and McIntosh County. An economic impact study carried out by Georgia Southern University projects $800,000 to $1.8 million going into local coffers, Orrel said.

The festival will begin at 5 p.m. Friday when vendor booths open. Well-known McIntosh County singer-songwriter Vic Waters will take to the waterfront stage at 7 p.m. Friday. Country recording artist Rhett Akins will follow at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday's events include a parade at 10 a.m. and a shrimp-eating contest at 4 p.m. The Sensational Sounds of Motown will entertain from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by a fireworks display.

The shrimp boat parade is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, with the festival closing out with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m.

Admission for waterfront events Friday and Saturday is $5 for those 13 and over and free for those 12 and younger who are accompanied by a paying adult. The price of admission includes the musical entertainment on the festival stage.

New to the event this year is a photo contest.

Amateur photographers are encouraged to take pictures of people and scenery during the festival and submit them to photocontest@blessingof thefleet.com. The best will be posted on the event's Web site.

For a complete schedule of events, go to www.blessingof thefleet.com.

Cumberland Island

Even though I grew up in Coastal Georgia, I traveled to the shores of Cumberland Island for the first time. I think Sapelo Island is magical, but Cumberland has the same simple atmosphere. It is easier to envision yourself in another time period when on Cumberland.

I first toured St. Marys, which is a very charming little town. I definitely would recommend any restaurant or bed and breakfast in downtown St. Marys. There are also some very cute shops. For the history lover, the neighborhood, churches, and Orange Hall Museum are a breath of fresh air. There is also a Cumberland Island Museum and Submarine Museum that I definitely want to try at a later date.

I caught the ferry early in the morning and took a peaceful ride to Cumberland. We first stopped at the ruins of Dungeness. The original tabby house was built by Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Greene's wife Catherine. She built the home with her second husband Phineas Miller.

Thomas and Lucy Carnegie (brother to Andrew) started buying land on the island in the 1880s. In 1884, they built a 59 room Scottish castle replica on the site of the old Dungeness. The ruins are a testament to the old house, but also a really good picture of the remnants of the Gilded Age. We saw the famous horses right at the ruins of Dungeness. The outbuildings maintained by the National Parks Service were very picturesque. Also the remnants of old rusted cars were actually a little sad.

Because this was a private tour, we were allowed to go to the Greyfield Inn. I would LOVE to stay there. Fellas if you want to impress the Ladies, this is certainly one of the places that would work. They offer great food, atmosphere, and tours.

My short tour to this island lasted only 5 hours, but it was only a glimpse of the possiblities. I am already making plans for my next trip...

The picture was taken by Carl Eggerson and features my partner in crime for the day Andy.

Cumberland Island Info:
http://www.nps.gov/cuis/

Greyfield Inn:
http://www.greyfieldinn.com/

St. Marys:
http://www.stmaryswelcome.com/