Blessing Of The Fleet

A crowd of more than a hundred turned out last weekend in Picton for the first “Blessing of the Fleet’, a traditional ceremony in fishing ports around the world.

Mayor Alistair Sowman commended the Picton Professional Fishers’ Association for organising the event.

“The Blessing of the Fleet is dedicated to the fishermen of today but also to the memory of those who have lost their lives at sea over the many years of fishing around the Marlborough coastline. I hope this becomes a regular commemoration but also an annual day of festivity and celebration for Picton when we can wish the fishing fleet a good season, abundant catches, calm seas and, always, a safe return to port,” said Mr Sowman.

The memorial is an anchor recovered by the Heberley family from the wreck of the “City of Newcastle”, which sank near Perano Head in 1872.