Boaters blessed for sea journeys

A Cherry Point chaplain said prayers Saturday morning for about a dozen boats and their owners at the New Bern Grand Marina.

The Cape Lookout Sail and Power Squadron, a New Bern-based boating education and service organization, held its annual "Blessing of the Fleet." Capt. William Lesak blessed some of the squadron members and other boaters.

Lesak asked God to oversee everything the people do on the water and on land. He prayed for Don and Betsy Albaugh and their boat, Oceanides. He prayed for George and Louise Halyak and their boat, Fancy Free.

Karl and Lucy Lichty of New Bern had their 45-foot boat, LuSea, blessed at dock B. The Lichtys had the ship blessed several years ago in the San Francisco Bay. They had the boat shipped through the Panama Canal to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

"We actually sold our home in California and bought a home in New Bern to have this adventure," Lucy said. "It was Karl's fantasy to do this."

The Lichtys are making what they call the "6,000-mile loop," a trip that takes boaters through waterways on the east coast, into the harbor in New York and the Erie Canal, down the Mississippi River and around the coast of Florida.

"We have a blessed boat at the moment, so nothing can go wrong," Karl said.

Jewt and Susan Collyar had their boat, Bifrost, blessed at dock D. The Collyars recently returned from a trip to the Bahamas, where they traveled through a heavy storm.

In Norse mythology, Bifrost is the name of the rainbow stairway between earth and heaven, Susan said. The Collyars have had their boat blessed before, too.

"It's very emotional, especially with the Navy hymn we sing and the chaplain here," Susan said. "This whole thing means a lot when you're out there. When you're out at sea, it makes you realize just how little you are and that someone's watching over you."

The squadron held a ceremony for two of its friends, James Doyle and Art Levan, who died in the past year. Rob Thompson played "Taps" on a horn and "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes. About 50 people then sang "The Navy Hymn." A few people sniffled between words.

At the end of the ceremony, Stan and Peggy Bazydola drove their 17-foot boat into the Neuse River, to the south side of the Neuse River Bridge. Mike McCulley threw a flowered wreath over the stern of the boat.

"It's environmentally friendly," he said. "And it's to acknowledge all mariners who died at sea and power squadron members past and present."