Chapel of Ease Road in St. David's with Revd. Canon James Francis, OBE blessing the boats.

Also on hand was Premier Jenifer Smith's representative, The Revd. Dr. Wilbur Lowe, Jr. MP for St. George's South, and the Revd. Carl Williams of the Chapel of Ease.

The Revd. Canon Francis arrived by boat, having been rowed by members of the Bermuda Sea Cadets across St. Georges harbour.

On the dock, a hymn for those at sea, `Eternal Father', was sung, before the Old Testament reading of Psalm 107, verses 23-32 and a short address by The Revd. Dr. Wilbur Lowe was delivered.

The boats that had gathered in the waters off Smith's Island then filed by the dock and were blessed by The Revd. Canon James Francis of Christ Church in Devonshire.

Many boats, including the Police launch, the pilot boat, fisherman and private yachts were on hand to be blessed.

The Salvation Army band provided music for the opening hymn, as well as leading a processional hymn back up the hill to the church.

A special service was held to mark the occasion, and hymns including `My Anchor Holds', `Master the Tempest is Raging', `We have an Anchor', and `Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me' were sung. The Seafaring service is adapted from a historic event, when in 1849, Bishop Field came to remote St. David's to consecrate the Chapel of Ease.

Tradition has it that when the Bishop of Newfoundland, of which diocese Bermuda was a part at that time, arrived to perform the ceremony, there were many boats that sailed in to watch and he blessed them.

In the years following that first boat blessing, the occasion was celebrated only a handful of times, but it is now an annual event, reintroduced about eight years ago in a bid to promote Bermuda's cultural heritage.

After the service, a traditional codfish breakfast was served in the Chapel of Ease School room and the earlier rains and overcast skies gave way to a beautiful sunny Sunday.

Bless this boat: Revd. Canon James Francis prepares for last Sunday's service while the pilot boat waits to be blessed.