Boaters wave as they pass by the viewing station to receive a blessing from Pastor Thor Ramsey. Photo by Canyon Lake Insider.The Canyon Lake Yacht Club officiated the Blessing of the Boats on Sunday on the main lake. The ceremony signaled the official start of boating season in Canyon Lake.
Yacht Club Commodore Ron Wilbur opened the event with welcoming remarks, followed by Boy Scout Troop 2011 presenting the American flag for the national anthem and Pledge of Allegiance.
Representing the City of Canyon Lake, Mayor Pro Tem Dale Welty offered a few remarks and presented the Yacht Club with a certificate of recognition for its dedication to boating and ongoing contributions to the community.
Yacht Club Commodore Ron Wilbur. Photo by Canyon Lake Insider.Representing the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association, President Renee Griffiths presented the club with a certificate of appreciation. in recognition of its many community efforts, such as lake cleanup days, clinics for kids and boat owners, promotion of safe boating, and the production of the annual holiday Parade of Lights.
Pastor Thor Ramsey of the Canyon Lake Bible Club offered a blessing of the boats, an essential and historic part of opening ceremonies in fishing and boating communities around the world. This centuries-old tradition offered anxious families a measure of heavenly assurance as working boats and their crews prepared to depart for sometimes treacherous fishing grounds.
Photo by Canyon Lake Insider.The Yacht Club welcomed two guests from the Shoreline Yacht Club of Long Beach to extend their greetings and well wishes. In the tradition of visiting yacht clubs, Commodore Wilbur presented the club’s burgees to Shoreline Yacht Club Commodore Bruce Davis and Rick Tobin. The two guests reciprocated with a gift of a Shoreline Yacht Club burgee.
At the end of the ceremony, the Shoreline Yacht Club guests unveiled their club’s signal cannon, brought to help Canyon Lake celebrate opening day. In opening day ceremonies in virtually every boating city, yacht clubs blast a signal cannon, maintaining a tradition that began when cannon blasts were used to crack ice on spring harbors so that boats could navigate after the event. With two mighty blasts of the cannon, the Canyon Lake was declared officially open by Commodore Wilbur.
Photo by Canyon Lake Insider.About 30 boats then lined up and paraded past the viewing stand where Pastor Ramsey extended a benediction blessing and Commodore Wilbur saluted each boat indicating that it had passed inspection and was clear to cruise on the lake.
After the blessing, Yacht Club member Paul Hawker led the boats in a lap around the main lake, after which several boats tied up for the celebratory after-party.
