Photos and captions: Ted Pease.

Between the crab shutdown and the promise of very difficult winter weather, this looks to be a rough year for commercial fishermen. But commercial fishermen felt the love of the community at this morning’s “Blessing of the Fleet” in Trinidad, one of Humboldt’s best and most beautiful annual traditions.

Says reporter Ted Pease, who was on-scene:

The 20th annual Blessing of the Fleet above Trinidad Harbor drew a Thanksgiving morning crowd of about 150 fishermen, residents, families and friends. The event, organized by family members of Trinidad’s 17 commercial crabbers, features traditional Tsurai and Christian blessings, music and a Coast Guard fly-by as residents of the small fishing village send out good thoughts for a safe season.

Amen.

Carrie Collins on deck as Marge O’Brien prepares to read a poem about strippers at the 20th Annual Blessing of the Fleet. Yes, there’s a story there.

Coast Guard fly-by.