Kodiak flashback

I arrived in Kodiak a few weeks ago just in time for the last day of the annual Kodiak Crab Fest, and after dumping my stuff at the Fish and Game bunkhouse, I walked downtown to check out the Blessing of the Fleet. The crowd was small, as it was a bit of a walk from the main carnival-like festivities, but it was definitely worth the walk. Any boat can come by and be blessed with holy water by a Russian Orthodox priest.
There was a line of boats when I got there, everything from small fishing boats to large tenders. The priest was singing and flinging holy water from a gold chalice. He was all decked out in his priestly finery. A bunch of Coast Guard guys were there, too. The blessing is meant to keep your boat and crew safe for the season. A good tradition, I think.