A shortened Blessing of the Fleet ceremony was held Sunday, June 27 dockside to greet fishing boats from around the harbor on day one of Windjammer Days. Missing was the traditional reading of the names lost mariners. The reading is usually held at the Fisherman’s Memorial. Judi Appel laid a wreath at the site.

“The bells will be rung as usual,” said Appel, whose mother Estelle Appel has organized the program since 1991.

Estelle Appel greeted officiates Bob Curtis, Kate Pinkham and Peter Llgenfritz who blessed the fleet. They were joined by new Miss Teen Maine Lauren Jorgensen of Winthrop.

Attendees included Marcy Cundall, visiting from South Dakota. Bruce and Nadia Kiacz from Toledo, Ohio were on their first vacation since COVID-19 hit. Also attending were Dennis and Patricia Walsh who moved to Southport last year.

“It was pretty dead around here last year,” said Dennis Walsh.