Ruby Walker
April 13, 2007Nicole Safley
April 16, 2007
Tri-Parish Times
When roughly 20 boats head for Lake Boudreaux on Sunday morning, they will not be alone in their journey to the open waters. The annual Blessing of the Fleet will take place as the trawlers leave St. Joseph Church and travel down Bayou Little Caillou.
According to committee member Melvin “Pie” Foret, the boats will go through the blessing until they reach Lake Boudreaux. “The priest gets on the boat,” said Foret. “We’ll get on the boat with the priests and judges and … as they pass along the bayou, the priests bless the boat.”
It’s a tradition that Foret says has gone on for as long as he can remember. “At least 40 or 50 years, for sure,” he said. “At one time it was way bigger. We had about 80 to 100 boats that would ride. But now a lot of fisherman sold their boats, and they got out of the business. Last year we had about 20 boats that rode.”
The trawlers will have a little flair to them, as well. Each boat is decorated and judged. First- through fourth-place prizes are awarded to the best-decorated boats. “They decorate, they put flags and all that,” said Foret. “Some of them put religious stuff.”
The previous year’s winner leads the fleet, and has Monsignor Frederic Brunet, of St. Joseph Catholic Church, as a passenger.
While the day is about the fisherman, residents of Chauvin typically join the celebration as well. Lining the bayou in their backyards, many residents take the opportunity to do what most Louisianans do best—cook. “The people are all along the bayou,” said Foret. “Having a barbecue and a big family get together. It’s very nice. If you’re in a boat you can see what’s going on, and how many people that’s along the bayou.
“We just hope for good weather … that’s all,” he added.
While the boat parade portion of the Blessing does not start until Sunday morning, St. Joseph Catholic Church will hold a fisherman’s mass at 5 p.m., Saturday. “It’s to bless that everybody is safe, and that we have a good year,” Foret said of the mass.
Also taking place throughout the day is the second Chauvin Folk Art Festival at the Chauvin Sculpture Garden.
At the festival, Everette Lapeyrouse will be cooking cracklings. During Mardi Gras, Lapeyrouse was featured on WWL Channel 4 for crackling cooking.
The art festival is along the route that the fleet takes, allowing people to enjoy both at once. There will be activities for kids at the art festival, said Karin Eberhardt. “We have lots of activities for children,” she said. “The kids can come and they can paint masks, they can make sculptures.”
