[StBernard] Blessing of the Fleet in St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Blessing of the Fleet in St. Bernard Parish

Heavenly prayers aim to overcome what's become hell on earth for many
fishermen.
Today, a blessing of the fleet was held in St. Bernard Parish.

Don robin hangs on his boat in Yscloskey.
It's a break, from what's become his new norm since the oil disaster.

Robin says, "we are kind of starving for a little bit of this because things
have been really I guess stressful with everything we are going through and
this is kind of a way to unwind a little bit."
Robin, his friends, and neighbors, are united to watch, the st. bernard
blessing of the fleet.

With Parish President Craig Taffaro by his side Father John Arnone blesses
the boats and asks for protection for the fishermen.
This year the celebration takes on new meaning for those affected by the
leak.
Father John Arnone says, "we don't know if they'll be able to get back out
life their live, live on the water, we've been through a lot with the oil
spill, it's a big difference."
And robin has felt it.
His oyster farming buisiness of 60 years has shut down completely.
He says, "we went from producing five maybe 800 saks a day to nothing."

His boat once a party place for the tradition is now used in the BP
clean-up.
The blessing comes just a day after more waters opened to commercial
fishing, but for Robin, he says, he's not ready to get back out there.
"We wont be harvesting until we really feel like its safe," says Robin.

Parish President Craig Taffaro says, "what were now fighting is the fact
that the oil spill ever existed, we continue to have conflicting data and
data that we think is prematurely stated that the oil is gone."
Lots of unknowns on day 103 of the disaster.

Robin would like to get back to what his family has done for four
generations.
This afternoon, a blessing in hopes that comes true.