Pirates Of The . . . Mississippi?

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They're not going to make very much progress going upriver with those sails.

There is an event every summer on the Mississippi called the Blessing Of The Fleet. It happens at the little town of Portage des Sioux, Missouri, facing the limestone bluffs on the Illinois side of the river. An amazing number of pleasure boats parade past the slightly run down shrine of Our Lady of the Waters, where the local Catholic priest waves a holy water wand at them and their cargoes of Budweiser.

No idea what this boat is about. This year's decoration theme was mermaids. (Few people bothered.) Last year's was pirates. Somebody didn't get the updated memo. Still, they were enthusiastic.

More of this over the next few days.