Lake Martin Magazine

The centuries-old tradition of the Blessing of the Fleet will once again find its way to the shores of Lake Martin April 14. The seventh annual Blessing of the Fleet event hosted by StillWaters Yacht Club will be held Saturday, April 14, at 11 a.m. by Harbor Pointe Marina in Dadeville. A.B. Campbell, power fleet captain of the yacht club, said the event is open to anyone who wants to participate.

While many experiences on Lake Martin are individual or family oriented in nature, there are a few boating clubs that offer group adventures and fellowship on the 40,000-acre reservoir.

Gary Woodsmall is commodore of StillWaters Yacht Club. He and his wife, Kathy, also own their own small fleet of boats: Serotonin, a pontoon boat, Nauti-Dawg, a center-console fishing boat and Gray Goose, an aluminum fishing boat. The Woodsmalls live in Susannah Crossing and have two sons and five grandchildren.

The Rev. John Mann, dressed in his robe like he was preaching for a Sunday service, almost fell out of his boat a couple of times during the second weekend in May, but he maintained his balance and held the cross high to bless the fleet at StillWaters Yacht Club.