Blessing of the Fleet

06/08/2026

Time to go!

🍤 Georgia shrimp season is officially opens tomorrow! 🍤

Starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 9, commercial shrimpers can once again head out into Georgia's territorial waters to harvest one of our coast's most iconic seafoods: wild Georgia shrimp.

From shrimp boats working offshore to fresh catches arriving at local docks, markets and restaurants, the opening of shrimp season marks the beginning of another chapter in a tradition that has supported Georgia's coastal communities for generations.

So if you've been craving fresh, local shrimp, now's the time to keep an eye out for the real deal. 🦐

A reminder that commercial shrimp trawlers are required to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) to help protect sea turtles and other marine life.

More info at CoastalGaDNR.org/News/ShrimpOpen2026

Who’s ready for some wild Georgia shrimp? Tell us your favorite way to enjoy them in the comments! 👇

05/02/2026

Today we pay tribute to the railway man, for his talents and more importantly his friendship. May all those who knew Matthew “Buck” Linton find a little joy and some peace today.

04/27/2026

We’re still basking in the joy from the 58th Annual Blessing of the Fleet! We hope you joined us on Sunday for the marine parade and stayed for the winner’s announcement! If not, and even if you did, let’s celebrate them again!

Best Working Class - Sapelo River Red (special shout out to Miss Marion for the support)

Third Place Best Decoration - Grey Ghost

Second Place Best Decoration - Second Wind (owned and captained by our Grand Marshal - Richard Lee)

First Place Best Decoration - Capt Rhett (special guest appearance by the namesake himself)

Thank you to our incredible prize sponsors: First Georgia Hardware & Marine for donating 3 - $500 gift certificates, Harris Ace Hardware-Eulonia for donating 4 flounder gigging lights, Ricky’s Coast to Coast for donating gift certificates for shackles, 2 - 55” dip nets and 1 tri-net, and the Blessing of the Fleet committee for cash prizes for each place!

04/24/2026

Didn’t get a chance to get your 2026 Blessing shirt? We’ve got you covered! Come by the Visitor Center and get yours while supplies last, we currently have all sizes.

04/23/2026

Reminiscing on one of our favorite parts of Blessing week, the Fishermen’s Dinner! It’s always such a great time to have our fishermen come together, share stories, and officially transfer the title of Grand Marshal.

This year we were happy to honor Richard Lee, captain of the Second Wind as the Grand Marshal!

Thank you to Skippers' Fish Camp Oyster Bar & Grill for hosting them for a delicious meal and a wonderful evening!

04/21/2026

The family fishing event is always a highlight of the weekend and this year was no different. Thank you to Ruff's Custom Coastal Adventures for hosting again this year and for Hudson Creek Lodge for being our location! The kids caught a total of 190 fish all together!

Special thank you to First Georgia Hardware & Marine, Sapelo Saltwater Fishing Club and Academy Sports for sponsoring the poles, bait, tackle and prizes!

04/21/2026

Thank you to the McIntosh Middle FFA class for helping set up and for picking up trash in the squares after the event. We love having our students involved!

04/21/2026

SAVE THE DATE! Blessing of the Fleet April 9th - 11th, 2027

It's never too early to plan your travel and accommodations for the best weekend of fun, food, and festivities in Coastal Georgia!

DiscoverDarien.com

04/20/2026

Huge thank you to our friends at The Darien Lions Club for organizing such an incredible parade!

It takes a team to pull off a great parade! A big shout out to the Darien Lions 🦁 parade committee for a job well done! Thank you Lion Todd for taking a great photo!!

12/19/2025

The countdown is on for the 2026 Blessing of the fleet, April 17th-19th! Be sure to follow this page for upcoming announcements.