160416-N-BK435-161 WASHINGTON (April 16, 2016) People watch Seaman Benjamin Dagostino, U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, pour water from the Seven Seas and Great Lakes into the surrounding fountains outside the U.S. Navy Memorial for the 25th Annual Blessing of the Fleets ceremony, April 16. The Blessing of the Fleets ritual is intended to safeguard crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a blessing given by a clergyman at the water’s edge. During the ceremony, Sailors from the U.S. Navy’s Ceremonial Guard and Marines from the U.S. Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, proceeded across the outdoor plaza’s “Granite Sea” and poured the water into the surrounding fountains, “charging” them to life and welcoming the spring season. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeremy Starr/Released)