Images

Christening the Beeman with a bottle break
Christie Beeman, daughter of Ogden Beeman, who led the Waterways Navigation Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District from 1960-1967, breaks a ceremonial champagne bottle over the bow of the district’s newest hydrographic survey vessel, the Beeman, during the boat’s christening in Newport, Oregon, Jan. 11. A ship christening is a centuries-old maritime tradition that asks for a new vessel’s blessing and protection before it’s officially placed into operation. It typically includes a blessing and the smashing of an enclosed champagne bottle designed for ceremonial purposes over the ship’s bow. The Beeman replaces and continues the mission of the Patterson, an aging boat that has surveyed Oregon’s coastal entrances for 22 years. The Portland District maintains 244 navigable river miles along with 22 ports and harbors as part of its long-standing navigation mission. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Chris Gaylord)

Download Image: Full Size (5.88 MB)
Tags:
Photo by: Chris Gaylord / Portland District, Corps of Engineers |  VIRIN: 230111-A-KH311-0030.JPG