Every year on July 16th, Mallorca’s coastal towns and pueblos celebrate the fiestas of the Mare de Déu del Carme. The Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of all seafaring folks.

Harbour communities celebrating this day in Mallorca would be Porto Andratx, Portocolom, Port de Sóller, Porto Cristo, Port d’Alcúdia, Colònia de Sant Jordi (shown here), plus a few others.

Usually, a church service is held, often in open air surroundings at the harbour, where Carmen, the Virgin Mary, is hailed and blessed. After the service, and weather permitting, the virgin is hauled onto a festively garlanded boat which then leads a maritime procession out into the coastal waters, and back, to the delight of young and old.

The photo was taken in Colònia de Sant Jordi, Ses Salines, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: July 16th, 2008. The time was 21:07:02.