SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND CA — In celebration of the 100th Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association (PICYA) Opening Day on the SF Bay 2017, the U.S. Postal Service will provide two Building Bridges special postal cancellations with the Sea Surface Temperatures Forever Stamp that depicts Earth temperatures generated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Sunday, April 23, 2017.
The "Opening Day on the Bay" will include two ceremonies:
Oakland:
8:10 a.m. at Jack London Square, Oakland, CA 94610
Oakland Ceremony Presenting Plaques to Daughters of the American Revolution La Puerto De Oro San Francisco and Presidio Chapters and Native Daughters of the American West
3:00-7:00 p.m. Sale of Stamp, Envelopes and ‘Building Bridges Special Postal Cancellation
$2.50 in protective cover
At the Jack London Square ceremony the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will leave the dock to conduct a cannon battle on the SF Bay at the start of the parade.
San Francisco:
8:30 a.m. San Francisco, Pier 3 Embarcadero. Ceremony Presenting Plaques to Pacific Inter- Club Yachting Association and Grand Marshal: Lieutenant Colonel John Morrow, of the 54th Commander and District Engineer of the San Francisco District (United States Army Corps of Engineers).
3:00-7:00 p.m. Sale of Stamp, Envelopes and ‘Building Bridges Special Postal Cancellation
$2.50 in protective cover
Oakland Postmaster Daryl Trujillo will be aboard Lady Washington with Commodore of the International Fellowship of Rotarians San Francisco Fleet Karen Lile who has challenged the Hawaiian Chieftain to a cannon duel on the Bay.
The second ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. on Pier 3 San Francisco Embarcadero before 200 dignitaries from 100 yacht clubs.
San Francisco Postmaster Abraham Cooper and Commodore Winston Bumpus, of the Pacific Inter-Club Yachting Association will be aboard the Hornblower when the two tall ships fire cannons at each other in Richardson Bay near Sausalito starting at 10:40 a.m.
This Building Bridges pictorial cancellation is a line drawing created especially for this event by Building Bridges Art Director Karen Lile, with a symbol of a handshake forming a bridge over the water on the left and the part of the PICYA event logo for the 100th Anniversary on the right. Representing Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, the two tall ships are named in the middle: Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain. This special cancellation is part of the Building Bridges Series which began in 1996.
The Global: Sea Surface Temperatures Forever Stamp went on sale April 22, 2014 for customers to mail a one-ounce First-Class letter overseas. Customers may buy this stamp and have it cancelled by the Building Bridges Special Postal Cancellation, only from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at Jack London Square and Pier 3 Hornblower Yacht Landing. This $1.15 stamp is also available at usps.com/stamps, at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), at Post Offices nationwide or visit ebay.com/stamps to shop from a wide variety of postage stamps and collectibles.
The 1.27 inch diameter stamp depicts a visual representation of the planet’s sea surface temperatures. It shows the Earth with North America at the center and parts of South America, Asia and Europe just visible on the edges, surrounded by vivid bands of color throughout the oceans.
The image also combines the depiction of sea-surface temperatures with visible vegetation on land masses, an element derived from a satellite composite created by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Postal Service Art Director William Gicker designed the stamp.
More information on Building Bridges may be found on www.buildingbridgesofpeace.com.
MEDIA ALERT: For photos and video footage of the boats on the bay and access to the ceremonies at Jack London Square and Pier 3, contact Zachary Stocks, Program Development Director of Grays Harbor Historical Seaport at 1-703-517-6698 or zstocks@historicalseaport.org
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