Singing harbor cruise!

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As we like to do, my wife and I went on the Revel’s harbor cruise tonight.


My wife picked me up at work and we drove into Boston. We left an hour and a half to go 30 miles. At one point we weren’t sure that was enough, but the traffic broke and we got there about 20 minutes early.
As is often the case, there was some sort of big party going on at the wharf.


And, as is often the case, we had to wait for our ship to come in.

Actually, that’s a total lie. Our ship is up there on the right at the end of the dock in this picture. We had to wait for the airport water shuttle to come in on the left, load and leave again before we could get on. Our ship was there the whole time.
But, maybe that’s an equally good metaphor. You may not have to wait for your ship to come in, but sometimes you have to let someone else’s ship pull out to sea first.

But, I digress. Waiting by the party means eating at the open air restaurant. We waited over here and wondered if those rain clouds we get here during the cruise.


It was still sunny on one side of the harbor, so we had hope.


Finally they let us board our ship.


Any of the historical or other information I have here is what I’m passing on from the person who was leading the singing. He gives harbor cruises 6 days a week, so I think he knows what he’s talking about. I’ve checked out some of his facts (like the sinking pirate island) and not found any major discrepancies. But, I have not checked them all out and am taking his word.

This schooner is one of the last three sail powered fishing schooners still in Boston harbor. And, the only one still in the water.


The other tour boat didn’t seem to like ours and was doing harbor donuts behind our ship. This made us leave a bit late.


My wife wondered what keeps this building up. It looks pretty much the same every year we go on this trip.

My answer was stubbornness.

She did like the seagull on the light of it.


As soon as the boat cast off, the singing started. The man in front of us seemed very keen to know if we planned to sing and had done this before. (Yes to both.)


The man who was leading the singing came and asked us about sitting in the very back row. I told him it was so we could look behind us. He told us that didn’t get us out of singing. I promised to sing and look back.
It was a nice view.

He told me we could stand up with him and face everyone, then we’d always see behind us. I assured him we were not good enough singers for that.

This tug boat was so fast it powered past us, turned around and came back in the time we made it across half the inner harbor.
I don’t think of tugs going that fast. But, they’ve got big engines.


I’m told that most cargo ports have taller cranes for unloading the boats. But, in Boston they are aware they are under the landing pattern of the airport and keep them shorter.


And, the planes are pretty low.


To me, this photo sums up lots of Boston.
History, sea port old and new, and modern transportation.


When I was young, my mother took us to Castle Island for picnics.


The storm moved south of us. We could see lightning over the south shore, but we didn’t get the rain.


We just got a nice view.



A woman sitting in front of us asked if we wanted our picture together. We said “sure”.


She then told me to turn on the flash as it would be much better with the flash.

I disagree.

This is the fast ferry to Salem. For those coming to visit next week, you may want to consider it. It’s probably more expensive then driving, but probably a lot more fun too.


Behind the cruise ship is Spectacle Island. It used to be a trash dump for the city. Then, they set it on fire and it burned for a decade. Then, they took all the dirt from the big dig project and dumped it on top.
Now it is a island with a beach, trails and picnic areas.

When we go out to the islands, we go to a different one.

There was a huge ship floating in the harbor.


It is a car transport ship that ran around yesterday. They’re waiting to get their hull inspected before they can set off again.
We could see lots of the crew on the balcony watching us.

I felt bad for them being able to see the city and not being allowed to go to shore and enjoy it. But, they did run the ship aground. So, I understand why no shore leave.

We didn’t go all the way out to the island sunk by the pirate curse.

We turned around at the marker for the outer harbor.

And, headed back into the inner harbor.


I have always liked the view of Boston from the water. It’s been 381 years since my family first sailed into the harbor. I like to picture it as it was then with the three hills, much less land and no buildings.


And, no planes buzzing over either.


The city looked really nice as we came back in. But, it is really hard to get good pictures of it in the dark on a moving ship.

So, pictures like this are about 10% of the ones I took.


As we were singing our final song (Leave her Johnny) the moon came out over the harbor.

I can’t really describe how great that was.

But, then we docked and went ashore.


As always, this was a very cool cruise. Traditional sea songs while floating around Boston harbor at sunset. It’s too bad they only do it twice a year.