Road Trips

Boston Tall Ships Commemorate War of 1812 Bicentennial

The Lynx (USA); Privateer Replica, built 2001, Rockport, Maine
The Lynx (USA); Privateer Replica, built 2001, Rockport, Maine

The Tall Ships are in Boston celebrating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. My wife’s mother is visiting us from Italy, and as a belated Mother’s Day present, we took her to Boston on Saturday, June 30 and went on a harbor cruise to view the tall ships from the water. We took advantage of a trip that was organized by the Rindge Recreation Department that included transportation and the cruise for a very nominal fee.  We arrived at Faneuil Hall well before the scheduled cruise, and had time to walk around a bit and have a leisurely lunch and do some people watching at a restaurant with outdoor tables. The weather on Saturday was beautiful, although the temperature did climb into the 90s.

Once the cruise was underway and we were out on the water, the ocean breeze was a refreshing change from the more stifling heat in Boston itself. I’ve seen the tall ships when they’ve visited Boston before, but never from a tour boat. It was very pleasant to view them from the water. While there were not as many tall ships present this year as we have seen in the past, several countries were represented by the large, steel-hulled training vessels that are used both to train their Navy personnel and to act as good-will ambassadors as they tour the world for events like this one.

Additionally, there were also many modern naval vessels present from several countries, including Great Britain, Canada, Germany, Norway, Denmark, and of course the United States. Sailors and Marines from many nations were scattered throughout Boston doing some sightseeing, and it was interesting to see the many different uniforms on display. But we went primarily to view the tall ships, and it was very pleasant to be able to see them from the deck of a sightseeing boat. The first ship we passed was the Lynx, a replica of a 19th century privateer. The modern Lynx was built in Rockport, Maine and launched in 2001.

After that, we passed the Dewaruci (Indonesia), the Gloria (Columbia), the Guayas (Ecuador), and the Cisne Branco (Brazil), which were all docked together at Fish Pier. All of these large ships are modern, steel-hulled vessels used primarily as training vessels.

 

From there we passed by several of the modern warships that were docked in the harbor, until we eventually arrived at the location where the Eagle (USA) was berthed. It was great to see all this ships in one place, and a wonderful way for Boston to celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

The Dewaruci - 191-foot Barquentine from Indonesia
The Dewaruci – 191-foot Barquentine from Indonesia

 

Gloria - 249-foot Barque from Columbia
Gloria – 249-foot Barque from Columbia

 

Guayas - 257-foot Barque from Ecuador
Guayas – 257-foot Barque from Ecuador

 

Cisne Branco - 254-foot Full Rigged Ship from Brazil
Cisne Branco – 254-foot Full Rigged Ship from Brazil

 

 

Eagle - 295-foot Barque from USA
Eagle – 295-foot Barque from USA

 

 

 

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