Description: Our ship was the Frederick L. Nolan. It was a relatively small ship and it was certainly not luxurious. We hopped aboard and headed right up to the top of the ship. Many of the people chose to sit down inside of the boat. If you want to be able to experience the outdoor views you need to be able to climb stairs.
The tour leaves from Long Wharf and takes about 45 minutes. It makes one stop at the Charlestown Naval Yard where you can leave the boat and hop back onto another tour. The tour begins as soon as you pull out of the berth. You are given a running commentary for most of the rest of the tour.
Boston was settled in 1630 and it didn’t take them long to realize that the New England land was poor and that their prosperity was going to come from the harbor. The Pilgrims had no aversion to making a buck as a matter of fact financial prosperity was a sign of God’s favor. It was this wealth that got the attention of the British Parliament and they implemented new taxes to get their share of the money. Thus without representation the seeds of the American Revolution were sown.
Today the Lobster industry is thriving and brings in $200 million a year. There are traps to be seen in Boston Harbor itself.
As we were cruising around the harbor we could see planes landing at Boston’s Logan Airport which services over 24 million passengers a year.
The views of the Boston skyline from the harbor are unsurpassed. It is a new skyline with only one building over 40 years old. The oldest skyscraper is the Marriott Custom House Hotel and timeshares.
From the cruise you can see the steeple of the Old North Church in the North end.
You are able to walk around on the boat while it is cruising. There are folding chairs on the upper deck if you want to sit down. Inside there is a snack bar and you can have a nosh if you want or need to.
I enjoyed this tour and the fact that it was free was even better. The tour is offered along with the Beantown Trolley tour from May-October. If you buy the two day ticket you can choose either day for your tour. If you buy the Go Boston Card the Harbor Cruise is also included.
Since it was October it was quite chilly so be prepared with a sweater or a coat.
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