Position 42:19.77N
071:01.34W
Date 2359 – Saturday 25 June 2011 (UTC -4)
A combination of issues; a good anchorage, a very hospitable yacht club
with a launch service for getting ashore, some very indifferent weather, convenient
shops and a chiropractor for the Mate; all meant that we delayed a week
anchored off the South Boston Yacht Club (SBYC).
Monday was a cycling day; the water front on Dorchester Bay
has an excellent foot and cycle path and we went round the bay to the JF
Kennedy Library but did not venture in. Tuesday was warm and sunny so after a
visit to the chiropractor, Tom Fagan, conveniently a member of the SBYC, we purchased
a 7 day Charlie Card at $15 each, and headed “Downtown”. The
Charlie Card gives the use of buses, subways and local trains plus the ferry;
but note the ferries will only accept 7 day passes, not dailies, and as they do
not yet have card readers you do require the original receipt for the card
purchase.
Boston
has a well marked 2½ mile “Freedom Trail” which takes in many of
the principal sights. Starting at the State House:
and wending its way around the North End, via the King’s Chapel
passed the very poignant memorials to the Irish Famine
and the beautifully
preserved, if somewhat overshadowed Old State House which bears the Lion and
Unicorn of Great Britain giving a good indication of its antiquity. It was in
the Old State House that many of the meetings that lead up to the Revolutionary
War were held.
Somewhat foot sore and late in the day we eventually arrived at the
Naval Dockyard were we observed, but did not have time to visit, the USS
Constitution; the oldest serving warship remaining afloat.
A ferry and two subways changes got us back to the bus back to South Boston and some relaxation in the Club bar before taking
the launch back to the boat.
At this stage we intended to leave on Wednesday or Thursday. The
weather dictated otherwise. Wednesday was a day of torrential rain. We bussed
to the supermarket and walked back getting absolutely soaked in the process.
Thursday it was still raining but not as heavily so it was bus to the
chiropractor and then off Downtown for retail tourism in the process of which
we discovered Sam LaGrassa’s Sandwich Shop for a “light”
lunch Boston style – awesome and to be recommended.
Friday was still decidedly moist so we had another trip into the city t
o walk around the Beacon Hill area and the
parks. We rather liked this example of a mixed race society, food being the
common denominator.
Saturday was devoted to a
major supermarket shop and resupply and a hospitable evening in the club. The
Commodore, Brandon Myrvang, has his own private bar were somehow we ended up. The
hat was put on at our request for the photograph, it isn’t that sort of
club.
Suffice it to say that a good time was had by all. Sunday we are definitely
leaving! Thank you to the South Boston Yacht Club, and its members for making
us so welcome and giving us the run of the facilities, especially the launch
service which made getting ashore in the rain and wind a practical proposition.
