Boston July 4th and more. 42.21.49N 71.02.67W

Mandalay
Robin & Jenny Martin
Thu 7 Jul 2011 00:37
Arrived from Newport via South Dartmouth and Onset and settled into city life with ease. The passage was slow with little wind, tons of lobster pots and tides more like the UK. 
Whilst in Onset we wanted to go to Plymouth to see the Mayflower but got on the wrong bus and ended up in Wareham, pronounced Ware-ham. Steve at the Pier Diner had offered us his pick-up for the day but we took the bus instead.
We did the Cape Cod canal, sending us along at 10 knots and luckily without meeting a tanker coming the other way.
We've been anchored in Boston for several days now,100yards off the aquarium surrounded by ferries, tripper boats and very close to the start line for the extreme 40 racing. Monday was the last day of the act and although we were cheering on team Pindar they could only manage to finish 10th out of 11. It's fast and furious sailing designed to be a spectator sport, the next act is in Cowes in early August, for more info visit www.extremesailing.com
Boston is a great city to visit, lots of history both on the sea and shore. We walked most of the Heritage Trail and witnessed re-enactments of the Boston Tea Party and the sailing of the USS Constitution, one of the first American war ships.
The highlight of the visit was the July 4th celebrations which in good American tradition had the biggest and most spectacular firework display we have seen, over 500,000 watched the event from bridges and miles of embankment around Charles river.
Tomorrow an early start to catch the tide to head further "down east" to Marblehead, just 20 miles away.

Photos 
Tide in Cape Cod canal - get it wrong at your peril.
Hello from Robbie in Boston.
Extreme 40 start line.

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