Dates Of Event June 17-22, 2017

Location: Boston, MA

Cost: Free (if you take a cruise out to see to the boats as I did fees would apply.  It costs $35 for adults and $30 for seniors.  Children and students also get reduced rates)

Parking: Due to the increase in visitors (they are expecting 2 million or more people) parking is limited.  The closest public transportation station is South Station on the Red line of the MBTA (fares are reduced for this period of time while people visit the event)

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: tall ships from all over the world in Boston Harbor

Website: Sail Boston

Normally, when we see foreign boats in our harbor, it would be cause for alarm, especially given our past.  But, this group of ships from all over the world came in peace.

Millions have been predicted to descend upon Boston as we celebrate Sail Boston 2017.

To avoid the crowds and get a better view of the ships, I decided to book a boat on Mass Bay Lines to cruise by these majestic ships.  The boat was comfortable, wecould roam around the boat to get better views and we got so close to some of the freighters that we could wave and even shout to the crews on the boats.  In fact, some people on our boat shouted greetings in the language of the crew based on their point of origin.  I highly recommend taking a boat cruise if you plan on going to Sail Boston before the ships leave Thursday.

Our boat, The Freedom was docked at Rowes Wharf in the heart of the seaport district.

The views leaving the pier were beautiful.

The first ship we noticed was the Europa.

From Netherlands, the Europa has a steel hull and has a rig height of 33 meters.  It was built in 1911.

When the ships did not have their sails up, it was difficult to identify them.  Someone did announce the names of the ships as we passed by them.  But, it was hard to hear him at times and it was also hard to keep track of them all.  I think this is Thomas E. Lannon, a 93 foot schooner from Gloucester, MA.  It was built in 1997.

This is the Esmeralda, the pride of the Chilean Navy.  Check out the condor on the figurehead.  To show just how different the ships look with and without their sails up, look at the photo below from the Sail Boston website.  Big difference.  Oh yeah, and their photography might be a little bit more professional.  Just a little though.

The Oliver Hazard Perry from Newport, RI, is a baby compared to most of the other ships from the Tall Ships festival.  It was built in 2016.

Again, it looks much more impressive with its sails raised.

Alert is a 70 foot schooner from Bailey Island, Maine.  It has a wood hull and it was built in 1992.  I was able to get the ship in various stages of dress.

The Adirondack III is an 80 foot schooner from Boston, MA.  It was built in 1997 and it has a wood hull.

The Schooner Adventure is from Gloucester, MA.  It was built in 1926 and it is 122 feet long.

When and If is another 80 foot schooner.  It is from Key West, Florida and it was built in 1939.

The Formidable is a brigantine from Boston, MA.  It is 72 feet long and was built in 2000.

I was hoping to see more ships, especially with their full sails on.  But, I still think we saw a variety of pretty ships and boats.  What really caught my eyes was the buildings and structures against the ships and boats in the harbor.

These kayakers may have had the best views.  But, I think being dry on the boat was better for taking photographs.

Dogs like the tall ships also!  Cole, an 8 year old poodle, and his mom came by to view the tall ships.

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