Tall Ships in July

The tall ships were docked here in Boston for about a week or so. There were ships from all over the world. There were ships owned by different Government's from around the world as well as privately owned ships. I had the opportunity to go on two different days. The first day I went with my friend Rachel Anderson. We went down to the pier and toured two different ships. One was the American Eagle, a United States government ship

It was amazing to see the size of everything on these ships. The size of the ropes were huge and there were so many of them.
This is one of the "steering wheels" on the ship.
Oh yup that is Rachel steering clear of any ships we might run into out on our voyage.
These are the other three wheels used to steer the ship. This is the only ship I saw that had more than one wheel.
Rachel and Me on the American Eagle.
If you look close at the chain you can see how large the eyelet of the chain is.
Again look at the size of these ropes.
The men manning the ship were all so young. Rachel asked them how long they had been on the ship and he said that he just started and he is in his sophomore year I think but most of them are still in High School.
I don't know what this really is. I don't know if it really does house explosives or just did at some point and time. As you can see in the picture it has grass growing on the top and back side of it.
This is one of the crew members on a smaller ship that is privately owned. I talked with one of the crew members and he said they will pack up enough things to use and stay on this ship for about 6 months. They have a bunk and they store all of their personal items there at their bunk.
I am on La Amistad which at one point was a slave ship not a very big ship at that but crazy the number of slaves they would pack into this ship.
La Amistad was captured off the coast of Long Island in 1839 and it was taken by 53 captives. Word of the La Amistad's arrival in New London quickly spread and rallied Black and White abolitionists then fighting slavery in America; the abolitionists proved the captives had been illegally kidnapped in Africa and won the first anti-slavery decision before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case arguable turned the tide against slavery itself. The schooner La Amistad was transformed from a ship of enslavement to a symbol of home and monument to the pursuit of universal human freedom.

Between 1998 and 2000 artisans built a recreation of the La Amistad, using traditional skills and construction techniques common to wooden schooners built in the 19th centruy, but using modern materials and engines. They christened Freedom Schooner Amistad. The modern-day Amistad is not an exact replica of La Amistad, as the ship is slightly longer and has higher freeboard. There were no old blueprints of the original.

The second day that I went to the ships I went with my friends Julie Tracy and Katie Smith. This is one of the anchors on the Argentine ship.

I am so grateful to Julie for going with me the second day. I do not spend much time in the city, therefore I do not know my way around the city at all. Julie and I had talked about going to see the tall ships and so when I called her to meet up with her she said she was tired and wasn't going to go. She told me she would give me Katie's number so I could call her and meet up with her. I told her, I am not telling you this to make you go because if you don't want to go no big deal. But I do not know anything in the city, not to familiar with the T or the city. So I didn't think I would be able to make it to meet up with Katie without getting lost. So Julie being such a wonderful friend said she would go so I wouldn't miss out on the opportunity of seeing more of the ships. So is such a great friend and I am so glad that she went with me. Even though she was extremely tired she is so much fun to hang out with and such a joy to be around. She really made a great sacrifice to spend another day at the tall ships with me. Thanks Julie.

Julie Tracy, Katie Smith, Me
Me and Katie Smith
Me at the wheel of another ship. I think I am getting the hang of this whole ship thing. :)
That is Katie's hand and a big, huge knot. It was totally random so we had to take a picture. The rope was just hanging there.


This is the interior of one of the foreign ships. It was the nicest that I saw and it was so immaculate.We all had to make a pit stop before we headed back home so we stopped by a hotel next to the ship yard and these guys were all dressed up and so I took their picture because I thought it was so cool.

This is a fire ship. This actually is docked near where I work. I take a walk at lunch every day around the harbor and I walk past this ship. I have never seen it spraying water out like this and I thought it was really neat and wanted to share it with you all.