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In was an inauspicious beginning to the long-awaited event in Boston - the arrival of the tall ships and the formal "Parade of Sails." Low clouds and fog put a damper on both the event and the folks eagerly anticipating the arrival of the ships - not since 2000 have so many of the world's tall ships descended en masse on Boston. But Bostonians and others attending would manifest the spirit for which they are well-known - waiting out the bad weather, hanging tough, and prevailing in the end. In spite of the weather, it was a spectacular event.
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I dragged myself out of bed at 3:45am to head into the big city before the crowds. (I haven't been up that early since my pre-retirement working days). Starting out at Fan Pier, I wandered past the docked vessels. Many folks had purchased tickets to sail on various charter vessels to either or both observe the parade from the water level and/or actually sail in it.
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It may have been damp and glum but, mostly spirits were high with anticipation.
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The bright light at right on the dock is a news crew filming an interview with ship personnel.
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All types and sizes of vessels were in the harbor for the event - including the Mississippi-style riverboat in the background and this two-masted sailing ship in the foreground.
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Optimists all, they eventually left the dock and headed off into the fog out of the harbor to the staging area to the east.
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Of course, security was ever-present from road closures.....
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....to armed amphibious patrols,,,,,,,
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....to canine units sniffing for bombs, and hundreds of law enforcement personnel wandering among the crowds. Of course, everybody had to go through airport-style metal detectors and physical inspection to get near the waterfront.
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I was hanging out in a media area near the east end of the harbor waiting for the Parade to begin. With the low clouds and fog, organizers postponed the start from 9:00am to 10:00am. At 10:00am they postponed it until 11:00am.
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Nearby, docked at the North Jetty, the Navy vessel USS Whidbey Island personnel awaited the beginning.
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Boredom and anticipation in equal measure drove folks to create their own diversions and entertainment during the wait.
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But finally, the clouds rose, the fog lessened and, at about 11:20am, led by a Boston Harbor fireboat spraying fountains of water, the "Parade of Sails" officially began with the US Coast Guard vessel Eagle entering the harbor.
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At 295 feet in length, the Eagle was one of the larger vessels in the Parade.
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As the Eagle passed by and headed toward the city, I'll end Part 1 of this blog series.....check back soon for Part 2 which will show some of the vessels as they entered the harbor for the Parade.
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