Charlestown

Neighbors

We’re snugged up in Charlestown Navy Yard, next to the USS Constitution, which is still a commissioned Navy ship. Today has been leisurely. With no wind and stifling heat, the Captain decided we would stay here an extra day rather than bob around and swat flies in Cape Cod Bay. We take off tomorrow morning, and plan to show off all our sails as we make our way out of Boston. She’s a pretty thing, and we intend to flaunt her beauty and sashay our way out.

First thing, we got a “behind the scenes” tour of the Constitution, before it opened to the public. The world of tall ships is a fairly small one, and it turns out that our first officer and two of the crew had served with one of the riggers for the Constitution. He is now a civilian government employee of the Navy, (he said “with a house and a wife and a dog and a car” with a deprecating laugh) in charge of maintaining a lot of the rigging and fixtures of the old ship. So he led us around, behind the ropes that say “authorized personnel only”. Being a fan of naval history (in the form of historical fiction) I was delighted to be able to physically appreciate the reality I have read about so often.

See how low the overhead is on officers’ quarters of the Constitution
- and this was a big ship!

Then a few hours of chores, break for lunch, and free for the rest of the day. 

I walked a few miles of the Charlestown part of the Harborwalk, then made my way up to the Bunker Hill monument. From there, a “special” ice cream place, a seat in the shade near the water, and read for a while. Probably a few of us will go to a harbor side bar for a drink before bed.

As a commissioned Navy ship, the Constitution fires its cannon at 8 am and pm, as the colors go up and down. As a courtesy, we make a point of managing our flags to their schedule. That’s the only remaining duty today. 

I can’t get over how pretty she is!