From: Jim C
Subject: Boston
Hayden,
Now on to Boston Harbor: There are several places where you can anchor out of the main ship channel, near the airport for example, but they are all pretty exposed and a long way from town. There are some commercial moorings out by the new Boston Harbor National Park, also a long dinghy ride into town, and there are some Yacht Clubs down around South Boston's William Day Blvd area (42 19' 51.4" N/71 01' 36.78"W); the water is a little thin, but a bay sailor is used to that. They generally welcome guests, but they too are too far to hike to town and would be an expensive cab ride. For a spot that puts you in the middle of what you probably want to see and do, I'd suggest the Constitution Marina (42 22' 12.54"N / 71 03' 33.56"W). It's not cheap but very nice & safe; you can either walk or catch the "T" into town and the historic district. I suspect that the costs would be more than offset by the cost of cab fare from places further out. You DON'T want to rent a car; parking fees are atrocious and open meters hard to find. There are lots of places to eat in the area, some expensive & some not atrociously priced, grocery stores and Bunker & Breed's Hill (where the battle was actually fought) are within walking distance. The Marina is right on the Walking Trail and you are only a few hundred yards from the USS Constitution & its museum, the old Boston Navy yard and the Boston Harbor Marina within the Navy yard. You can walk across the Washington Street Bridge into East Boston, Old North Church, Quincy Market and the Aquarium. There are interesting shops & good, not too pricey, eating places and bakeries in East Boston.
I don't know the transient rate at Constitution Marina but you can call them or maybe find it on line; the tele. number must be in your cruising guide. The Yacht Clubs in South Boston are mostly seasonal Clubs so are probably closed until about mid-May. Boston is an expensive city (makes Annapolis look cheap), but the good thing is that most of the Historical Tourist places are free or ask only a small donation.
When you get your plans more set, don't hesitate to contact us if you need any answers.
Jim Campbell
