Mardi Gras World Tour

Artists and photographers have been drawn to Zion for the past 100 years in an effort to capture its infinite variety of moods. The incredible landscape of Zion is a magnificent display of beauty that is a perpetual source of inspiration and renewal for us all. Zion is a spiritual experience that will forever move you. A hundred million years ago the Virgin River started cutting its way through the sandstone of southwestern Utah. Now, if you listen closely, you can hear “You’re welcome” softly echoing through the canyons of Zion. Zion National Park is a nature preserve distinguished by Zion Canyon’s stunning rock formations it’s multitude of colors and steep red cliffs. Zion Canyon’s Scenic Drive cuts through its main section, leading to forest trails along the Virgin River. The river flows to the Emerald Pools, which have waterfalls as well as a wonderful hanging garden. Zion National Park is like the set of a movie that’s so grand you know it must be a painted backdrop, but you don’t care because it’s delicious to look at; the kind of flick where the art director was given carte blanche and didn’t worry about believability. Zion is both the oldest park and the oldest National Park in Utah. It was opened 1919 and shows off the oldest geologic layers this side of the Grand Canyon (150 million years old). It’s also Utah’s most visited national park with more than 3 million visitors each year. Zion means “the heavenly city” and although there are no churches in Zion Park, there is much to inspire reverence.

Not only will you get a taste of New York film history, you'll receive a great sightseeing tour of Manhattan. By bus, we'll take you to neighborhoods rich with history, where some of the most iconic films of all time were made. King Kong top of Empire State Building NYCSee Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side, hop off at Zabar’s, the well-known market place, featured in You’ve Got Mail and the famous Dakota Building, home to Yoko Ono that can be seen in films like, Hannah and Her Sisters and Rosemary’s Baby. As you make your way to the Upper East Side, you’ll cross through Central Park, learning about dozens of films set here, including the very first motion picture made in New York City. The sights don’t end there, the tour continues down the east side of Manhattan where you’ll stop for a photo-op in front of Holly Golighty’s apartment from Breakfast at Tiffany’s before you discover hidden neighborhoods, like Sutton Place to experience a fantastic view of the Queensboro Bridge you’ll recognize from Woody Allen’s Manhattan. As you head downtown, you’ll pass locations that have set the scene for countless films, like the Plaza Hotel, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany’s, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and much more before ending your journey at the famous Grand Central Terminal. TCM Classic Film Tour is the perfect escape for movie fans, but also a great way to see how much, and how little, Manhattan has changed. Why not combine your visit to TCM Classic Film Tour with other famous attractions and activities in New York such as the New York TV & Movie Sites Tour or Visit the popular Empire State Building

Our first stop is the world famous Rock and Roll hot spot, “Guitar Center” located on the legendary Sunset Blvd. Guitar Center is the nucleus of the Rock & Roll World with hand prints in concrete and bronze plaques of all the music greats. Next we arrive at the one and only “Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.” This is the “Center of Hollywood” where you have ample time to visit the Kodak Theater (Dolby Theater) & Chinese Theater (homes of the Oscars with movie stars handprints forever in concrete) as well as the stunningly ornate Roosevelt Hotel where stars and famous people are often seen having lunch; the Hollywood Wax Museum; Ripley’s Believe It or Not; Madame Tussauds; American Cinematheque & Egyptian Theater. Stars such as Tom Cruise, Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Jack Nicholson and so many others live in the magnificent mansions throughout this area and are seen regularly. Romantically stroll along Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame with the stars at your feet; find your favorite star and take a photo. You also have a wonderful view of the iconic “Hollywood Sign” from the Patio of the Kodak Theater. Don’t forget to pick up a souvenir at one of the many gift shops in this area. Most of our time is spent in the wonderful Hollywood Blvd., area but we still see great views of many famous film locations, the Landmark Biltmore Hotel, Magic Castle, Hollywood United Methodist Church, Warner Brothers Studios & Soundstages, Walt Disney Studios, where most of the classic animated movies were made such as Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Poppins, Armageddon & the Pirates of the Caribbean, to mention only a few. We also see Pixar Entertainment and ABC Studios alongside Disney. Welcome to Hollywood, the Movie, Music and “Movie Star” capitol of the world! You will love this fun and fascinating day touring through the Hollywood Hills of Southern California!   What to Wear Hiking or athletic walking shoes Temperatures are cooler from October – February, so long pants and a warm jacket are appropriate March – September temperatures are warm where shorts, hats, and a light shirt are comfortable

Your helicopter flight experience begins with a greeting and check-in from our friendly operations staff, followed by a thorough safety briefing in the comfort of our modern and spacious guest lounge. After the safety briefing, we will head out to the helicopter and use your own camera for some photos in front of your helicopter before boarding. Cameras and video recorders can be taken with you on the helicopter for more fantastic memories of your flight over picturesque Sydney Harbour and beyond. Upon take-off enjoy full panoramic views of the Sydney skyline, Pacific Ocean and the historic port of Botany Bay. Within minutes of departure your experienced and skilled pilot will have you above the glistening waters of Maroubra Beach and tracking north along the coast at 500 feet. You will contour fly the picturesque coastline of the Eastern Suburbs beaches including Coogee, Clovelly and also the world famous Bondi Beach, the aquamarine waters sparkling against the Sydney sun. Admire the spectacular houses of Dover Heights and Vaucluse perched on the chiselled sandstone cliffs as you continue northbound to Manly Beach and Sydney’s northern suburbs. See the city lights sparkling as your pilot takes advantage of the last light to give you a magical helicopter experience. Your experienced pilot will guide your aircraft over magnificent waters of Sydney Harbour giving you a view of icons such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay, Rose Bay and Manly Beach. Looking towards the horizon you can see the rest of Sydney stretching out towards the Sydney Olympic site and further afield to the foothills of the world renowned Blue Mountains. The sun sitting low on the horizon makes for breathtaking colours and magical pictures as the city illuminates and the day turns into night. As you start your return journey to the heliport you will fly past some of Sydney’s great sporting arenas including the Sydney Football Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground, as well as Randwick Racecourse. Throughout the flight your pilot will be providing you with informative commentary via Bose voice activated headsets, you will also be able to talk with the pilot and your other passengers whilst on the helicopter.

SF City Sites Tour Our 20-minute basic flight will take you over the splendor of the greatest city in the U.S. – San Francisco! On this flight you will take off from our seabase in the lovely bayside village of Sausalito just across the Golden Gate Bridge. We will fly along the shoreline of the quaint bayside village of Sausalito, then right over the legendary Golden Gate Bridge herself! We continue to Crissy Field, Downtown San Francisco, AT&T Park – Home of the San Francisco Giants, then on over the infamous island prison of Alcatraz. Finally your flight will be completed with a pass by the historic Angel Island, and back for a smooth landing back in Sausalito’s Richardson Bay. Aircraft depart from our Seaplane Base in Sausalito/Mill Valley.

Shearwater is a classic Newport-style schooner yacht, only recently recognized as a national landmark in 2009. The vessel was built by Rice Brother Corporation in East Boothbay, Maine, back in a time when yachting was a rare combination of elegance and adventure; Rice Bros. were well known for building luxury pleasure yachts and produced some 4,000 hulls over a period of 64 years. The keel was laid down on January 4, 1929 and a news clip from the Boothbay Register reflects alongside a photograph "Tyler Hodgon at the old Tide Mill is getting out timbers for the schooner to be built at Rice’s. Vessel to be built of native white oak." Traditionally built from hand-hewn native white oak, she was the last boat to be constructed at that yard - likely due to the ensuing Great Depression brought on by the Stock Market Crash that occurred later that autumn. East Boothbay was a small coastal town with shipbuilding being its only industry. About 40 workmen were employed for the construction of SHEARWATER. Her designer Theodore Donald Wells was born in Hudson Falls, N Y on October 22, 1875. He was a naval architect and marine engineer, a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and also the Institute of Naval Architects London. His education included post-graduate work at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He began his career as a member of the firm Herreshoff and Wells, N. Y. City in 1902. Working with Herreshoff no doubt had an influence on his designs, which bear similarities to many of the famous Herreshoff designed yachts of that time. From 1903 to 1907 he worked for Wintringham and Wells and then began practicing his profession under his own name. Mr. Wells joined the Navy Department in March 1917 and became Superintending Constructor of the Baltimore District U. S. N. Notable yachts designed and constructed under his supervision are "Viking" a 272 foot steel motor yacht built for George F. Baker in 1929 by Newport News and "Karina" a three masted schooner built for Robert E. Tod in 1932 by Staten Island Shipbuilding. Mr. Tod was a well-known offshore yachtsman as was his former yacht ‘Thistle", which competed in the Emperors Cup ocean race. SHEARWATER was launched on May 4, 1929 and photographs in the Boothbay Register reflect her graceful and elegant lines. Her first Captain, Leon Esterbrook of Edgarton, MA, arrived to take charge of the fitting out. Her owner Charles E Dunlap was a member of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, NY and this became SHEARWATER’s first homeport after her completion in late September 1929. It was there in Oyster Bay that she first started to thrill those who sailed in luxury aboard her and those who were privileged to crew her on race day. Since her launching and documentation in Lloyd’s Register of American Yachts in 1929, she has had a colorful history and has been carefully maintained and restored to standards that few contemporary vessels are able to match and is truly a piece of American Maritime History. On November 7, 1942 SHEARWATER was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and became a member of The United States Coast Guard’s Coastal Picket Patrol during World War Two. She was painted gray and bore the numbers CG67004. Based at Little Creek, Virginia she patrolled the waters east of the Chesapeake Bay entrance and south towards Cape Hatteras. Her skipper during that period reflected on how they used their free time while out on submarine patrol to race against other yachts and in his own words "sailed in tandem with the schooner Lord Jim, racing in and out of port, up and down the east coast and winning." She was designed and built as a gaff rigged schooner but during this period was changed to a Marconi rig. She carries over 2,550 square feet while under full sail. A true veteran world cruiser, she first transited the Panama Canal in July 1946 and in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s completed a two and a half-year global circumnavigation. In December 1971 Mrs. John B. Thayer of Rosemont, wife of a former trustee and treasurer, donated SHEARWATER to the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute of Environmental Medicine. She was used by the university as a laboratory for research on physiological responses to the stresses of living and working underwater. Captained by James Shearson, she was fitted with compressors, generators, monitoring instruments and a small decompression chamber. She has participated in many Ancient Mariner and Classic yacht races in U S waters as well as racing in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand while on her circumnavigation in the early 1980’s. It is rumored she was once dismasted in the famous Newport to Bermuda race. She was last raced by the current owners in San Diego in May 1995 in the American Schooner Cup and finished second overall. She entered the yacht charter industry in 1966 whilst on the West Coast sailing to the Channel Islands and was again used to generate income to keep her shipshape while owned by the University of Pennsylvania. During the chartering industry’s infancy in the Caribbean, SHEARWATER was known as the " Queen of the Fleet". Today she continues this tradition offering the most unique sailing experience and has passed rigid Coast Guard inspections and can carry up to 49 passengers. We welcome you to join us for an excellent opportunity to experience the ambiance of a vintage sailing vessel while delighting in the splendors of The Manhattan sky-line, the Statue of Liberty or the beauty of the oceans beyond.