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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.
Greenway downhill bike ride is old railway out service, Normally we hotel pick up about 4.00p.m with our van and drive about one hour is. we stop in small village 100km from Salou, Bot station we start bike route, with guide, this route is specially equipped only for cycling and 3% downhill, easy cycling for everybody, we cross many tunnels and bridges, the tunnels are illuminated automatically when entering, we can stop for take a pictures, later 5 kilometers we stop in watering place; Fontcalda with small thermal water and picnic área, toilet, bar... we stop about 1 hour and 30 minutes, ideal place for swiming and take pictures, eat (Price of menú is about 12€ with drink inclusive or sandwiches), later this rest we continue route we cross two rail station more, till Benifallet near Ebro river where we finish route,(bar, open all year) total route 18 kilometres.In cooler months this trip may leave earlier subject to weather conditions.
Madam Tussauds Amsterdam Enjoy the glitter and glamour of Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. With 10 interactive zones and an amazing television studio, you will have the opportunity to meet and greet your heroes. From the Dutch Royal Family, world famous DJ’s Martin Garrix and Armin van Buuren, artists like Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt van Rijn and of course your real Marvel superheroes. Dive into the studio and sing a duet with Adele, take a picture with your favourite actors such as Michiel Huisman and Ryan Gosling or project your face on Zayn Malik’s chest. Step in front of the camera in the brand new television studio and create your own talk show. The autocue is ready for you. Time for action! Time for superstars! Time for Madame Tussauds Amsterdam! The Amsterdam Dungeon Do you have a great sense of humour and nerves of steel? Then you are at the right place in the Amsterdam Dungeon. Come face to face with over 500 years of Amsterdam’s darkest history. The chillingly amusing characters of the ‘bad old days’ come to life before you in all their glory. You will be able to see and sense them during the thrilling attraction The Gallows Fields The place where the bodies would be put on display for the people; a reminder of your fate if you were ever to commit a crime. The dangling corpses were the hallmark for an “effectively functioning” legal system. You would think this place would be avoided by everyone, however, the contrary was true, it was an attraction. Murder on the Zeedijk Immerse yourself into this ghost story and meet the ravishing Dina and her less refined sister Helena, in the oldest streets of Amsterdam with it's haunting history Hell on the Batavia Feel the fear creep up on you aboard the 17th century VOC ship, the Batavia
100 Highlights Cruise Amsterdam Highlights Discover 100 highlights in Amsterdam in 1 Hour View the famous attractions: Canal houses from the Golden Age, the Westerkerk, the Anne Frank House Snap charming photos of the passing city sights, including the Skinny Bridge, Merchant Homes and Churches Amsterdam, a city built on water, explore the city and get to know it in an ultimate way through the canal cruises The 100 Highlights Cruise departs every 30 minutes from the pier opposite Amsterdam Central Station. So you’ll never have to wait very long! Tickets include: 1 hour 100 highlights cruise Audio Guide in 19 languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Hindi and Hebrew. Boats have toilet facilities included Tickets exclude: Hotel Pick-up Food & Drinks Why not combine your 100 Highlights Cruise with other famous attractions and activities in Amsterdam such as the Amsterdam Museum or Ripley's Believe it or Not Amsterdam
RED LOOP The official tour of the National Mall, authorized by the National Park Service and National Mall and Memorial Parks. Take in all the places that are synonymous with the nation’s Capital; The White House, U.S. Capitol, Air and Space Museum, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial are just some of the iconic landmarks. Commentary provided in live guided commentary and in a choice of 8 pre-recorded languages. BLUE LOOP The Heroes tour travels to the sites and memorials honoring American heroes. Travel over the Potomac River leaving Washington, DC behind and visiting Virginia. The tour’s main features are Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, the Pentagon City Fashion Center, and the US Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Statue.) Other highlights include the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial, WWII Memorial and Air Force Memorial. Tour is available with live-guided commentary. YELLOW LOOP Travel through the city's historic center, passing the White House and Dupont Circle before heading out to discover Adams Morgan, the National Zoo, and the old world charm of Georgetown. Recorded commentary is available in your choice of 8 languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and English available). Commentary The multi lingual tours provide a personal commentary in a choice of eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese and Portuguese
City Sightseeing Amsterdam is wheelchair accessible The Amsterdam Dungeon Yes, but how does it work? The Amsterdam Dungeon is a must-see attraction in Amsterdam . It is a tour of 80 minutes through Amsterdam’s most dark history. You will enter the Dungeon with a group of no more than 30 people and you will descend into the vaults of the Amsterdam Dungeon, where you will ‘enjoy’ all shows. Tours leave every 10 to 15 minutes. What will you experience? They are better and bolder than ever before. They are the Amsterdam Dungeon! Enjoy 11 shows, 7 actors and 500 years of history in one unique experience. Are you man or women enough? They have new and updated shows. You will laugh and scream nervously at the sight of our burning witches. See, smell, listen and be afraid, very afraid... Meet the full cast of professional, theatrical actors who play gruesome characters, from our (not-so) fair judge to the threatening torturer. You will face many surprises along the way that will guarantee an experience that will make you laugh and scream at the same time.
