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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.
As you soar above the famous Hudson River you will fly right by the magnificent Statue of Liberty in all of her glory. View Governors and Ellis Island and see Manhattans Financial District before cruising past the cavernous landscape of the NYC skyline. Sites include the Empire State Building, Chrysler, Woolworth and Met Life Buildings and the USS Intrepid to mention a few. You will even catch a glimpse of the George Washington Bridge and the world renowned Central Park before heading back to the heliport.
Why You Should Choose NY’s Liberty Helicopter Tour Service?
#1 IN EXPERIENCE - They have been in business and flying safely for over 28 years
#1 IN SAFETY & SECURITY - They are the founding members of the Tour Operators Program of Safety and the only helicopter company in NYC that is a member.
#1 IN CUSTOMER SERVICE & SATISFACTION - Liberty Helicopters is committed to providing its customers with the safest and most enjoyable experience possible.
THE LARGEST FLEET IN THE NORTHEAST - Liberty Helicopters has a fleet of 10 state of the art American Eurocopter helicopters.
AMERICAN EUROCOPTER IS THE INDUSTRY LEADER - Pilots choose American Eurocopter over Bell and others for their ease of maneuverability, more comfortable and quieter ride, less vibration, better visibility for pilots and passengers. All seats face forward allowing customers to see where they are going, not where they have been.
Liberty Helicopters continuously receives the annual Safety Award from the Helicopter Association International, along with being a multiple recipient of the 5 Star Diamond Award and the ERHC Fly Neighborly Award.
Many of Liberty's highly trained pilots are ex-military or NYPD. All receive regular recurrent Eurocopter factory training, specifically the requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration part 135 air carrier standards giving you an assurance of safety aboard the helicopters.
All of the aircraft crews are certified and inspected to meet the demanding standards of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Liberty Helicopters have their own 24 hours 7 days a week maintenance facility to service and maintain our fleet. All of their highly experienced aviation maintenance technicians receive updated Eurocopter factory training on a regular basis.
Liberty Helicopters have a new premier space at the redesigned Downtown Manhattan Heliport located at 6 East River Piers NY NY 10004 with their own souvenir and light snack shop for your convenience.
Multilingual staff.
No minimum passenger requirement on any of our tours.
Please Note: Radio City Music Hall State Door Tour - see behind the scenes, including seeing behind the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular Holiday Markets at Union Square, Bryant Park, Grand Central and Columbus Circle American Museum of Natural History Origami Holiday Tree on Display (11/22/18 - 1/10/19) Lincoln Center Tour and catch Winter's Eve at Lincoln Square on November 30th Grayline Night Tour changes to Holiday Lights Tour Rockefeller Center Tour to see the Christmas Tree and seasonal ice rink Click here for a complete list of current attractions included with the New York City Explorer Pass Frequently Asked Questions Is this just a discount card? Will I still need to buy tickets? No. Passes include admission to each attraction; no need to pay anything at the gate. Some attractions may offer upgrades or special exhibits for an additional fee. Do I need to choose my attractions in advance? Nope, choose as you go. The pass is good for any combination of the number of attractions you purchased. My child is under 3 years old. Can I get them a New York Explorer Pass? Child Passes are recommended for children ages 3-12. Many attractions offer free admission for younger children. Please consult the attraction websites for more details. How will I receive my pass? When your order is complete you will receive an email with printable and Smartphone version of your pass. There is nothing to Redeem, you can go right to first attraction you want to visit and start using your card immediately. How do I activate my pass? Easy: simply visit your first attraction! Is the pass valid all day? You bet! Feel free to visit the attractions any time of the day as long as they are open or operating. What is your refund policy? Our Risk Free Guarantee gives you one year from your purchase date to return any non-activated passes for a full refund. How much will I save? Compare the price of the pass to the gate prices of the attractions you want to visit to see how much you can save. Many customers save 50%. We give you the flexibility to create your own itinerary and choose the attractions you want to visit depending on your interests. Can I visit an attraction more than once? No. Your pass includes only one visit per attraction. Does a New York Explorer Pass expire? Yes. You have one year from the date of purchase to begin using your pass. After one year, it will expire. Do I need to make reservations to visit the attractions? Attractions that require a reservation will display a symbol on the guidebook page. Some attractions require a credit card to hold a reservation. In these cases, your credit card will not be charged unless you do not show up for your reservation. If you are interested in taking the Gossip Girl, NY TV and Movie Tour and Sex and the City Tour, you should pick up your tickets as soon as possible after arriving in the city. How do I use my pass to visit the Statue of Liberty? Present your New York Explorer Pass at one of the Statue Cruises ticket counters inside Castle Clinton at Battery Park. Once you have obtained your Ferry Ticket from Castle Clinton you must wait in the security line before boarding. The Ferry requires is airport-level security, so be prepared for a long wait. Allow at least 2 hours to visit one island and 4 hours to visit Ellis & Liberty islands. Your pass provides you access to the island only. Pedestal & crown access requires reservations and space is limited, and is not included with your pass. What’s the catch? There’s no catch. New York Explorer Pass has a partnership with all of the participating attractions to make your visit to New York as memorable as possible and to help you save time and money. Can I share my pass with a friend or sell it? No. The New York Explorer Pass is non-transferrable and may not be re-sold. What happens if an attraction is closed or a tour is cancelled due to weather or other problem? While we do our best to ensure that all attractions are available, events happen that are out of our control. The great thing about a New York Explorer Pass is that there are so many attractions to choose from. If an attraction is closed, or cannot be visited for some reason, we know you'll find a fun alternative in your guidebook!
Ultimate Drive (a subsidiary of supercar and luxury auto distributor EuroSports Global Ltd SGX Symbol-5G1) is pleased to bring Supercars to the mass market so that “Everyone can drive a Supercar”. Experience the thrill of driving on the official F1 circuit in a supercar! We offer thrill seekers the opportunity to drive our fleet of exotic cars from manufacturers including Ferrari, Lamborghini, and more. Unleash the power of the straights of the freeway, or cruise the coastline. Test your mettle behind the wheel or sit back and let one of our Experienced Professional Drivers show you what these cars can do. The Official F1 Circuit goes by Bayfront Avenue, Esplanade Drive, City Hall & Raffles Boulevard! Unleash the power roaring on the straights of the town or simply cruise along the city feeling the wind in your hair. This booking is valid for the Lamborghini Huracan for 45 minutes only: Customers MUST bring along their original driving license, with a min of 2 years driving experience.
Efteling Theme Park Resort fills you with wonder Efteling is a unique theme park with a fairytale atmosphere, natural surroundings and a wide range of thrilling and enchanting attractions, making it ideal for the whole family. Unforgettable family adventures Enjoy precious moments together. Step inside this fairytale world full of wondrous tales, delightful dreams and adventures at high speed. Glide through the enchanting world of fairies and trolls in dream flight ‘Droomvlucht’, huddle together during the exciting spectacular park show Raveleijn and enjoy the spectacular Aquanura water show. Children filled with wonder The little ones listen to the sounds of the fairytale forest and party together with Jokie in the Carnival Festival. They jump and dance along to the live entertainment and have endless fun on the children’s rides. For genuine daredevils Do you dare climb aboard a rollercoaster where you must escape a fire-breathing dragon at high speed? Do you have the courage to set sail on a raging sea and risk encountering the mysterious ghost ship ‘the flying Dutchman’? Or is a 90kph shoot into the deepest, darkest mineshaft more your thing? The latest Baron 1898 is ready for you. This is your chance, show us what you're made of, come and visit Efteling. Attractions Drift away in the incredibly beautiful world of Dreamflight and enjoy the view from the Pagode. Laugh at grandpa’s dripping wet trousers on the Piraña and take a relaxing boat ride in the gorgeous natural landscape of the Gondoletta. Shows & Live Entertainment Your heart will beat faster during a wondrous encounter or a spellbinding park show. Would you like to meet and greet your favourite Inhabitants of the Fairytale Forest? Watch and listen... or sing and dance along! Don’t forget to visit the spectacular Raveleijn park show. Restaurants If your legs begin to get tired and your stomach starts grumbling, just follow your nose to one of the many catering outlets and restaurants throughout Efteling Park. There’s something delicious for everyone to eat or drink! Amsterdam Canal Boat The one hour cruise will show you a different side of Amsterdam. From the elegant merchants’ houses from the Golden age to the iconic views of Magere Brug "Skinny Bridge", the Anne Frank House Museum, Heritage Museum and the beautiful Westerkerk Church, prepare to be amazed with this new view of Amsterdam. You may make use of the Wi-Fi network at the piers Rijksmuseum and Leidseplein without cost. This has been made possible by ZapFi. All Canal Bus boats offer full toilet facilities on board.
Blue & Gold Fleet’s 90-minute Escape from the Rock cruise takes you under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island to see every angle of this mysterious island. Hear intriguing stories about Alcatraz escape attempts by Al Capone, Billy Cook the Killer, Clyde Johnson and many others, giving you a clear picture of what life was like in this maximum-security prison when it was the most feared institution in the American penal system. A free multi-language audio tour is now available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German & Taiwanese. Please bring your Wi-Fi enabled device to access the tour.
