Things to do in South Jersey/Philadelphia?

[Frank Wentzel]

I'm going home to visit family for the second week of August. No one else in the family has wooden-boat fever, so they are not up on what might be going on of interest to an addict. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

/// Frank ///

[Jon Etheredge]

In Philadelphia, you could go to Penn's Landing to visit Independence Seaport Museum and see the ships that live at the landing.

This isn't boat related but when I worked in the area I enjoyed visiting the small, public gardens in the Center City area. There at least 7 or 8 within easy of walking distance of Penn's Landing.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Email me I used to live in Philly - I may not know boats but I do know good bars #1 Dirty Frank’s Bar 13th Street

Philadelphia has two dive bars that ran neck and neck for Dive Bar of the City — Dirty Frank’s and The Friendly Bar on 8th Street. Frank’s won out because "Dirty" is a better adjective for a dive bar than "Friendly." Dirty Frank’s is dingy and dark and decorated with hubcaps. Perfect.

[SNagy]

There is always The Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory. If you were at the show in Newport, you may have seen their rendition of Antonio Dias' SMALL. www.woodenboatfactory.org (http://www.woodenboatfactory.org)

[J. Dillon]

Check out this site http://www.phillydragonboat.com/ to see if any event is scheduled. Stumbled Into several international races there a few years ago. Something to see, paddles giving it all to the beat of a drum.
:D

JD

[Frank Wentzel]

Jon

I was planning on Independance Seaport Museum. I went there a few years ago when they were building an A-Cat. Spent some time talking to the people working on the boat. They were an extremely competent crew. The museum is a very worthwhile stop.

My grandfather worked as a crane operator in Cramp's Shipyard during WWI and WWII (on steel ships sorry to say) and my great-grandfather was an engineer on a steam tuboat, so I was very interested in the local maritime history and shipbuilding exhibits.

Joe

I used to go to Dirty Frank's back in the mid 70's. It was an interesting place - I may visit for old times sake.

SNagy

The Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory sounds like a worthwhile stop. I looked at the website and will call them to see what is going on when I am in the area. I had never heard of it. There was not too much going on in Philly when I left the area in 1977. Of course the wooden boat scene was almost non-existant in most cities at that time.

I had also intended to visit the A. J. Meerwald ( http://ajmeerwald.com/ )but i found out that they will be out on a project the week I am in Jersey.

JD

I checked the Dragonboat website. Another "new" development! I almost wish I never moved to Florida (except for winter, snow, months of gray skys, sailing in shorts on New Years Day, etc.)!

/// Frank ///

[Jim H]

I've never been there but you might want to try Tuckerton Seaport (http://www.tuckertonseaport.org/).

[Mike DeHart]

Don't forget to spend at least a little time "down the shore." smile.gif

You may be able to catch the "Kalmar Nyckel" in Wilmington, Delaware. It would be a short drive south from Philly on I-95, maybe 20-30 minutes.
http://www.kalmarnyckel.org/

If you really wanted to see the Meerwald, I can show you a former shipyard and current marina where no fewer than four of the old Delaware Bay oyster schooners are on land for what will likely be their last time. They are powered conversions without spars or rigging and they all saw hard service and little upkeep in the recent past. It is kind of sad to see them propped up and rotting, but you get to see the craftsmanship up close. There are also a couple of "buy boats" and a couple of former charter fishing boats that once worked out of Fortescue Creek on the lower Delaware Bay. All are wood and all will likely be smashed with a backhoe within the next 10 years I would guess. I got pictures of the last oyster schooner they chainsawed into pieces. At least they saved the deckhouse.

I realize that walking through a junkyard, even a wooden boat junkyard, is not a popular vacation passtime, but it is about the best wooden boat activity I can name in the South Jersey region when the Meerwald is out of town. Of course, I have been called a "wierdo" by a good number of people who will never understand.

[Victor]

I assume those who refer to the Independence Seaport Museum are referring to the Olympia, Admiral Dewey's flagship, a very interesting tour. Lovely wooden decor in the officers' cabins. You can fire at the enemy without putting down your tea! She is more or less a sister ship of the Maine. Nearby but not in the museum is the - rats, help me here fellas - I can't remember her name, starts with a B I think - but she was the last of the sailing merchant ships, ran grain from Australia to Britain and deadheaded back out. A fascinating history which you would never divine by looking at her now, a floating restaurant. Across the river is the New Jersey. And about a mile down the river is what's left of the United States, still graceful despite all the decay. South Street is in the area, grossly overrated IMHO.

[Mike DeHart]

Moshulu. It is now moored right in the Penn's Landing basin. It is still a floating restaurant but the top deck is now a bar open to the general public.

A tour of the battleship New Jersey is highly recommended. Get the combination ticket at ISM and you get the tours of both the Olympia and Becuna (WWII submarine) as well as a pass for the ferry that takes you to the Camden side. Once in Camden you can walk to the NJ or the Camden Aquarium. You will have to buy separate tickets for attractions in Camden.

If the Gazela is in town you might be able to get on board for a tour. Gazela usually ties up to the bulkhead at Penns Landing when she is not sailing all over the world.

[imported_Dutch]

Make sure you hit south street and the Italian market. Dont miss getting a real cheese steak at Pats.

[Frank Wentzel]

Jim

I looked up the Tuckerton website. Looks like a worthwhile stop, even if much of their facility seems to be sites for future development. It’s always worthwhile to encourage and support these efforts.

Mike and Victor

The Kalmar Nyckel is in New England for the summer. I would love to see the shipyard but I'm not sure SWMBO would agree. She tolerates my obsession and, at times, even encourages it, but she doesn't often want to participate.

I need to visit the Moshulu for old time’s sake. During the 70's I helped teach Coast Guard Aux. classes at the Franklin Institute - they let us use their lecture hall after hours. Afterward we would often stop by the Moshulu for a drink with members of the class - with due emphasis on the fairer members. Don't think I'll dwell on the last with SWMBO.

I was told that the Moshulu was a sistership to the Peking - the ship on which Irving Johnson took those awesome movies of a hurricane from the masthead as the Peking was going around the Horn.

I have never been on the Becuna. I have visited the Olympia several times. The first time was when I was in grade school - you know, just after the Spanish-American War. :D

I was aboard the New Jersey just after Thanksgiving last year – WOW!!!

I will have to see the Gazella again. I saw her when she was new to Philly – still called the Gazella Primera. I went to a slide show put on by the Power Squadron crew who sailed her back from Portugal. They brought along an electronic navigation system for the trip. The system failed when the batteries ran down. It seems the Portuguese engineer had set the generator for 95 volts because the light bulbs lasted longer at the lower voltage. Of course at that voltage, the battery charger for the nav-system couldn’t keep the batteries up. A good thing several had brought their sextants along! After she got to Philly a cousin of mine helped remove the sulfur-dioxide fish-hold refrigeration system so that she would be safe for volunteers to work aboard her.

Dutch

I will have to plan on a Friday morning visit to the Italian Market. When I lived up there a friend would suggest a visit to Pat’s by saying “Let’s go get our oil changed”. Greasy but great!

/// Frank ///