Saturday, August 20, 2011

Rainy Monday Aboard USS Constitution

Monday my friend, CDR Junge, USN, came to Boston.....so we hit all the best Navy sites! We met up at the edge of the North End and walked back over the Charlestown Bridge to the Navy Yard. CDR Junge is friends with the 72nd in Command of USS Constitution, so that was our firsts stop. I made a point of being the one who checked into the gate so CDR Junge could be a little surprise.
CDR Bonner graciously received us in his office. You can't imagine the view! Old Ironsides and the water, the skyline. On any day, rainy, sunny, snowy, it's beautiful.
Then the three of us walked over to the ship. I stayed topside (me and stairs you know). I had my Dad's camera, which takes way better pics than my cell phone.
Several Sailors were pushing water off her decks, because it was really coming down!

After leaving CDR Bonner and his beautiful ship, we headed over to check out the work being done on the USS Cassin Young, DD 793. The Cassin Young was put in dry dock on August 9th, I was there! CDR Junge is a fabulous photographer, although not as good as his wife (*wink*), so I asked for a few pics on behalf of My Marine. The ship has certain areas open during this project, but was closed for the day. So we snuck around some barriers (Ssshhh!) so we could get pics of the screws.

After that it was over to the USS Constitution Museum. It's right across from Old Ironsides, with Cassin Young in Dry Dock #1 in the middle. Right there in the Navy Yard there is so much to see and we didn't even hit everything. For example, the Commandant's House.

But there was the Museum, open and waiting for us! Touring the USS Constitution Museum put everything aboard America's Ship of State in context. Artifacts, displays, a movie....two floors of things to engage the curiosity of visitors of all ages.

We barely had time for a quick run through of the museum because we were lucky enough to have a little "behind the scenes" tour of the archives. But that's ok, I made Mike promised to come back with his wife and daughters.

2 comments:

Charity said...

Great photos! I'm so jealous - she's even beautiful in the rain! If BJ wasn't on deployment he'd be trying to plan a Boston weekend.

We spend the majority of our weekend visiting the Constitution and then hanging out in the north end gaining weight...

Beverly J. Goldrup said...

What beautiful design and craft. I, too, envy you.

The rain somehow made the ship more... I guess regal ... in the rain (with all apologies to Charity).

Maggie, your pictures practically transported me back in time. I could almost envision the volley of cannon fire in 1812.

This liberal's heart skipped a couple of beats looking at your photos. I think you captured the spirit and feel of the era.