Ahoy matey! Break out your hardiest seafarer slang this weekend when Kalmar Nyckel sails into Kingston. Dubbed “the Tall Ship of Delaware,” the square-rigged ship adventured all the way from its birthplace in Delaware to visit the Hudson Valley for an educational summertime visit.
Beginning on Friday, August 3 from 5:30-8 p.m., Kalmar Nyckel kicks off the festivities by offering day sails and deck tours when it docks at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston. Families can hop onboard to explore the full-scale replica of a traditional Dutch-built Pinnace merchant ship, the kind that brought Swedish settlers to New Sweden (now Delaware) back in 1638. Visitors of all ages can try their hand at hauling the lines and setting sail on the water. For a breezier experience, attendees are also invited to pack a picnic, lounge on the deck, and listen along to tales from the crew.
Although Kalmar Nyckel is not a true pirate ship, it brings an adventurous spirit onboard with themed Pirate Sails on August 5 and 11 from 10-11:30 a.m. and on August 10 from 9:30-11 a.m. The crew goes all out with pirate costumes, tall tales, scavenger hunts, and a ceremonial raising of the fearsome Jolly Roger. Costumes are optional, and welcome for guests.
For the academic crowd, Captain Lauren Morgens leads a one night talk, titled “Working the Kalmar Nyckel: Understanding History and Innovation Through a Sailing Ship” on August 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.
“Kalmar Nyckel is not only honored to tour the Hudson River, but also eager to bring a taste of maritime and colonial experiences that passengers will always remember,” says Cathy Parsells, executive director at the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation. The foundation, a non-profit educational organization, works to preserve maritime heritage in the Delaware region. Since 1997, it has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of Kalmar Nyckel, which operates as a floating classroom and education center throughout the year.
Cruises will be available on August 6 and 9-12, with varying times in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Tickets, which can be purchased online, cost $60 for adults and $40 for children under 17. In addition, dockside deck tours run on August 4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and on August 5 from 2-6 p.m. The cost to step aboard is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 17.
After the ship departs Kingston, it journeys to Yonkers for a stop at X20 Xaviars on the Hudson on August 15 for day sails and dockside tours before making its return voyage to Delaware.
For more information about the Kalmar Nyckel’s Hudson Valley itinerary or to book a sail, visit kalmarnyckel.org.
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