Fleet Week celebration includes bus trip to view the Eagle leading the parade
Hearing that this year the beginning of Fleet Week would have a Tall Ships parade in honor of the War of 1812, the C.W. Post Library Association and the Oyster Bay Historical Society organized a bus trip to see the spectacle.
So, on Wednesday, May 23, 26 intrepid people got up early to get to the bus at C.W. Post’s parking lot by 6:45 a.m. It had been decided that it would be easier to go to Owl’s Head Park in Brooklyn, rather than try to get into lower Manhattan that early in the morning.
Our bus wound around through Brooklyn and finally arrived at the park at about 8:30 a.m. There is a really nice pier attached to the park and from there we could see two Barques, and three topsail Schooners just going away from us, to enter the Hudson River. Since it was quite foggy and the fog did not lift all morning, taking photographs was really difficult. Later, starting at 10:30 a.m., the Coast Guard Barque Eagle led 13 warships under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Since all those ships are painted grey they didn’t show up well against the fog. However it was possible to make out flags and sailors in whites lining the rail of each vessel.
A tour of the Narrows Botanical Garden was provided for those who tired of watching warships against the fog. At this time, the roses in the garden were providing a fine show. This is one of the premier parks in Brooklyn. It has an extensive collection of trees and since 1995 has provided an unequaled opportunity to stroll with glimpses of New York Harbor.
At noon everyone re-boarded the bus to get to the Schnitzel Haus for lunch. This spot had been chosen in honor of the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Eagle’s German roots. She was built in Hamburg in 1936. The Schnitzel Haus owned by Fred and Amber Urban provides authentic German cuisine to Brooklyn. Our group can recommend it.
After lunch our bus driver drove a quiet and napping group swiftly back to C.W. Post campus. A good time was had by all.
