October 11th, 2007
A captain’s-eye view of cruising Chicago
It’s summer in the city and the annual fleet of ships, boats and yacht tours sailing the urban waters of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan are bustling along.
Nearly two dozen vessels await boarding at cultural landmarks ranging from the lower Michigan Avenue Bridge and Navy Pier to the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and across from Buckingham Fountain.
Many of the vessels offer guided tours of Chicago’s architecture, city landmarks and purported haunted places. Others serve simply as water taxis or river buses. Still others offer dinner and lunch cruises as well as cash bars. To get our sea legs ready for the season, we talked with four captains navigating Chicago waters:
BEST PART OF THE JOB: I like to check things out in the morning and make sure everything is fine and in proper order to be operated. I also like the architecture tours because you get to learn a lot about Chicago,
WORST PART OF THE JOB: When you come in in the morning and have to deal with downtown traffic.
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE BOAT: In 1981, someone jumped off the bridge and I had to jump in with all my clothes on and fish him out. It was quite an experience.
MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT CHICAGO FROM THIS JOB: That Chicago is a progressive city.
MOST UNUSUAL QUESTION A PASSENGER HAS ASKED: They usually ask what kind of engines the boat has and how long it is.
BEST KEPT SECRET ABOUT CHICAGO YOU’LL LEARN ON THE TOUR: You learn a lot of interesting things about the different kinds of buildings.
GINGER, OR MARY ANN? Mary Anne. She was kind of quiet and I liked the way she dressed.
THE COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A CAPTAIN: The chance to be on the water every day. It’s like being in another world.