The boarding of the Provincetown II began at 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday evening, July 6; it embarked for the evening promptly at 7. The occasion: the 2016 Annual Boys & Girls Club Cruise – a South Boston fundraising tradition. This Cruise is named in honor of a departed Clubhouse Angel: It’s now called the Mary Binda Memorial Harbor Cruise
You might recall the temperatures in Boston last week. They were blistering, peaking into the 90s on occasion; the weeknights, even after dark, weren’t much better. But an easterly sea breeze made the Cruise ever so much better. A Massport fireboat greeted the Provincetown II with 500 gallon per minute sprays. The dancing was non-stop and enjoyable without anyone getting overheated – not that one would notice, anyhow. And the sunset – which resembled a tropical sunset in the tropics – was nothing short of spectacular from the water.
A word (or two) about the music on last Wednesday’s Cruise. The Disc Jockey was that Boston institution Doug Lane, who spun and DJ’d for the dance crowd topside, on the Provincetown II’s aft deck. He didn’t stop once; neither did anyone in the crowd. And you probably know Doug from his WEEI 93.7FM affiliation, where he is their Sports Technical Director. Doug is a double media threat, in other words.
Below decks, Joanne and Jethro Mills very capably handled the Karaoke session, also non-stop for the three-hour duration of the Mary Binda Cruise. Now it’s true that the talent over hours of Karaoke can be very, well, shall we say “variable”? And it was. But one young lady stood out. Dawnmarie sang with a distinct country tone in her voice; ir was a delight to listen to her. And that’s not all – Dawnmarie is the Music Director at South Boston’s Boys & Girls Club.
Boston Harbor is an especially scenic body of water, from the embarkation at the World Trade Center out to Boston Light and back again. Much of this is due to our Harbor Islands, dropped as the Ice Age glaciers retreated 6,000 years ago. The before-and-after lighting changes as the sun set over them lent a bit of magic to the Cruise’s and water surroundings. Castle Island – yes, it once was a real island – with Fort Independence vied with the Boston skyline as the most impressive sight.
Missed the Cruise, did you? Well, you get a second chance – come to the Boys & Girls Club’s “Back-2-School BBQ” at Coppersmith on West Third, Friday evening, September 9, 6 till 10 p.m.
See you there.
DJ Doug Lane WEEI, 93.7FM, spins the music on the July 6 Club Cruise. He’s also WEEI’s Sports Technical Director – hey, it was a triple double.
A stately Fort Independence seen to the starboard from the Provincetown II during the 2016 Boys & Girls Club Cruise.
A traditional part of the Annual Club Cruise – a Massport fire boat greets the Provincetown II. That boat can pump around 500 gallons per minute.
There was just enough breeze to fill the sails of this graceful boat, as it passed by the Provincetown II during the Boys & Girls Club Cruise.
A modern archeological structure – a stationary channel marker built upon a shoal left behind by glacial debris.
The 2016 Boys & Girls Club Cruise provided some relief from the scorching temperatures last week. Check the tropic-like sunset over Boston’s skyline.
Casey and Michaela enjoy a quiet moment on the 2016 Boys & Girls Club Cruise. Do you recognize Michaela from DewLuxe?
A sunset aftermath silhouettes the skyline of Boston, along with a darkened shoal warning light.
4031 – It’s after sunset, so who cares? Let the dancing begin, on the 2016 Annual Boys & Girls club Cruise.
It’s great to be in exactly the right company during the Annual Boys & Girls club Cruise.
Dawnmarie serenades the Karaoke crowd during the 2016 Boys & Girls Club Cruise. She’s the Music Director at the South Boston Boys & Girls Clubhouse on West Sixth.
Jethro and Joanne Mills host the Karaoke during the 2016 Boys & Girls Club Cruise. Love that Trilby hat, Joanne!
A portion of Boston’s skyline under a sliver of a crescent moon, as the Boys & Girls Club Cruise draws to a close.
Three individuals on the 2016 Cruise, who make up the mind, heart, and soul of the Boys & Girls Club – Ann Gordon, Harry Duvall, and Pattie McCormick.
