May 12                      PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

We needed to leave the Delaware City channel on a high tide to have sufficient depth to turn around the boat in the narrow space between the dock and the opposite shore.  Our neighbors, aft and forward, had departed early so we had extra room for maneuvering.  With the expert help of one of the dock hands, we were soon turned around and headed back to the Delaware River. 

Blue skies, sunny weather, and calm breezes accompanied us as we followed the route along the eastern shore lined with refineries and chemical plants, leading to the main body of the river.  Delaware was once, and may still be, almost a fiefdom for the DuPont de Nemours family who came to this country in the early part of the eighteenth century and established one of the most successful chemical companies in the world.   The family’s homes and gardens in this state are legendary and some today are open to the public.  We visited them on several occasions years ago and regret that none are easily accessible from our boat.

We had wondered why there was such a dearth of marinas available enroute to Philadelphia but soon discovered the reasons.  For miles and miles on both sides of the Delaware River are chemical and industrial plants.  The current is very swift and the river, according to our guide book, is always carrying a significant quantity of debris and logs.  Large tankers and tugs comprise most of the traffic.  This is not a river that invites pleasure craft. We would have liked to dock at Wilmington, a beautiful city known for its outstanding gardens, but the only place for transient boaters, the Velvet Elvis Marina (we would have loved to have seen this place!), did not accommodate large boats.

Despite being warned about the danger of floating logs, we were astonished to see the quantity and size of some of them rapidly coming at us on the swift current. We continued to dodge logs until we reached the entrance to the marina in Philadelphia.  At one point, we dodged two tires, complete with wheels, floating past us. The high tide we needed in Delaware City was also high tide on the Delaware River and the current reduced our usual 10 nm speed to 7 nm.

 The Philadelphia Marine Center, one of only three marinas in the downtown area, was the only one with space for us.  We had called several weeks ago and made reservations to leave our boat here for a month, including the time we would return home.  Barbara, the manager was helpful and friendly.  I was eager to meet her.  She proved to be delightful, accommodating, and offered advice and directions for places near the marina that we might need or enjoy.  We felt confident that our boat would be in good hands.

After docking, we quickly changed to our “city clothes,” walked several blocks, and caught the Pflash, Philadelphia’s center city trolley, an on-an-off transport that goes to all the major tourist sites within a three to four mile radius.  We made the entire route and were able to ascertain where and what was available. 

Philadelphia appeared to be a vibrant city, clean and safe for walking.  The Old City, near our dock, is filled with historical sites and there are many signs that give directions and information.  We left the trolley at the Betsy Ross House to visit the Mulberry Market across the street.  As before, the selection was very limited and the prices were high.  Another market on our way back to the dock proved to be the same.  I have learned that it is best to take the time and make the effort to bring with us from home as many items as possible that we might need. 

Barbara had raved over a nearby Italian restaurant, La Veranda, and we chose to celebrate our successful final day of cruising with dinner in a nice restaurant.  La Veranda was a beautiful, welcoming place and we were placed at a table near the window to watch the river scene.  The menu reflected the strong Italian culture in Philadelphia and we were not disappointed in our choices.

On Friday, David’s back pain had returned and he decided to remain on the boat to do SGA work.  I took a long walk through the Old City, caught the trolley, and headed for the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  This massive structure atop the highest hill (the only one I saw) in the city is renowned with movie fans for the “Rocky” steps leading to the main entrance.  Today, those doors are closed and one enters from the less impressive rear of the building.  Nevertheless, the experience is awesome.  With a vast and eclectic collection of decorative arts, paintings, sculpture, glassware, and silver, the PMA is a treasure trove.  

The current exhibition at the PMA is Roberto Capucci’s Art and Fashion.  Capucci achieved celebrity status as the boy wonder of the couture world in the 1950s with his complicated designs, elegantly constructed in gorgeous iridescent fabrics.  He won fame and success in both Rome and Paris making high fashion gowns for the rich and famous.  In the late 1980s, he made a decision to focus on fashion as art and began to create his fabulous “sculpture dresses”, marvels of elegant, unique design created with expert, precision craftsmanship.  The exhibition was mounted on black mannequins in blackened rooms so that the dramatic lighting could enhance the magnificent colors and fabrics of the gowns.  I wished for the company of some of my friends, such as Glenda and Esther, who love fashion and appreciate the difficulties involved in sewing complicated designs.

The return trolley ride presented a delightful panorama of a bustling city as the streets were crowded with people seemingly happy to begin their weekend in such pleasant weather.  The bus driver reflected the happy mood as he cheerily greeted and said goodbye to passengers and people waiting at the stops.  He was a great ambassador for the City of Philadelphia.  Hot and tired, I was delighted to reach the boat and find that David had made dinner for us—a mild and very delicious version of his famous (at least in our family) chili.  After dinner, we were surprised by loud noises across the river.  Our aft deck was a perfect spot to view a wonderful fireworks display that lasted for more than fifteen minutes.  We had no idea why this occurred but we enjoyed every moment as great balls of color filled the sky and reflected in the water below.