Cruise control

So, the choice of activities for today was (a) do the housework or (b) go on a cruise. I hummed and hahhed about that for, oo, maybe thirty seconds, before jumping in the car and getting myself down to the dock.

Now when I say "cruise" that perhaps conjures up images of sunshine, scenic views and general relaxation. But this particular cruise was on the Hudson River in October, out of Albany. With a bunch of school-kids (the Boy and his classmates).

It happened to be overcast today, and extremely cold. So we were shivering on the deck as the boat (the Dutch
Apple cruiser) slipped past the petrochemical plants and car-crushing depots that comprise the main sights along this section of the river. There was a cruise commentary to give us some local history, but the PA system was a little feeble and anyway it was almost impossible to hear over the din of excited seven and eight year-olds taking photos of each other.



But I'm being much too negative. It was actually great fun spotting river-craft and wildlife, and grockling at the multi-million dollar bankside homes once we got beyond the industrial Port of Albany. And the kids all had a blast. Especially when - shiver me timbers cap'n! - they got to steer the boat!