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Saturday, 27 August, 2005 0:07 AM
The
Boblo Boat Returns to the Detroit River
The Boblo Boat is returning
to the waters of the Detroit River. It has been gone for the past
14 years. The boat will be open for tours and other special events
for those who want to relieve the past or create memories for the
future.
The real name of the
Boblo Boat is "Ste. Claire." It cost about $600,000 to
renovate the boat and get it back in proper form. It will make it's
debut at Belanger Park, located in River Rouge. The boat was formerly
used to take passengers from Detroit to the Boblo Island, which
is no more.
For baby boomers, this
boat was very special. Kids used to ride it from the city to the
island where there was amusement park rides and other fun activities.
The island has since closed but the boat is back up and running.
A two-month celebration
begins on Sept. 2nd until October 31, 2005. There will be historical
guided tours, a haunted house and a Nautical Nightmare. Tours will
be held daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults
and all children 5 and under are free. Parking is $3.
The Nautical Nightmare
will run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays, mightnight
on Fridays and Saturdays. It begins on Sept. 23 and runs until October
31, 2005. The cost will be $14 per person.
Keep in mind that the
boat will not be sailing up and down the Detroit River. It will
only be open for tours and other special events. It will be docked
4 1/2 miles south of Detroit in the downriver area. The location
is 10 miles north of Boblo Island.
The boat was being stored
in Lorain, Ohio. It was built in Toledo, Ohio back in 1910. The
Boblo Boat has a capacity of 2,466 passengers. It has a sister ship
named Columbia which can hold 2,516 people. Both of the boats transported
600,000 people between Detroit and Boblo Island.
The Detroit Princess
sails up and down the river
A new boat, called the
Detroit Princess has dinner cruises. It is not related to the Boblo
Boat, but worth mentioning. This boat was owned by Harrah's and
once contained a casino. It was recently transformed into a cruise
ship.
The Princess was built
in Louisiana by Leevac Shipyard in 1993. It weights 1,430 tons and
is 222 feet long. It cruises at a speed of 10 knots or 11 mph. The
total capacity of the ship is 1,550 passengers.
The boat is in operation
all 7 days of the week. On Monday, Wednesday and Saturday there
is a lunch cruise featuring a buffet with entertainment. It costs
$39 per person. It boards from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. then it
runs from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
From Wednesday through
Saturday there are dinner cruises. It runs from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00
p.m. There are several types of entertainment including Musical
Revue, Big Band, Comedy Murder Mystery and Easy Listening/Jazz.
Prices range from $49 to $89 (for VIP).
From Thursday through
Saturday, there is a moonlight cruise. It runs from 11:00 p.m. until
1:00 a.m. It features a nightclub atmosphere with a DJ and/or a
band or guest entertainer. Prices range from $30-$50 for the moonlight
cruise.
On Sunday, there is a
dinner cruise from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. It features a buffet
with entertainment. The cost is $49 for access to all decks.
For more information,
visit DetroitPrincess.com.
For more information
on the Boblo Boat, click here.
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