Last weekend we spent a breezy, beautiful Sunday afternoon aboard the American Rover for a tour of the Harbor. On our voyage we saw Downtown Norfolk, Portsmouth, shipyards, navy ships, jet skis, tugboats, and way more. We watched birds dive for fish and waved to other boaters who passed by. RT even spotted a train on the land.
The ship has an upper deck with outdoor seating and a lower lounge with a bar and two seating areas. The duration of the trip is two hours, during which the captain shares facts about the surroundings. We broke up the trip by spending part of it upstairs and part downstairs. The kids liked running around the bottom floor and looking out of the windows.
The best part of the trip was watching the crew put up the sails. Kids got to help hoist them and we watched as they balanced above our heads to release them once we got far enough out of the harbor. In non-Covid times kids can also tie knots, learn to steer the ship, and learn about the tools the Captain uses to navigate. Since we missed out on that, we had RT create a "telescope" and bring it with him. Who knew pirates called them a "bring them near."
On the American Rover, cruises run from April through October and reservations are encouraged. Its sister ship, The Victory Rover, which takes tours of the naval base runs March through December. Happy sailing!
