Easter sailing excursions, free of charge
Published 7:35 pm Friday, April 18, 2014
![DAILY NEWS | FILE PHOTO HOIST THE SAILS: Free Easter Sunday tours will be offered on the Jeanie B, the tall ship that makes its home on the Washington waterfront.](https://www.thewashingtondailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2014/04/NEWS_FREE-TOURS_JEANIE-B_140419_WEB.jpg)
DAILY NEWS | FILE PHOTO
HOIST THE SAILS: Free Easter Sunday tours will be offered on the Jeanie B, the tall ship that makes its home on the Washington waterfront.
Those seeking an Easter Sunday, after-church adventure might want to make their way to the Washington waterfront. Tomorrow, Jeanie B owner Lee Sutton and her captain, Paul Del Rio, are offering free sailing trips for children and adults.
“It’s a nice thing they’re doing for the community,” said Beth Byrd, executive director of Washington Harbor District Alliance.
From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, children can climb aboard to help hoist the sails and take a turn at the ship’s wheel as the 72-foot gaff-rigged schooner takes a short excursion down the Pamlico River. Adding to the river adventure, face painters will be aboard to help transform the fresh-faced sailing recruits into a pirate crew.
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., abbreviated sailing tours for groups of up to 25 adults will be offered for adults.
Free excursions on the Jeanie B have been offered before, when the ship first found its home at Dock C on the Washington waterfront in 2012. Since, it‘s been available for free tours at the dock during several downtown Washington events, but the ship leaves its berth most often for paid half-day river excursions and evening sunset cruises from the Washington Waterfront to Blounts Bay and back. The Jeanie B is also available for extended multi-day adventures throughout the Pamlico Sound to the Islands of Ocracoke, Hatteras, Manteo and the Bahamas, according to the Jeanie B website.
The Jeanie B is hosting the free sailing excursions on a weekend where admission to all 401 national parks in the United States is free and open to the public in observance of National Parks week.
Signup for the adult tours takes place tomorrow. For more information, call Capt. Paul Del Rio at 252-671-0080. The free trips are limited to 100 people.