Aboard the Captain Kidd

Arrrhhh, we be pirates, or something like that

Yesterday, we got out on the water on Galveston Bay, on board the topsail schooner Captain Kidd. With blood-red sails and Jolly Roger flying, we cruised around for two hours.

The Kidd is based at the Kemah Boardwalk marina, an area that has gone seriously touristy in the past few years, with restaurants, gift shops, and other entertainment to part tourists from their money. One such entertainment is a gigantic speed boat called the Boardwalk Beast. It holds about 50 people and goes very fast, and it was just getting started on its trip when we passed.

The contrast between the Kidd and the Beast is striking. The Beast is big and loud, and it was playing rock music of the sort that gets played in sports stadiums. There was even a crew member in the bow of the boat getting the passengers fired up with a cheerleading sort of thing. Meanwhile, the Kidd was gently drifting by, sails partly up, with Jimmy Buffett on the sound system, with eight laid-back passengers and a laid-back captain and deckhand.

We got out into the bay, raised the rest of the sails, and cruised around for two hours. The Beast soon passed us and went roaring off. Those passengers got essentially the same tour we did, but it was over in 15 minutes or so. I would say that we got the better deal for our money.