Schuylkill River Cruise

I managed to fit two outings in to one Saturday. Riding home from the Mural Arts ride, I stopped at in information table under the Walnut Street Bridge to inquire if any open seats were available for the afternoon cruise down the Schuylkill River. The manager said he could fit one more on so I rode home, cleaned myself up, and returned to the dock for the 2:00 PM departure.

The Schuylkill River Development Corporation, a non-profit organization that seeks to enhance the river and its banks from Fairmount Park south, organizes these river cruises throughout the summer. The tour started heading upriver as far as the Fairmount Waterworks, an engineering marvel built in the early 1800s to supply the city with clean drinking water. A dam built as part of the waterworks forced us to turn around and head south toward the Delaware River. Passing under the South Street Bridge (current under re-construction), we entered a part of the river I had not seen before. We continued as far south as Bartram's Garden, which I visited by bike earlier this year, before returning to the boat dock.

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The Director of the non-profit narrated the tour. He highlighted a lot of the improvements his group has accomplished, active projects and items on their wish list. As a beneficiary of these efforts, I appreciated the chance to hear about them.

Fairmount Water Works

Skyline from Dupont Crescent

CSX Train
Philadelphia Gas Works in the Background

River Cruise Boat (left)
SRDC Improvements (center)
Art Installation (right)