Congratulations Clara & Joe Fairchild!

Drama! A worried bride, a broken down bus, a fast boat! And that's all BEFORE the wedding! Thanks to a good friend, Joe was able to make his wedding by speed boat. As Joe jumped off the speed boat, the wedding party and their guests boarded the Lantern Queen. Captain Fred Lied led Joe and Clara through their "I Do's" enroute to Northeast where more friends were waiting at the Nautigoose. The four hour cruise to Northeast provided plenty of time for relaxed partying. More drama awaited us in Northeast when we discovered that another boat was docked at the city pier - the only pier that can handle the Lantern Queen. A quick call to the Nauti-goose took care of the problem and the Lantern Queen slid into the berth, and quickly lowered the gangway so that the celebration could move to the Nautigoose!

Joe and Clara, congratulations from the Lantern Queen Crew and Staff! We thoroughly enjoyed your wedding, and wish you many years of happiness.

Memorial Day!

As you can see, the Lantern Queen is all decked out in her patriotic finery. It's a busy weekend for all of us - and the unofficial start to the summer boating season. As we enjoy this wonderfully sunny and pleasant weekend, please join us in remembering and honoring all those who've given their lives in the service of our country. It is their sacrifice that allows us the freedoms we hold so dear.

Happy Birthday, Kristin!

What's better than having a great bartender? Having a great bartender who's celebrating! Yesterday was Kristin Webb's birthday! Kristin, having you around makes every day a celebration!

Happy 25th Anniversary Donna & Steve Goetz!

You know, the Lantern Queen seems to be a magnet for one "endangered" species - successful marriages! Tonight we celebrated the 25th anniversary of Donna & Steve Goetz. We didn't have to ask what their secret was - you can see the love in their eyes, and in the eyes of their family and friends. It was a great party, with great folks. Thank you for spending your 25th anniversary with us!

Great Blue Herons!

Suddenly there are Great Blue Herons at Hutchins Park. These almost prehistoric looking birds are both beautiful and ugly, graceful and clumsy, all at the same time! Here's what the Chesapeake Bay Journal has to say about our Great Blue Herons:

The dignified image is emblazoned on magazines, television, clothing and even license plates. Surpassed only by the blue crab as a symbol of Chesapeake Bay, the great blue heron is the largest and most widely distributed of American herons and probably the most familiar of wading birds.

In recent years, great blue herons have had to face new threats. The deterioration of water quality and loss of habitat threatens herons and other water birds. Areas of shallow water habitat are destroyed during land development, resulting in the loss of fish and other prey.

Toxic chemicals that enter the Bay from runoff and industrial discharges threaten all Bay inhabitants.

Presently, the Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to relatively stable populations of great blue herons, but we cannot become complacent in our efforts to protect them. The preservation of shallow water habitat, feeding areas and rookeries must remain a priority if we want to enjoy this majestic symbol of the Chesapeake Bay.

Congratulations, Seniors!

On Wednesday evening, May 22, 2008 we hosted a group of John Carroll graduating seniors. First, I have to say that this was the nicest bunch of teens! This group has been Mr. John Low's homeroom for all four years of high school!

This cruise was more special for us than the young people knew! Carroll & Becky met for the first time in Mr. John Low's Edgewood High School biology class - uh...a long time ago. (First period, 9th grade!) In addition to being a great teacher, John was also Carroll's track and cross-country coach. And John's wife, Mary Ann, was Becky's high school phys ed teacher. Long after high school the Low's and Fitzgerald's continue to cross paths, as Becky coached (and Carroll helped) at Harford Tech High, and as both Scott & Erin ran for Joppatowne High and Harford Tech High, respectively. It seemed that John was always there with a quiet word of encouragement for the kids or Carroll & Becky.

After John retired from Harford County Public Schools, he continued teaching at John Carroll High. It is so nice to see this group of high school seniors hold Mr. Low in the same high regard we do!

Harrington Senior Center - Mystery Tour

Another fun mystery tour! Two large motor coaches set out early in the morning, headed for ??? Only the leader knew where they were headed. When they reached Havre de Grace one motor coach headed for the Susquehanna Museum with step on tour guide, Bob Magee. The other motor coach headed for Hutchins Park and the Lantern Queen. And then after a two hour cruise or a two hour tour of Havre de Grace, the two groups exchanged places. It was a wonderful trip - a bit windy, but otherwise fun. I hope these Delaware residents will be back soon for even more fun!

Corinthian Lodge

From the time the folks of the Corinthian Lodge (Masons) stepped on board, we knew it was going to be a wonderful evening. There's only one word to describe this group - NICE! It turned out to be a lovely evening and most of us spent a good amount of time on the upper deck. We're already looking forward to seeing this group again!

Chocolate Cruise!

Just before our passengers boarded, I snapped photos of the desserts. Wow! Enough chocolate for all of Havre de Grace - pastries and panna cotta, hot fudge and raspberry sundaes, trifle, chocolate mousse filled cups! And to top it off bartender Kristin made fabulous chocolate martinis too! I also want to congratulate the 3 couples who celebrated their anniversary tonight! What a great idea - what's more romantic than chocolate!

Calvary Independent Baptist Church

The Calvary Independent Baptist Church Senior Adults provided another "first" for the Lantern Queen - our first hymn sing! These folks were good! But, chef Tom Eikenberg and Becky sang right along with the group! In fact, Tom and Becky want to challenge this group to a game of "Name that Hymn!" Seriously, thank you folks for making it a great cruise!

Congratulations to Camie & Rob Otis!

A raw and windy day gave way to an absolutely beautiful evening - just in time for Camie and Rob's wedding aboard the Lantern Queen. With flowers all the way around the top rail and a bridal arch on the stern, the riverboat nuptials were hard to miss. Captain Dave Gainey performed the ceremony and Camie and Rob's first kiss as husband and wife was marked with a loud blast from the Lantern Queen whistle!

Congratulations Rob & Camie and our wishes for a long and happy marriage!

Congratulations! Elaine Chaney & Matt Webb!

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Webb. Elaine and Matt's rehearsal dinner was held on the Lantern Queen on Friday evening, May 9, with their wedding at the Vandiver Inn on Saturday May 10. Our wish is for you to have many, many happy years together!

Groups! Great Groups!

Anyone who deals with groups can tell you that they can be challenging. On Thursday evening, May 8, we had TWO corporate groups aboard! The Herr's (the potato chip folks) Visitor's Center staff and a team from the W.L. Gore Co. (the people who bring us Gore-Tex and other cool stuff) joined our public dinner cruise.

What fun! It was a gorgeous night and these hard working folks got a chance to relax and talk about something other than potato chips or weatherproof fabric! I did get a bit worried when I noticed one of the W. L. Gore folks was wearing a Weather Channel jacket. You know the kind the weather reporter is wearing as he holds onto a light pole to keep from being swept away by the hurricane? The Weather Channel logo was on the left chest, and when the fellow moved his arm I noticed the Gore-Tex label...duh! Silly me! Of course W.L. Gore makes those high tech coats.

The Hess folks were a lot of fun too. These folks man the Herr's Visitors Center and deal with the public all day, every day. So you can bet that they were among the nicest folks we've ever had on the boat. (I'm thinking their job is like Willy Wonka but with potatoes!) Although we teased them about potato chips, I really do want to take a day and visit their facility. I'll bet our little granddaughter Katherine would like to see how chips are made too!

Thank you to both groups - the Lantern Queen staff thoroughly enjoyed the Thursday night cruise. It's always the people who make the cruise!

Grand Opening - Finally!

On May 2, 2008 Mayor Wayne Dougherty raised the Havre de Grace flag on the Lantern Queen as the kick off for a great Grand Opening cruise. Also participating were a number of regional dignitaries, city employees, friends and family. An absolutely perfect evening was the backdrop for a relaxing cruise, full of good food, good drink and great company.

A big thanks to Mayor Wayne Dougherty, Carol Mathis and all the Havre de Grace City Employees. Part of the reason Havre de Grace is a great place to live and work is that folks care - especially the City employees!

Happy 60th Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Any of you who know Lucy & Bob Powers know that I have the best parents in the world! My brother and sister-in-law, Bob & Jenny Powers, teamed up with Carroll & I to host a 60th Anniversary Party & Cruise for Mom and Dad. Bob & Jenny did the cooking, and it was yummy. It was a wonderful cruise with a whole boat full of friends and family.

The most remarkable thing is watching these two lovebirds and seeing the love and devotion they have for each other. What an example they are for the rest of us!

Wine Dinner

The same pesking Havre de Grace weather conditions that kept us at pier for the Queen's Tea struck again. White caps and a gusty 20+ mph winds made sailing impossible. Our wonderful passengers assured us that the wine dinner would still be fun.

While a wine educator from Boordy Vineyard worked with Chef Tom Eikenberg to pair award winning wines with Tom's amazing Wine Dinner menu and explain them to our passengers, Captain Dave Gainey and the Lantern Queen crew carefully monitored the slowly improving weather. When the boat began to back out of its slip (about 45 minutes later) an excited ovation went up from the dining room. Amazingly, the wind died down, the water calmed, and the evening turned absolutely beautiful. After dinner, most folks made their way to the upper deck. Everyone was having such a good time that we extended the cruise about a half hour.

Once again, its all about the people. Great people make great cruises!

Mystery Tour

The Neff Motor Coach Tour company advertised a "Mystery Tour" in the Lancaster, PA area. Approximately 45 people purchased tickets, got on the big tour bus, and set out with no more information than to dress comfortably for walking and bring a sweater! Talk about adventurers! After a morning tour of the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House with Bob Magee, the group reboarded their motor coach for a quick trip to Charlestown for lunch at the Wellwood. After lunch the group was surprised when their motor coach pulled into Hutchins Park for their cruise. What a wonderfully relaxing afternoon seeing the sights from the water. (I heard that they were headed to Bomboy's for ice cream after the cruise.) We're glad you folks enjoyed your Mystery Tour of the Havre de Grace area!

The Queen's Tea

These intrepid ladies had a great tea - and a great adventure. The high winds and choppy whitecaps kept us at the pier, but the Queen's Tea went on in regal fashion. In spite of the crummy weather, the food was wonderful, the atmosphere grand, and the company entertaining. Thank you to all the ladies (and one gentleman) who helped make this event wonderful.

We were sad to meet the Vaders just in time to say goodbye. This nice young couple is relocating back to their home state of Colorado. I know their families will be so happy to have them back home. Godspeed!

Congratulations Trudy and Michael Sullivan!

WOW! How do you top off a festival weekend like this one? The Pride of Baltimore berthed on one side and the Skipjack Martha Lewis on the other, and a whole weekend of parties! A wedding!

Trudy and Michael got married up on upper deck, in a ceremony performed by Captain Fred Lied, as we cruised near the Concord Point Lighthouse.

Congratulations, Trudy and Michael! May you have a long marriage of smooth sailing!

Lantern Queen Surprise for Coral Wright!

Happy Birthday Coral! Coral's family has a history of surprising her. This year a surprise birthday cruise was sucessfully kept hush hush. What a wonderful family cruise and birthday celebration. Coral, we send you our congratulations and our wish for many more wonderful birthdays!

April 11-13

The weekend of April 11-13 was a LOT of fun! So much was going on at Hutchin's Park. First, the Lantern Queen had a busy charter weekend with both a birthday party and a wedding. The Chesapeake Heritage Conservancy held their annual Bull Roast in a tent in the parking lot. And they brought the Skipjack Martha Lewis up to Hutchins Park for the festivities. And the Pride of Baltimore II was in Havre de Grace and also shared our pier, tied up right next to the riverboat all weekend. A whole fleet of unique vessels!

Harford Bank Annual Meeting

A bank's annual meeting aboard a riverboat? Absolutely! At the risk of sounding cheesy, let me tell you that Harford Bank is an amazing institution. When we went looking for financing to purchase the Lantern Queen, Harford Bank had the best advice, rates and common sense! So, we also opened our business accounts with Harford Bank and have been awed by the level of service. Hometown banks are quickly becoming extinct, but when we walk into Harford Bank, we're greeted by name by smiling employees. And I think "Sure, we can do that" is the bank's motto, we've heard it so often. But I digress...

After a quick upgrade to the boat's "technology" with a 100" screen, a 2200 lumen projector and all the necessary cabling, the Lantern Queen had a "board room." And suddenly ALL of the Harford Bank personnel were aboard, enjoying a great dinner, speechifying and financial talk with accompanying PowerPoint slides. (The short version is that Harford Bank had a GREAT year!) Finally, awards were presented to the employees for outstanding performance - and there is a LOT of outstanding performance at Harford Bank!

Congratulations to all of the Harford Bank folks! Thank you for letting us be part of your celebration!