Would you, could you, on a boat?

With Fluffy looking so very "Ahoy, matey!" I decided to tally up the number of boats on which we traveled during our summer adventure,
and the total is . . . SIX!

Fluffy even got to pilot a sailboat!



3/4 of the Earth's surface is covered by water. So it should come as no big shock that water transportation has played an important role in human history for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of years. For this Spirit of Adventure challenge, you will need to board a boat. Located so close to the coast, this shouldn't present too much of a challenge.

You may visit A Floating Museum, which #70 in 101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12! suggests is "your chance to experience life at sea without having to eat hardtack or getting scurvy."

• The Texas Sea Port Museum in Galveston is the home of the 1877 tall ship ELISSA and a good place to start your boat adventure. (As adults, a couple of my high school friends volunteered on the ELISSA, climbing up and down masts and among the rigging, in order to qualify for the ship's all-volunteer sailing crew!)
• The Battleship TEXAS is another option.

To ride a boat that is going somewhere, hop on the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry. This FREE service is provided by TxDOT to connect State Highway 87 between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. (Check the ferry schedule and be aware that TxDOT is currently operating a limited number of ferries. At peak times, there may be a considerable wait for motorists.) As a bonus, ferry riders can often spot bottlenose dolphins spyhopping and playing in the ferry's wake!

OR you may prefer #76. A Working Port
"A port bustles with activity day and night, bringing together people (and boats!) from around the world . . . the intersection of land and sea is a fascinating place to be."
There are a couple of local options:

• A FREE 90-minute boat tour of the Port of Houston (Reservations are required 24 hours in advance of the tour)
• Visit the Port of Galveston

Resources:
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
101 Places You Gotta See Before You're 12! by Joanne O'Sullivan