Marin -
Which model nav light is that in your picture? Aqua Signal model 40 or 41 it seems? That is the style I'm looking for. The name board looks beautiful, by the way. And yes, they still run water taxis for sure from downtown to the airport, and perhaps a ferry as well (but i think just water taxi). Ferries (high speed) run from downtown to other towns in the harbor (Quincy, Hingham, Hull) as well as to places like Salem (outside the harbor, about a 20nm run). And also to Provincetown, on Cape Cod.
Boston is a beautiful city, with nice boating for about 3 months only. It's a nice place to visit - but I HATE living here. Absurdly expensive (taxi meter STARTS at about $12 when you sit down - then a few $ $ per each mile - we have the MOST expensive taxi fare rate in all of the US). Roads are a mess - I hit a pothole so deep once that the bottom of my car's oilpan was sheared off (not a sports car - just a SAAB 900). Taxes are out of this world... I pay about 5 different kinds of tax on my car (registration fee, plates fee, sales tax, excise tax, inspection fee, $50 drivers lisc. renewal) EVERY YEAR (except sales tax). Gas is about $0.50 higher per gallon than anywhere but Manhattan. I think people here are major a-holes (people here take pride in affixing "MASS-hole" bumper stickers to their cars). The weather is terrible - I'd say we get maybe a week or so of really "nice" days per year (not bitter cold, or not oppressive humid days...)
Politically - don't get me started. Our attorney general has publicly said that in Mass it is "not illegal to be illegal [immigrant". Some towns have OUTLAWED flying the US flag over any city buildings, stating that the USA is a terrorist state (they fly UN flag instead). The idea of defending your self or property is non-existent (ie, about 2 years ago, inthe MACY's in Auburn, MA, a young boy - 5 or 6 i think - was sexually assaulted in the men's room by an illegal alien. The boy's father heard him screaming, ran inside, caught the man raping the boy, and punched the man. The illegal alien was given immunity, not charged, and not deported. The father is still in jail for aggravated assault). We spent $20 BILLION to make a 1 mile long tunnel - which has collapsed several times in the 10 years since it was built (killing people), and required millions of dollars per year in 24 hour a day pumping to keep dry as it keeps flooding from ground water... and we still pay tolls to fix it... ironically, we don't pay tolls to go through the tunnel - but on the other highways around it - ie, $1.50 to go a mile into downtown, etc). The subway was $0.85 when I moved here in 1994. In 2000, it went to $1.00. It is now going to over $3.00, and they have shut down subway lines instead of adding more as promised. Roads here get worse instead of better. ie, there are a few major boulevards which enter/exit downtown. They used to be 3 lanes in each direction. The city in the last few years made them ONE LANE roads - but added huge bicycle lanes. Traffic now is a mess, 24/7. The mayor (Mumbles Menino) has stated that his goal is to create MORE traffic, reduce parking (which costs about $30 for 30 minutes in a garage - I'm serious), and make it harder to drive in the city. But you get free parking in some places if you drive a hybrid. I drive my GF to work - a 5 mile round trip. It takes me an hour to go there and back by car. 1 hour for 5 miles (and that is when the WX is good, no snow, etc). And there are other small, illogical laws (ie, I wanted to purchase a handgun years ago, when it was still somewhat possible, a SIG SAUER P230 - similar to a Walther PPK like James Bond used to use - in MASS, that gun is legal ONLY if you buy it in silver finish - but ILLEGAL if you buy it in black - since black makes it look like an assault weapon).
Sigh. Sorry to vent... like I said - beautiful place to visit - but I hate living here.
-- Edited by 7tiger7 on Saturday 21st of January 2012 11:39:21 PM
-- Edited by 7tiger7 on Saturday 21st of January 2012 11:42:03 PM