Bring the family for a daytime ride or a deck tour on the visiting Delaware boat.

Ahoy matey! Break out your hardiest seafarer slang next weekend when Kalmar Nyckel sails into Yonkers. Dubbed “the Tall Ship of Delaware,” the square-rigged ship adventured all the way from its birthplace in Delaware to visit the Hudson Valley for an educational summertime visit.
On Wednesday, August 15 from noon until 7:30 p.m., Kalmar Nyckel will offer day sails and deck tours from its berth along the waterfront by X20 Xaviars on the Hudson. The Yonkers stop comes after a lengthy stay up in Kingston, before the Kalmar Nyckel makes its return voyage to Delaware. Families can hop onboard to explore the full-scale replica of a traditional Dutch-built Pinnace merchant ship, the kind that brought Swedish settlers to New Sweden (now Delaware) back in 1638. Visitors of all ages can try their hand at hauling the lines and setting sail on the water. For a breezier experience, attendees are also invited to pack a picnic, lounge on the deck, and listen along to tales from the crew.

“Kalmar Nyckel is not only honored to visit Yonkers, but also eager to bring a taste of maritime and colonial experiences that passengers will always remember,” says Cathy Parsells, executive director at the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation. The foundation, a non-profit educational organization, works to preserve maritime heritage in the Delaware region. Since 1997, it has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of Kalmar Nyckel, which operates as a floating classroom and education center throughout the year.
Cruises will be available from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets, which can be purchased online, cost $60 for adults and $40 for children under 17. In addition, dockside deck tours run earlier in the day, from noon until 3 p.m. The cost to step aboard is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 17.
Guests who can’t wait can also take the drive up to Kingston, where the ship is currently docked, and enjoy sails at various times throughout the day on August 9-12, and Pirate Sails on August 10 and 11 where the crew goes all out with pirate costumes, tall tales, scavenger hunts, and a ceremonial raising of the fearsome Jolly Roger. Costumes are optional, and welcome for guests.
For more information about the Kalmar Nyckel’s Hudson Valley itinerary or to book a sail, visit kalmarnyckel.org.