Sails Set for Saturday

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

The stage is set for Sail Boston’s Parade of Sail this Saturday and security measures are being put in place to make sure everyone has a good time.

The best bet for seeing the ships is by parking on Veterans Road, around the new middle/high school, or at Ingleside Park where there will be shuttle buses to go to the viewing area. Access to Deer Island, the premiere site for viewing will be limited to foot traffic and bicycles only. From the point of Deer Island spectators will be 1,200 feet away from the ships. It’s advised to bring a pair of binoculars or a really good camera.

Tafts Street will be closed off at Elliot Street. All Fourth of July protocols will be in place. Residents have a special sticker for the event to move in and out of the neighborhood. Anyone without a sticker will just have to show identification.

There will be closures of roads as-needed.

At Yirrell Beach there will be vendors such as JW’s, Pizza Center, Odyssey Grill, the Class of 2018 (selling slush), food trucks and informational tables. There will be port-a-potties around and the Ferry Terminal Building has restrooms that will be open.

The MWRA does not want any parking on Deer Island and there will be no parking on Point Shirley. “There will be scanning stations to go through on the way to the viewing area,” said Dave Duest, head of operations at the MWRA’s Deer Island facility.

The first ship, The Eagle, will be at the start line off Nahant/Broad Sound at 9 a.m. it is expected to pass by Deer Island around 10:15 a.m. the rest of the ships will follow about every 15 minutes to Boston Harbor and the ships berths. The last ship is expected to go by at 1:15 p.m.

There will be views and vendors along Yirrell Beach and it pays to get there early.

Parking is restricted. The parking lot at the Winthrop Landing will be full and only accessible to those dropping off boats.

The Sail Boston event takes place June 17-22 but the big event, the Parade of Sails, will be June 17 with 49 boats from around the world and a U.S. Navy vessel. There will also be a U.S. Navy flyover. Ships are expected the be in full sail and then drop their sails after Deer Island as they head in to Boston Harbor.

On Friday night, June 16, traffic restrictions will be put in place.