Ride The Ducks

Ride_the_ducks.

In late July, I went on the "Ride the Ducks" tour. This tour just started this summer in Philadelphia. As you board the duck you are given a "duck call" or "qwacker". If you are on a tour that has small children, before the duck even moves you will hate these toys. They also take your picture, which they sell back to you at the end for $20.

The "Ducks" are actually World War 2 era amphibious trucks retro-fitted for tour duty. The ducks are about 12 feet high maybe 9 feet wide and about 20 feet long. These trucks are capable of speeds of up to 45 mph on land and about 6 knots (nautical miles per hour translates to roughly 7 mph) in the water. The ducks are all wheel (that is six wheels) drive with a constantly running propeller located between the catamaran hulls / wheel wells at the rear.

The tour started at 6th and Market across from the Liberty Bell. The tour takes you through the historic district, South street, along the river front. At the base of the Ben Franklin Bridge the tour enters the Delaware River. Unfortunately the tour I was on was during the incoming tide, so the speed down the river toward the Moshulu and USS New Jersey (BB62) was very slow (about 1 mph), we did not get to cruise along the side of either ship. (I had hoped to get the chance to see the USS New Jersey from the water and from the water in a duck because during the WW2 Pacific island hoping campaign, on 12 separate occasions that I can confirm, US Marine Corps and US Army landing troops passed close (within 100ft) of the ship on their way to shore in ducks.) When in the water the duck sits quite deep, and the exterior water level on the hull is within 8 inches of the seating area. If you are going on a duck ride try and sit as close to the middle of the vehicle in the seating rows as possible because the screw throws up a tremendous wake, which in the case of our tour, sometimes came into the hull. (For those who are worried about swamping, do not be, the bilge pump can easily keep up.) If you take small children with you they will get a chance to drive duck while it is in the river. After the duck waddles back up onto the land it proceeds up Market Street to Sixth Street and ends where it began.

All things considered I enjoyed the tour and learned a few things about the city as well. The total tour takes about 70 minutes and is well worth the cost ($20 per person).

jpd..

The following information has been added to clarify some references familiar to most of the readership, but not to the internet population.

The Moshulu is a historic sailing vessel and restaurant on the Philadelphia waterfront.
Wikipedia Entry
Moshulu Restaurant Homepage