Windy City tour boat sails into GH

Wed, Nov 4, 2009    to del.icio.us

It wasn't strong westerly winds that landed a Chicago tour boat in the Tri-Cities Tuesday afternoon — it was the captain's desire to be here.

Captain Bob Agra piloted Little Lady, one of six in his Chicago tour boat fleet, into the Grand Haven harbor around noon Tuesday, with a final destination of Grand Isle Marina.

The 68-foot vessel was hoisted later in the afternoon and temporarily dry-docked for a Coast Guard inspection sometime today, which is required every five years.

Agra said he and his crew of five will spend the rest of the week removing barnacles and repainting the boat's hull before heading home to Chicago, where the vessel spends May through late November taking tourists on Chicago River cruises — where high waves are not part of the program.

The captain hopes seas are calmer on the return trip than on his journey here. Six-foot swells and following seas caused the captain and crew to divert to Muskegon, after more than 17 hours piloting across Lake Michigan Sunday and Monday.

"It was nice and bumpy yesterday and last night," Agra said Monday. "With the wind direction and waves, we thought it would be a better idea to lay up at the Muskegon Yacht Club. We had waves on our tail so we tried to go with the wind — almost like a sailboat tack."

Agra is accustomed to stormy seas. He is the third-generation owner of Mercury, Chicago's Skyline Cruiseline, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year.

At age 18, Agra was thrust into the captain's seat unexpectedly when his father died of a heart attack in 1976.

"I took over the business," the captain said. "Like most 18-year-olds, when you're the only son, you do what you have to do to save the family business."

Agra later married his wife, Holly, and the two expanded the luxury vessel business with new boats and architechtural, private and other specialty cruises — including a canine cruise.

This is Agra's third year piloting his Windy City tour boats here for service.

Agra learned of Grand Isle's reputation and hoist capabilities "through the maritime grapevine" and has enjoyed his trips here for inspections and maintenance, he said.

"I always have a great time when I'm here," Agra said, standing on a Grand Isle dock on Little Lady's port side. "The restaurants are great, the people are friendly and it's so quiet here. It's a great place to visit.

"Today was nice and smooth and uneventful. It's somewhat emotional because it's the end of the season. But with winter coming, I'll have more family time."

Little Lady, built in Florida, has been in operation since 1999.

"She does architecture tours during the day and in the evening she does corporate and private parties," Agra said of the ship. "She's like part of the family."

On the Net:

www.mercuryskylinecruiseline.com

www.cruisechicago.com.