Haverhill Riverboat Tours Now Underway After Receiving Final U.S. Coast Guard Approval

The Rachel Carson on the Merrimack River. (Courtesy photograph.)

The Rachel Carson, Haverhill’s new passenger riverboat, began running tours yesterday from downtown Haverhill.

Capt. Paul Aziz told WHAV his company, Yankee Clipper Tours, received its final signoff Wednesday from the U.S. Coast Guard. The so-called “stability letter” is a federal requirement that outlines allowable weight, number of passengers and crew and other information.

The new 30-passenger catamaran style boat is captained by Aziz and Daniel Cody, whose regular job is teaching science to seventh and eighth graders in Reading. The concept was first proposed last January to members of the Haverhill Harbor Commission. Last month, Commission Chairman Sam Amari chalked up the permitting delays to nothing more than “red tape.”

Although starting later than hoped, Aziz is extending the riverboat season into October. Tours include a 2 and 4 p.m., hour-long tour and a 6 p.m., 90-minute tour, nearly every day, all launching from the Haverhill Municipal Dock on the Merrimack River behind 100 Washington St.

The vessel is named for the author of a bestselling environmental science book, published in 1962. “Before she wrote “Silent Spring,” Rachel Carson was a biologist on Plum Island and she wrote much about the Refuge.

Tickets for the 60-minutes cruises are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12. For 90-minute tours, prices are $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased online at harbortours.com.

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