Father’s Day cruise a hit at Moraine State Park
MUDDY CREEK TWP — Cathy Seman enjoyed the cruise she took on the Preston’s Pearl in September, and she thought a ride on the boat would be a great gift to her father.
On Sunday, June 18, Jim Cunningham celebrated Father’s Day, as well as his 75th birthday, with his daughters and wife by taking a special Father’s Day cruise around Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park — his first ride on the boat.
“That’s why we’re all out here, for my birthday and Father’s Day,” said Cunningham, of New Castle. “It’s a nice boat, I’m surprised how big it is.”
Preston’s Pearl had its annual Father’s Day cruise Sunday morning, which was a sold-out trip attended by numerous dads and their families.
Jackie Nicklas, first mate for Preston's Pearl, said the annual cruise is always popular, and always sells out.
“It's a lot of families,” Nicklas said. “They are bringing their dads out and they can bring their children, sometimes their grandchildren.”
The cruise included a breakfast, which was served as soon as the boat left McDanel’s Launch Area for its hour-and-a-half tour of the lake. The holiday cruise was the boat’s regular tour of the lake, and took riders from the North Shore to the South Shore and under the Prospect Road Bridge.
Nicklas said the demand for cruises over the weekend was so high that the crews added an additional trip, which also sold out.
“We've actually added an extra trip on Saturday from three to 4:30,” Nicklas said. “I would say it's probably the popularity of Father's Day.”
After eating breakfast, boat riders could walk around the top deck to get a view of the lake and the surrounding land. Frank and Rachel Kimmel, of Mars, brought their children, 4-year-old Will and 1-year-old Bennett, on the cruise to also celebrate Father’s Day.
Frank said he was enjoying the cruise as he showed Will how to use a pair of binoculars.
“It seemed like a good Father’s Day activity,” he said.
Rachel added that this boat trip was a demo for what she and her husband hope to attain someday — their own boat for the lake.
“This is as good as we can get for now,” she said. “(A boat) is in our five-, 10-year plan.”
While on the top deck, Cunningham used a monocular to look out onto the lake. His daughters said they were happy to see him enjoying himself.
“He has always talked about coming on,” Seman said. “It was just something nice for us to do for Father’s Day.”
