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Also, check out the Dutch martini and other Dutch goodies being served at nearby Rowes Wharf Sea Grille.
Oosterschelde, the Dutch tall ship docked at Rowes Wharf for Sail Boston 2026. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Dutch culture overtook Rowes Wharf this week for Sail Boston 2026 as tall ship Oosterschelde from the Netherlands welcomed the public for tours.
A steady line of visitors waited to board the tall ship on Tuesday, set against the backdrop of the iconic 60-foot archway of the Boston Harbor Hotel. Meanwhile, diners at the hotel’s Rowes Wharf Sea Grille sipped Dutch martinis and nibbled Dutch-inspired treats.
The summer event, part of Sail250, is a global gathering of more than 50 tall ships and military vessels representing over 20 countries in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The five-day maritime celebration in Boston wraps up with fireworks Wednesday night before the ships depart on Thursday.
Oosterschelde, the restored three-masted 164-foot top-sail schooner, was built in 1918. It is named after the eastern part of the Schelde river and is the only ship that remains from the large fleet of schooners that sailed under the Dutch flag at the turn of the 20th century, according to Sail Boston.
Oosterschelde docked at Rowes Wharf. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Visitors boarded the ship in groups and toured both above and below deck during the daily public touring hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Below deck, folks could peer into the ship’s bedrooms and kitchen and experience the salon, the ship’s communal living space.
People waiting in line and boarding Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
“It was so cool to experience a boat from the Netherlands,” said Aurely Santos, from Pawtucket, R.I., who toured the ship with her mother, Nancy, and siblings Natalie, Manny, and Sophia.
Nancy Bravo from Pawtucket, R.I. toured Oosterschelde with her kids Natalie, Manny, Aurely, and Sophia. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Oosterschelde will stay in Massachusetts a little longer after Sail Boston 2026 concludes on Thursday, traveling from Boston to Quincy and docking at Safe Harbor Marina Bay to conduct more tours from July 16–19. After that, the ship will sail to Canada, Spain, and France before returning to the Netherlands in November, said Casper Birch, 21, a deck hand on Oosterschelde.
The Sail250 tour marks Birch’s first time in the U.S.
“I think it has been very nice,” Birch said about Boston. “We went out a couple of times. There are a lot of sports bars here. When we go out we have been received very well. People hear the accent and want to know where we are from.”
Casper Birch is a deck hand on Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Birch was stationed at the foredeck of the ship on Tuesday, schooling visitors about parts of the ship such as the anchor winch and jib boom.
The foredeck of Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Friends Kylie Defeo, 25, of New Jersey, and Elizabeth Nerney, 25, of New Hampshire, wandered the wooden deck during their tour.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Defeo, who said it was her first tall ships experience.
Friends Kylie Defeo, of N.J. and Elizabeth Nerney of N.H. tour Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Tova Ostling, 23, another deck hand on Oosterschelde, educated visitors at the wheelhouse, where the ship’s navigation takes place.
Ostling showed visitors the ship’s magnetic compass, engine controls, and steering wheel. Inside the wheelhouse, she pointed out the ship’s switchboard and paper charts.
The steering wheel of the Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
There are many flags rolled up in the ceiling of the wheelhouse. The ship flies the flag of the country it is visiting (the U.S. flag is currently flying) and also uses flags as signals, Ostling said.
Ostling said she is enjoying Boston.
“It’s been busy here in town,” Ostling said. “We went to Harvard the other day. It’s beautiful. I really like how maritime-centered it is here.”
Tova Ostling, a deck hand on Oosterschelde, points out the many flags in the ceiling of the wheelhouse. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Visitors rested on the benches along the deck of Oosterschelde.
A visitor rests on the deck. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
The ship’s windows provide a unique viewpoint of the city.
A window on Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Many visitors went below deck to explore the crew’s living area.
Visitors going below deck. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Guests could peer into two small bedrooms on the ship, each furnished with a bunk bed. The captain’s room was off limits.
A bedroom where two crew members sleep on the Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Visitors could also view the kitchen where the professional chef makes meals for the crew during voyages.
The kitchen aboard Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
A communal room called the salon is where the crew hangs out below deck. It sports dark wood, green leather sofas, and brass railings. There’s a long dining table, several seating areas, a small library, a bar, and also a piano.
The salon below deck on Oosterschelde. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
Many visitors wandered through the salon and posed for pictures.
A seating area in the salon.
Not far from the ship, diners relaxed on the patio of Rowes Wharf Grille at the Boston Harbor Hotel, which offered a special Dutch menu in celebration of Oosterschelde.
Bitterballen, Stroopwaffle sundae, Dutch martini, and Butch butter cake with raspberry sorbet. Kristi Palma / Boston.com
With the ship as a backdrop, diners enjoyed Dutch martinis (complete with a dill sprig positioned to look like a tall ship) and treats such as Bitterballen (a fried meat-based snack), Stroopwaffle sundaes, and Dutch butter cake.
“We’re incredibly excited to have the tall ships here,” said Marc Gonzalez, marketing manager for Boston Harbor Hotel. “All the people, the energy, it has been absolutely awesome. We love to be creative and give our food and beverage team the opportunity to be creative.”
Chelsea Fodera, executive pastry chef, said she enjoyed learning more about Dutch culture while helping prepare the special menu.
“I love giving the people of Boston something that’s not common in this area,” Fodera said. “It’s really putting a bow on it.”
Kristi Palma
Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.
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