Summer salsa on the sea
For salseros, it isn't sunshine or warm breezes that mark summer's onset. For this festive bunch, summer is here when the salsa harbor cruises set sail.
Now in its fourth season, these parties on Boston Harbor are embedded in the city's salsa tradition. And while they used to be scheduled biweekly, the cruises have become so popular that this year they're every Sunday through Sept. 12. (Except for this Sunday)But before you hop on a 2 1/2-hourlong floating party, it's a good idea to know what you're getting into. Two weeks ago, on a cool Sunday afternoon, my date and I arrived at the Landing, a patio bar on Long Wharf, for a pre-cruise 7 p.m. salsa class, which cost $2. We arrived a little early and listened to reggae music and had a beer until salsa instructors Andres Giraldo and Kelly Silfies arrived for the lesson. The class, a kind of Cliffs Notes version of salsa dancing, was a 30-minute showcase of both basic and complex moves to a slow salsa tune.
Coming into the cruise, you can't help but notice the tempting display of Latin food. For $10, you get arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas), choice of pernil (roasted pork shoulder) or roasted chicken, and salad. Appetizers -- meat and chicken pastelillos (fried turnovers), and alcapurrias (fried green plantain and a yam-like vegetable filled with meat) -- go for $2.
I loved the rice and the alcapurria, which was earthy, crisp, and soft, all at the same time. My date, a meat fan, raved about the juicy pernil. The dishes were prepared by Puerto Rican cooking aficionada Maria Acevedo.With our paper plates full of tasty goods, we walked to the bar, where Adam Gottlieb served cocktails, beer, wine, and soft drinks. Alcoholic drinks range from $4 to $6, while nonalcoholic drinks are $1.50-$2. According to Gottlieb, the most popular cruise drinks are Coronas and margaritas. Of course, nothing beats Latin food matched with a cold Corona.
That night, Olaf Bleck, who runs salsaboston.com and co-organizes the salsa cruises with Jody Khalsa, from Avive! Productions, and Mike Meli, charter director of Boston Harbor Cruises, says there were about 150 people in the 550-capacity boat. The crowd is mostly 30-somethings and is an interesting mix of Latin and Anglo ethnicities. Bleck thinks that the weekly cruise schedule means smaller crowds on a given Sunday night, even if the overall number of people participating in the series increases.
A non-crowded cruise means you can pick your favorite spot with no hassles. While we ate, we stood by the window, which afforded a dazzling view of Boston's skyline against a spectacular sunset. DJ Mike Mercado's mix of salsa, merengue, bachata, and reggaeton (Spanish reggae) turned the first level of "The Frederick Nolan" into an enjoyable musical hot spot.
But since there's nothing remarkable about the boat's rather plain interiors, we climbed up to the third level and out on to the open-air deck. There, the moonlight, along with the yellow and purple hues cast by a lighting system, shone down on salseros of all skill levels who danced on wooden platforms. DJ D. Martinez spun a first-class mix of salsa classics in a lovely set fragranced by a sea breeze. Before we knew it, the cruise was returning to shore. On the way out, we were happily surprised to hear that Sanctuary, a very trendy tapas lounge just a block away (189 State St.), hosts a post-cruise party starting at 10:45 p.m. There, more salsa music awaited with DJ Hernan. Cover is $5, but it's free for salsa cruisers.
Later, Bleck told me that the Sunday cruise that fell on the Fourth of July drew more than 450 salseros. "There were a lot of kids, which is kind of unusual for the salsa cruises," he said. "Everybody had a great time. We sold out and had to turn people away."
And no wonder -- the salsa harbor cruise is a true seasonal gem. Is there anything more exciting than sailing to the rhythm of salsa on a Boston summer night? 