It's summer in the city and the ann...

It's summer in the city and the annual creek of ships, boats and yacht tours sailing the urban waters of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan are bustling along.

Nearly pair dozen vessels await boarding at cultural landmarks ranging from the lower Michigan Avenue Bridge and Navy Pier to the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and across from Buckingham Fountain.

Many of the sailing crafts offer guided tours of Chicago's architecture, city landmarks and purported haunted places. Others labor for simply as water taxis or river buses. Still others propound dinner and lunch cruises as well as cash bars. To acquire our sea legs ready for the season, we talked with four captains navigating Chicago waters:

NAME: Eddie Vega

TITLE: Captain for Chicago First Lady Cruiselines

NAME OF THE BOAT: Chicago's Little Lady.

YEARS WITH THE BOAT COMPANY: 24

SEAFARING BACKGROUND: I acquired a captain's license 26 years ago.

BEST PART OF THE JOB: I like to check things public in the morning and make assured everything is fine and in right order to be operated. I also like the architecture tours because you master to learn a lot about Chicago,

WORST PART OF THE JOB: When you originate in in the morning and have to deal with downtown traffic.

most numerous MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE BOAT: In 1981 someone skip overed off the bridge and I had to jump over in with all my clothes in succession and fish him out. It was quite an experience.

principally INTERESTING THING YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT CHICAGO FROM THIS JOB: That Chicago is a progressive city.

in the greatest degree UNUSUAL QUESTION A PASSENGER HAS ASKED: They usually ask what kind of engines the boat has and for what cause long it is.

BEST KEPT concealed ABOUT CHICAGO YOU'LL LEARN upon THE TOUR: You learn a doom of interesting things about the different kinds of buildings.

GINGER, OR MARY ANN? Mary Anne. She was kind of quiet and I liked the way she disposeed

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A CAPTAIN: The chance to be onward the water every day. It's like being in another world.

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NAME: Arthur Haight

TITLE: Captain for Wendella Boats.

BOAT: The Wendella.

YEARS WITH COMPANY: 6

SEAFARING BACKGROUND: Captain and bridgemate, Hollywood Casino City of Lights I and II in Aurora from 1995 to 2003

BEST PART OF THE JOB: Driving a boat upon the Chicago River and Lake Michigan all day and getting paid to do it. It's like a holiday each day!

WORST PART OF JOB: Sorry, I haven't discovered that further

mostly MEMORABLE MOMENT: We were tied up in the grapple and it was raining. I stepp not at home of the pilot house and there were 20 kids sitting onward a bench seat under the canopy. Jokingly, I said, "My seat is wet, can I have yours?" All of them contemplateed at me like I was crazy. All with the exception of one little 7- or 8-year-old girl who vaulted up with a big smile upon her face and said, "You can have mine." What a beautiful child. She stole my heart instantly.

greatest in quantity INTERESTING THING ABOUT CHICAGO: There are several, in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as the building of the fastening and the creation of the Streeterville neighborhood. Also, the fact that there is a statue of Grant in Lincoln Park and a statue of Lincoln in Grant Park. They were delivered in succession the same day to the inapposite parks and never corrected from the city.

in the greatest degree UNUSUAL QUESTION ASKED BY PASSENGER: to what extent do they keep the river green?

BEST KEPT covert ABOUT CHICAGO YOU'LL LEARN forward THE TOUR: You will learn all about the exciting issues that are happening in the Chicago area each day.

GINGER, or MARY ANNE? Without a doubt, Ginger.

COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A CAPTAIN: The defer to you get for being a captain for the best and the first tour boat company in Chicago and the happy faces you diocese leaving the boat.

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NAME: Douglas Chyna

TITLE: Captain for Wendella Boats.

BOAT: Bravo, a river bus.

YEARS WITH THE BOAT COMPANY: 5

SEAFARING BACKGROUND: I've been a pleasure boater for 15 years. I had a friend working at Wendella and I had a big like of boats. So, I went to instruct and got a captain's license.

BEST PART OF THE JOB: Working for the oldest boat company in Chicago. Everybody knows the Wendella. It's like an honor.

WORST PART OF THE JOB: When I have to shake people out of the water. It's usually a suicide and they usually vault off a bridge. Over the years I've saved three lives.

principally MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE BOAT: each day is like vacation because it's like an enjoyable job.

greatest in quantity INTERESTING THING YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT CHICAGO FROM THIS JOB: The architecture. I'm from the suburb for a like reason I didn't know much about the city. Working as a captain you master to know the architecture.

in the greatest degree UNUSUAL QUESTION A PASSENGER HAS ASKED: Does my boat have brakes?

GINGER or MARY ANN? Mary Anne. I like dark hair.

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A CAPTAIN: Being forward the water every day. The city is in like manner beautiful when you see it from the water.

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NAME: Charles Breaux

TITLE: Captain for hermes Chicago Cruiselines, the Skyline cruiseline.