Page 12 - RedWhiteFleet_interiors_Sep10

Red and White Fleet up for sale, and his cousin Tom
12 • Red and White Fleet
commitment to protecting the air we breathe, the waters
Escher (founder Tom Crowley’s grandson) stepped in its fleet sails upon, and the well-being of the crew and
to purchase some of the assets and preserve this crucial passengers who enjoy the company’s cruises and tours.
element of his grandfather’s legacy. As Escher explains, Red and White Fleet: Launching a San Francisco Legacy
“We were able to continue the Red and White Fleet as a chronicles the improbable success of Thomas Crowley,
family business and preserve its traditions and history.” whose vision and tenacity built the Red and White Fleet.
In 2018, the Red and White Fleet introduced the Today, Tom Crowley’s grandson, Thomas C. Escher, keeps
Enhydra—a USCG-approved, 600-passenger, all- the company focus on the passengers, the employees, and
aluminum monohull, and the largest hybrid-electric the vessels, and continues to provide “the best service for
passenger vessel in the US at that time. With this launch, all passengers.” The founder’s indomitable spirit, sailing
the Red and White Fleet moved one step closer to prowess, and fierce drive laid the foundation for a legacy
ABOVE: A portrait of Tom Crowley. fulfilling its goal of returning to a state of zero emissions. that endures today—and thanks to future generations,
Moving toward cleaner fuels illustrates the company’s the organization will continue to thrive.
LEFT, top to bottom: The
Harbor Queen on a tour in 2004.
• The newly constructed Enhydra
enters the water for its maiden
voyage in 2018.
OPPOSITE: A group of passengers
smile on the top deck of the Crowley
No. 18 as it pulls up alongside the
dock. The Crowley No. 18 was built
by Crowley for his first sightseeing
tours at the Panama-Pacific
International Exposition in 1915.