The funnel . . . forward on William Francis Gibbs‘ ship, you know,
SS United States. Check this youtube for clips of her departing NYC and passing beneath the unfinished Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Now if Bart sees the foto above, he may think the funnels are attached to the blue structure with square windows and hasten to add the shot to uglyships. Here’s a youtube suggesting why it’s in Philly and another showing her dock in NYC in 1955.
The paint is flaking pretty bad. Anyone know if tours (even of the dock right alongside) are EVER arranged? One more clip, with great NYC docking scenes. And when might her fate be announced? Read here.
The clue on the device below, a little closer-cropped than yesterday, can be found at the 8 o’clock position. ”Emerge”
does it mean top speed, to emerge? It’s one of many displays built into SS-319, Becuna. Check here for wiki entry. Honestly, although Henschel Corp still exists not far from Amesbury, my old stomping and rowing ground, I don’t know the name of the device shown. (Actually, “motor order telegraph repeater.” See Les’ comment at left. ) If you check no link here but one, check this one for a dory shop still building ‘em after plus-200 years.
BB-62, built in Philly and retired to Camden with a full life in between.
Seen from above, the hull reminds me of a kayak. Severn passes with load.
Provenance, more recently, for these clunkers was the bottom of the harbor. They were brought up around Thanksgiving by a dredging team. It makes me wonder . . . how did they get there? what might be preserved inside? Thanks for this foto to Allen Baker –who has provided a recent “ship-trip-tease” foto.
From yesterday’s post: #5 mermaids come from a mural aboard Moshulu (ex-Kurt), a former steel cargo barque. By the way, “moshulu” means “dreadnought” in Seneca. Moshulu was once owned by Heinz Schliewen, who also owned some of the P-liners, so ably illustrated by “you-know-who-of-the-cliff.” Moshulu is one of five surviving Clyde-built barques, four if Falls of Clyde goes.
#6 turns out to be T-AFS Saturn (ex-RFA Stromness), a decommissioned combat stores vessel berthed for now at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. A future participant in target practice? By the way, next time I get to Philly, I’m doing a Navy Yard tour.
And some old business below: my brother’s garbage-can turkey. Thanks to Les for catching an omission: do NOT use a galvanized can. Aluminum is better. My brother had told me that too. Thanks, Les.
All fotos but Allen’s by Will Van Dorp, who is back on the bank of the sixth boro. Quick question: The Delaware River flows between Camden and Philly. Where are the headwaters of the Delaware? Answer tomorrow.
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November 29, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Les Sonnenmark
The name of BECUNA’s device is a motor order telegraph repeater. It indicates the speed, ahead or back, that the helm is ordering the motor to be turned. Circuit 1MB is for the starboard propulsion motor; 2MB would be for port. There is an unwitting theme to the Philly photos–BECUNA, a WWII sub, was propelled by electric motors with power supplied by diesel generators when on the surface and batteries when submerged; nuclear subs are propelled by steam turbines, but the newest have electric motor auxiliary propulsion. SATURN was diesel propelled, as were her sisters SPICA and SIRIUS, but they have been replaced by the brand new LEWIS AND CLARK-class ships which are propelled by electric motors. Also, the UNITED STATES was steam turbine propelled, but newer liners and cruise ships are electrically propelled. So we’re back to an older technology (though much advanced) for ship’s propulsion.
November 30, 2009 at 8:26 am
Rick Spilman
I doubt that tours of the “Big U” are easy to arrange. Star Cruises is trying to sell her so if you could pass for a rich investor they might let you aboard. It appears that the folks who want to save the old ship are mostly limited to going out in boats and touching the hull, which strikes me as a bit odd.
The ship has been thoroughly gutted to strip her of asbestos. For some years the Windmill Point Restaurant in Nags Head, North Carolina had a significant collection of panels and interior memorabilia after buying it at auction before the ship was stripped. Now apparently the restaurant is closed and the SS United States collection has been moved to the Mariner’s Museum in Norfolk. The Celebrity Cruise Line ship Infinity has an SS United States Restaurant with six etched glass panels that were once part of the First Class Ballroom.
November 30, 2009 at 9:45 pm
bowsprite
man, doesn’t Olympia look lovely, though. And, I love the flakey look, too. Something just resonates.
December 1, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Robert
and EMERG is “Emergency Back Full”, such that the chief should drop the coffee cup and put her in reverse smartly and fully…
December 2, 2009 at 6:31 am
tugster
thank you, robert. i stand corrected.