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When I took this foto in 2006, I knew none of the folks depicted; more about this foto at the end.
This Sunday in the sixth boro is the 19th annual tugboat race. If you are free, come down to Pier 84. Will Beth M. McAllister be there? the young Pegasus?
Viking was partly there last year. Might she race this year?
Might Tasman Sea clench her pins and sprint to the finish?
Will Bohemia lope ahead of the field?
Will Lee T Moran show just how misleading the “Gramma” part of her name is?
Will Socrates miraculously spring free from these lines and parade over the finish line first?
Will Brendan Turecamo and all these other occupied Moran vessels churn up the one-nautical-mile race course?
In previous years, the weekend following the tug race in the sixth boro, there was a tug roundup in Waterford, NY. Bad news this year: because of Irene’s reckless bluster and immoderate rain, the 2011 Waterford Tug Roundup has been cancelled. I will miss the puppytugs,
the pushoffs of fiberglass into steel,
the carefully matched performers,
the hometown favorites taking on the outatowners. But I’m not going to miss
the hospitality of Waterford and its fine folks . . . because I’m coming up anyhow. See you on the 9th or 10th.
Thanks to Stray for sending along this link to fotos of Irene devastation upriver. I feel sick. Crow and Wire, #94, 119, and 181, were at the Roundup last year. Black Knight, seen in a tugster post a week ago, shows up in #178.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
(Doubleclick enlarges most fotos.) When I visited Village Community Boathouse (VCB) late last winter, we discussed a “photographic rowfari” to the Gowanus, come spring. Spring has arrived, and so . .. yesterday, John Magnus and JML
constructed by volunteers at VCB were lowered into the north River at Pier 40 and
after some adjustments, the hearty crews rowed toward their destination,
making a stop to greet the folks at Red Hook Boaters near Valentino Pier before
heading farther south.
Once past Erie Basin, we turned into Gowanus Bay, past the Loujiane, the grain elevators,
part of the Vane fleet, docked where the previous tenant’s name still graces the wall,
past the experiment vessel Jerko
with its famous tender Mare Liberum. . . floating above all manner of artifacts there for the collecting . . . farther up the canal untl we reached it . . .
huge bubbles? Reverse maelstrom? Vortex reversus? Belch of sludge lusus naturae? Maybe it’s just evidence that the flushing canal actually functions in spite of its sisyphean task of cleaning what has been rendered most foul?
In spite of Gowanus‘ uberpolluted condition, an ecosystem exists, with feral cats,
mussels,
an intrepid canoe club,
predators and prey.
Is the intention of this sign (above a novel use of tires) to invite us back? See the VCB version of events here.
Questions I have are . . . how soon might the Canal’s Superfund status show results?
Unrelated but possibly good news related to South Street Seaport . . . we all who pledged may have the pleasure of sending in our Benjamin Franklins . . . .
And a heads-up for next week . . . Hudson River Pageant, involving some of Village Community Boathouse’s rowing gigs!
Related and very important . . . if you’re in a human-powered and relatively small vessel, be aware that you are difficult to spot for huge cargo vessels of all kinds that travel fast and have limited maneuverability. Read Towmasters post here
Vantage point here is the Buttermilk Channel, looking roughly west toward the Bayonne and Jersey City side of the sixth boro; that’s the Bayonne Bridge in the distance. Any guesses about these vessels?
Schooner turns out to be Spirit of Massachusetts (1984), doing programming in New York. I usually keep opinions on such matters to myself, but it boggles my mind that an out-of-town replica vessel comes to New York for such programming when less than a seamile away, two authentic schooners stay “chained” to the dock at South Street Seaport, eager local crews grounded and frustrated by a museum administration that says nought , an unseemly and surreal turn of harbor affairs.
Captain Dann (1974) pushes a scow eastbound.
Meanwhile over in Gowanus Bay (aka the mouth of the canal), the cement ship with the interesting stack . . .
aka Abu Loujiane (1966) has been moved to a new location beside the (abandoned) Port Authority Grain Terminal (1922). Both appeared in this post from 14 months ago.
At the north end of the Buttermilk, Sea Bear (1990, Bay Star) enters the East River from the Jersey side.
Happy Mother’s Day weekend . . . all fotos here taken yesterday by Will Van Dorp.
My last post on the Roundup is a catch-all with some video at the end. It include vessels that just happen to be in the area. Like Kathleen Turecamo (1968), docked at Port of Albany.
Cynthia of C. D. Perry. Notice the exposed engines, and
follow the vertical shaft of the drives. I’d love to see what’s below the waterline. Doubleclick enlarges most fotos.
Mame Faye actually works during the Roundup and allows no tours. I suppose what you see is there what you see. The major task she performs during the event is driving the barge that carries the pyrotechnics, always a first-rate show by Alonzo. Mame Faye got over 80 votes this year in the “people’s choice” tug contest, and I hope she wins next year.
In the yard up by Lock 3 waits the Frances
Turecamo (1957). Note the wood-grain illusion painted onto the house.
Beautiful as an old Land Rover used for agricultural work, this one is nameless and peerless, and for sale.
If it’s still for sale, you could paint it orange and call it Tiger Lily.
I love the H-bitt and deck fittings but I can’t store a boat in my current location and will have to stay
with human-powered boats. That being said, this is an eye-turner.
Push contests here include: 1. Decker bested by Gowanus Bay, 2. Gowanus Bay v. tug44 that feels like porcupine love, 3. Indignant noises raised by the Sheriff’s boat, 4. Decker getting pushed nearly to the Canadian border by The Chancellor, 5. Decker besting Atlantic Hunter who then needs the Sheriff to assist, and 6. Toot Toot treating a push-off against The Chancellor as a love-nuzzling fest and the larger boat backing off in … embarrassment?
Donjon’s Empire walks circles and other boats whistle their appreciation and Crow demonstrates its house-raising ability.
Fotos and video by Will Van Dorp.
(Silent version)
The Roundup begins with a parade between the Port of Albany and the wall below Lock 2 at Waterford. Waterford is the easternmost point on the Erie Canal. From wherever they find themselves, crews and vessels begin to gather around mid-day Friday. Benjamin Elliott headed south from Waterford,
Cornell saved fuel, waited at the wall, and met the parade just below the Federal Lock,
Crow joined in at its place of work,
Governor Cleveland, Grand Erie, and W. O. Decker traveled down from the Waterford wall,
some traveled in pairs like Chancellor and Decker,
Grand Erie and Decker,
and Gowanus Bay arrived from the south.
Some folks and boats worked en route in one way or
another.
Lots of folks and some vessels worked during the Roundup. The fireworks barge would not have been in place without the efforts of Mame Faye.
(Sound version)
Wind roar, spray, hiss, deep pitched throb, horns tuning up, whistles, pipes, percussion, more horns, and whoopnhollering of the crowd on Saturday night.
Fotos and video by Will Van Dorp.
More from the Roundup tomorrow.
Related: World Canals Conference starts next Sunday in Rochester, NY.
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