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Just a quick update: I’ve heard from 11 people–some on email–willing to put up some money. I intended this as pledging a la Public Radio/Television. I had imagined that once a sizeable amount of money was pledged and a goal for the money was agreed upon, we could collect the money. May Day–the seasonal one–arrives soon. The dire one I hope never arrives. To fuel the discussion, I’m putting up fotos never before (I think) never posted here. Like Peking,
Lettie,
Helen and Marion, 
Pioneer without the orange raft,
Adam flaking,
schooners side by side,
Wavertree,
more Peking at Caddell’s,
and Decker.
Ambrose soon. All fotos by will Van Dorp.
I’m offering to give away a Benjamin Franklin, or a half dozen. And I’ll do it before May Day!! See the end of the post.
The foto below–never posted here before–comes from 2005 and shows “the schooners,” a handsome Pioneer (1885) and elegant Lettie G. Howard (1893), 244 years of sailing between them. On a personal note, I logged in over 600 hours as a volunteer on these two boats as well as on W. O. Decker between 2004–2006. That means winter maintenance as well as summer sailing.
Such nautical treasures are these vessels (left to right: Marion M, Wavertree, W. O. Decker, and Peking) and so many fine folks, volunteers as well as professional crew, did I meet during this time . . that
current developments at that place created as South Street Seaport break my heart and then make me angry.
When word on the street says Museum administration is looking to ”send its working ships to ports elsewhere for long-term storage” and otherwise declining comment on the crumbling state of affairs, I hope to hear that these same administrators abdicate their positions. These vessels are no white elephants. These are no “floating paperweights.”
During my years as an active volunteer, I knew this place could be much more than a red barn with seven masts sticking up above it.
Conditions of giving away my Benjamins: current Museum president Mary Pelzer resign effective immediately and a committee focused on the vessels be installed forthwith. And, I’d like 1000 people (former volunteers, boat fans, former professional crew members, just plain fans of these vessels, or friends and friends of friends of any of the above) to pledge at least a Benjamin each to be deposited with a trustworthy and maricentric steward by May 1, 2011. This could be the “seaport spring.” Let’s not let this go to May Day.
See the selection below from yesterday’s New York Post. Here’s info on a “Save our Ships” meeting for April 28. All fotos above by Will Van Dorp.
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“Abandoning ships: City’s old vessels lost in fog of debt, neglect,” New York Post, April 25. “Rotting wood covers their decks, their masts are flaked with rust, and their hulls are corroding.
New York’s last tall ships — once-proud symbols of the Big Apple’s rise to greatness — are in a shameful state of disrepair as the museum that’s supposed to care for them sinks in a Bermuda Triangle of debt and bad management. Seaport Museum New York has closed its landside galleries and is looking to send its working ships to ports elsewhere for long-term storage. The museum’s stationary ships — Peking, one of the biggest sailing ships ever built, Wavertree, a three-masted cargo ship, and Ambrose, a lightship that a century ago guided sailors into New York harbor — face an unknown fate. ‘Those ships, which are emblematic of our heritage on the waterfront, are almost being left to rot,’ said Roland Lewis, president of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, a coalition of nonprofit groups. . . . The museum declined comment, except to say it is ‘exploring various options’ to maintain its vessels.” |
Keeping with tradition: here’s #57. Remember, doubleclick enlarges.
Unidentified kayaks foreground, and middleground from left to right: Layla Rene, Sea Bear, dredge Florida; and background, King Dorian (misspell of durian?).
Unidentified crew boat heading away and Barbara C approaching.
Kimberly Turecamo westbound.
Elk River westbound.
Pati R Moran headed to an anchorage.
W. O. Decker passes W O tanker called Sharon Sea.
Sarah Ann and unnamed blue sailboat painted almost DonJon blue.
McAllister Girls pushing dirt.
More of the kayakers taking Lucy Reinauer‘s stern, making helmsman a smidgeon nervous, I reckon.
Falcon and Houma tandem effort.
Unnamed Moran tug leading Caribbean Princess.
Carnival Glory foreground and some unidentified tugs in the distance.
Sorry about all the unidentified vessels today. Maybe someone can help.
Meanwhile, some stories from the NYTimes this morning: disputed waters between China and Japan AND Seamen’s Institute leaves Manhattan for Newark.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
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A general thanks for people sending me fotos. Blogging allows some stupendous collaborations.
Thanks to M. McMorrow for sending. Notice the cruise ship, the Intrepid, several sizes and types of tugs, as well as the Concorde! Unfortunately, the blimp–on its way to the tennis tournament–had just escaped from the foto.
Thanks to Stephen Sisler. Any guesses who’s atop the wheelhouse?
Do you recall that Cornell struggled in a pushing contest with The Bronx? (That’s “struggled” to restrain all forward movement.) The next two fotos come compliments of Jim Levantino, who saw that struggle from The Bronx having the pleasure of getting buried
deep within Cornell‘s … er … whiskers.
Here’s my foto of the very same moment, as recorded from high atop the house.
Thanks to Elizabeth … it’s a blogger fotografing within the confines of Troy’s Federal Lock.
And going back to late August, thanks to Eric Graybill, crewman on Bold (See 6th foto down.), who sent these fotos of Gazela making
her way, motorsailing
up Delaware Bay. Recognize anyone on deck Gazela? Gazela will be returning through the sixth boro in mid-October on its way to the oysterfest. Keep your eyes peeled; this blogger will await them at the Narrows or –near the “Gate” in the East River.
All fotos as credited. Only the fifth foto 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.
Details today, delightful ones like the house of Crow,
stern of Margot in front of portside and rope fender Governor Cleveland,
stern of The Chancellor in front of Margot,
twin barges 1914 Lehigh Valley 79 and 1942 Pennsy 399 (venues for music and photographic displays),
stern of Wire and Governor Cleveland,
lots of stacks,
bow wave of Wire,
W. O. Decker downbound in Federal Lock,
bows of MV Bear and Seahorse (from Ontario and Connecticut, respectively),
and bow of Hestia in front of Crow.
The Roundup had two music stages this year: New York Canal System tug Grand Erie and Lehigh Valley barge 79 . Enjoy these snippets from a group called Tug Bitts.
Capt. Walter E. Hughes joined Tug Bitts on stage for this unlikely Johnny Cash piece.
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(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.
Just back from the Roundup, but before I can relax, I want to download my fotos and put a few up. Below is a lineup as seen from the 2nd Avenue Bridge to Peebles Island.
Another lineup, as seen from the fotog boat–Tug 44–loitering just north of the 112th Street bridge. Many thanks to Fred and Kathy.
Left to right inside the Federal Lock, the Erie Canal’s largest and newest tugboat, Grand Erie (ex-USACE dredge tender Chartiers, 1951!!) and Urger, (1901!) a frequent focus of this blog. Type Urger into the search window.
Throngs crowded the waterfront in Waterford this weekend all day.
Just after dawn on Saturday fog rises from the calm waters.
W. O. Decker won the “people’s choice” vote.
Empire wins my prize for the most altered color from last year.
My thanks to the sponsors. I appreciate your sponsorship.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp. More Roundup fotos and videos this coming week.
First, the Flickr set on the left has been reset; go there to see over 30 additional race fotos.
Doubleclick the fotos below to enlarge. Directly below shows a few instants after the “go” signal is transmitted to the throttles.
“Go” minus 10 minutes has the vessels parading northward.
Like some people, Atlantic Salvor never ceases to mesmerize me; it casts a spell.
And they’re off; notice Cornell’s wave.
Reiterating the comment I added to my own post yesterday, Don Jon’s blue finally wins me over: the hue blends perfectly with the sky fragranced by diesel fuel. Bowsprite should add this to her simulation illustrations. Yes, I even accept the orange-to-blue former June K, although she didn’t parade or race yesterday.
Cornell‘s furrow runs true and deep, although
Maurania III outgallops the herd.
Vessels schmooze . . . or maybe compare pushing horseforce, before
heading over to the mangers to feed.
Enjoy the flickr pics. I’ve also added the album to Facebook where you can add comments/IDs as you like.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp, expressing gratitude to all companies and crews who participated and pleasure at seeing old friends and new dockside. In a few days, it’ll be off to Waterford.
Unrelated: Check this AP article on the USS Olympia. See a tugster post on Olympia here.
Bonus pic from Rich Taylor. And …egads … is that tugster just below the name board?
If you were leisurely drifting down the river on your air mattress and you saw this, how concerned might you be? (Doubleclick enlarges.)
But that just wouldn’t happen. Better to see this sight from an even faster boat. What’s this? It’s the race, and again, thanks to Captain Matt Perricone of Cornell, I enjoyed an upper deck view of my favorite Labor Day event. And without much ado or text or research, here are some fotos.
To see the mighty Atlantic Salvor bearing down on you with all its momentum …
humbles and inspires awe.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. As the hour approaches, vessels parade north to the starting line, where they
fan out and turn to await the signal.
Blue dominated among the vessels around us, blue the same color as the smoke.
And afterward, the pushing contests began. Some vessels were fairly even-matched whereas
Others seemed so mismatched almost to require the service
of stunt drivers.
Of course there were winners, and I might get around to announcing some of those, but on a day like this, everyone, spectators included, are winners. Equipment gets dragged back to the yards.
All fotos taken by will Van Dorp.
Vessels included (in no particular order … and correct me if I missed one) Cornell, Atlantic Salvor, Bronx, Mary H, Maurania III, W. O. Decker, Vulcan III, Sea Wolf, Cheyenne, Meagan Ann, Catherine, Susan, and Shawn Miller. Viking took part in the pushing contests but not the race. More fotos tomorrow.
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