Tug Work

As I post this, Hurricane Isaac approaches New Orleans, and the work  of every mariner on the river is to ride out the storm. Even if it appears that almost nothing is moving on the river, movement is there and intense.  Click here (now) for live views on the street and on the river in the Crescent City.  To see what Isaac looked like over in Florida from Jed’s perspective, click here.

In the sixth boro, a race is a few days away, but vessels like Susan Miller--pushing the barge with the “rolled on and about to be rolled off” trailer–are at work.

Ditto an unidentified DonJon tug, Pati E. Moran, inbound CMM CMA CGM Eiffel, and schooner Pride of Baltimore II go about their business.

Having “rolled-off” said trailer truck, Susan distances herself from Mary Whalen (just the bow at the starboard stern of the cruise ship) and Queen Mary 2.

Viking moves a barge through the KVK,

as does Arabian Sea and 

Weeks’ Elizabeth, 

Dorothy J,

St. Andrews,

Gramma Lee T Moran, and

the list could go on.  Here, Doris Moran and Dace Reinauer . . .  that’s tug work too.   This last foto below comes compliments of Marian & William Hyman.  Thanks.

All other fotos taken by will Van Dorp, who will be at the race Sunday.  Thanks for reading.

Other People’s Fotos 8

In my personal life, the beginning of a calendar year seems the best time for maintenance, new starts, re-evaluations.  Today I cleared out and organized a tool closet, tossing out with gusto and energy what I hadn’t been able to . . . in “cleaning” attempts for the past few years.

As I looked through fotos some of you have sent, I “read” maintenance in them, too.  Like this foto of Ambrose from John Watson.  I’m wondering how many years it’s been since LV-87 had her previous

haircut and a shave.

Lou Rosenberg sent this foto;  even QM2 needs touch-ups.  Here are some fotos I took of QM2 arriving in the sixth boro for the first time in April 2004.

Finally, Captain Thalassic sent some fotos from up on the Erie Canal, Lock 28A, where Erie Canal boats Emita II (1953) and Colonial Belle dry out their hulls over the winter, as does

 . . . is that Seneca, and blindfolded and trussed in back of the dry dock?  Does Seneca need help? Here’s another shot of Seneca by Jason LaDue.

Two more shots by John Watson, although these have no connection with maintenance . . . except my own.  Catherine Turecamo here escorts bulk carrier being escorted  Steel Anna.

Now there’s a name!!  I imagine introducing myself . . .   “Hi, I’m ‘steel will.’    If I needed some life maintenance , that would be an energetic start.

Thanks all for sending these fotos along.

Atlantic Basin 2

home of the two Marys.  The farther Mary comes and goes, but the nearer one–Mary A. Whalen, hub of the Basin–will

serve as locus for (literally) tons of visiting historical vessels (See Atlantic Basin 1)  this summer as well as intangible amounts

of fun.  See the full calendar of music, movies, lectures, and visiting vessels on the calendar here.  Or just come by to hang . . . during TankerTime.  When I tried to interview Mary A. Whalen about the summer, her only response was the smile created by red-white-blue bunting hanging between the portholes on the house.

As to the other Mary, the distant one with a tiara suggested by her name, she’s itinerant.  She left yesterday (7/19) and will return

in early August . . . if the schedule is to be believed.

Hail!   Marys of the Atlantic Basin.  See bowsprite’s adorable rendering here.

This coming Saturday–July 24–is City of Water Day in NYC.  Some of the events at Atlantic Basin include a marine security display with a VACIS container scanner, a sniffer dog from US Customs and Border Protection, Urban Divers mobile marine museum, a container mover from American Stevedoring, tours of visiting steam lighthouse tender Lilac, live music, food from local Brooklyn vendors including Kevin’s Restaurant and  Kustard King.  And more!

See more City of Water Day info here.

Middle three fotos by Will Van Dorp;  all other fotos and mosaic here by Carolina Salguero.

Unrelated:  Earlier today I asked the following question:  Can anyone help identify this large floating object on the Hudson here?  Foto was taken by the Mighty Quinn five days after the Willis Avenue Bridge floated by, and a few weeks after the house barge sauntered through.       And the answer . . . just in from Richard Canty, captain of Glen Cove:  The object in question is a set of “cooling towers for the new power plant being built in Astoria at Steinway Street.  They were  built at P&M Marine’s dock in Coeymans, NY. That dock may be remembered by some as the old Brickyard.  The towers are giant sails. Very exciting driving in a wind….. any wind.”

Thanks, Richard.

And this will be my last post for July.  Lake Opeongo has called.  It seems some mysteries there need my immediate attention–or I need theirs . . .  stuff like deciphering the code of crickets, the flickering of fireflies, the meandering of muskellunge, the wiles of wintergreen, the secrets of snipe, the contours of congress (lower case), the rituals of relating, the protocol of pursuit, the finesse of friendship   (oh.. this could be endless)  . . . .  Ah, the glories of gallivanting.

Til August . . . cheers from tugster.

Oops!  Here’s some merry music from Tina Turner, Jimi Hendrix, and Tom Petty.