Shifting Balance

As Antwerpen Express came through the Narrows this weekend, I caught this shot as the first tug began nudging it to the Brooklyn side of the channel and then the Port Jersey terminal in Bayonne. I then recalled a conversation with a representative from the Corps of Engineers about listing: as a large vessel negotiates a turn in the channel, it lists somewhat. Given the dimensions, though, a several degree list translates into several feet, necessitating dredging a channel somewhat deeper than maximum draft of ships using that channel. Despite all the curves in ship and bridge lines, I believe the list is visible.

 

A short time later, a second tug joined.

 

Of course this minor list is normal. Cars, trucks, and trains do it too. It is just a shifting balance. A different type of shift is happening along the waterfront; it always has and always will. But check the picture below of the Revere Sugar plant in Red Hook also taken the second week in January.

I missed the shift myself, or I would have snapped a different picture, more pictures: the covered conveyorway on the south side of the dome is gone. Dramatic change is happening. Gowanuslounge captures this well; scroll through his pictures and links and you’ll see much much more change. Compare with mine as posted here, taken summer 2006. Who knows how this may be further shifted by spring?

All photos by Will Van Dorp.