Narrows Mystery 2

Dusting and keeping clutter off my desk never end, nor does keeping shipping channels cleared of silt. A few weeks ago I thought this was a dredge, and I was right.

 

I can’t tell if this one’s Dodge Island or a sister, but it’s a hopper dredge. A long tube vacuums the bottom and collects the silt/aggregate in a hopper midships.

 

Check this link for a superb drawing of the underwater view of the suction tube.

 

Check this link for equally superb view onboard showing various components. When the hopper is full, the vessel heads out to deep water, opens the underwater doors, and drops the silt elsewhere. To start the cycle again, I wonder? So come spring and melt and brown/bronze water, where do you suppose that Adirondack/Catskill sediment will drop and who’ll pick it up?

By the way, I’ve added new info to “Green Tugs.”  Check it out.

All photos, Will Van Dorp.

Green Tugs

I realize that with bio-diesel, “green” carries a new ambiguity. What I’m meaning here though is just exterior paint. Below is King Philip, a Seaboats tug.

 

This “stealth green” tug called Dragon is based on Long Island’s North Fork.

 

Below is Thornton Bros northbound approaching the Narrows. Here’s a Flickr link. Thornton Bros is 49 years old, formerly John E. Matton.

 

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.