The mystery boat floated, looking only slightly better than when I noticed it last summer listing to starboard on the bank of the KVK like some dead fish. It had seen better days, known love, inspired confidence. A blurred reflection of her former self, who is she? Where has she steamed?
Last weekend seeing her afloat encouraged me and gave me a lead: a name stamped into the starboard curve of the stern.
The name on the life ring confirmed it.
Here’s a poor quality foto I took last summer.
So follow the string at this link to get her lengthy history: ex Jesse D, formerly the darling of an independent skipper named Hansen who recounts some of her exploits in this Baltimore newspaper story. I hope Athena survives, but if not, at least her stories should. And Kai Hansen, I’d love to meet him.
All photos, WVD.
tugster: a waterblog 
11 comments
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October 13, 2012 at 12:29 am
Erik Fjord Hansen
Stumbled upon this randomly while browsing online. I’m Captain Kai’s son. I spent many summers chipping rust, painting, and fetching coffee aboard the Athena as a boy. My father retired in 2009 after 56 years at Sea. He is now about to depart from Baltimore on his 41′ sailboat bound for Brazil and plenty ports in between. I followed in my father’s footsteps and am now a licensed master of towing vessels on oceangoing tugs along the NE Atlantic seaboard. It’s wonderful to see some photos of the old girl, even though she’s seen better days. Nice to know some folks still appreciate that type of thing. My dad can be found on Facebook as Kai Hansen or at Captainkaihansen@yahoo.com
February 3, 2013 at 3:36 am
Reid Sprague (@rbss4)
Tugster, Erik – Tonight I got curious about what had happened to Capt. Kai after all these years. I started searching for him and for ATHENA – and it led me to Tugster! Thanks for those pictures. Any idea where ATHENA is today?
Erik, if you read this, I searched on FB but didn’t find Kai – lots of other Kai Hansens, but not “the one.” I’ll try the email address.
I knew your Dad when he was independent, running out of Fells Point, and later on, too, when he worked for Vane. I was a captain for Moran, whose tugs tied up at the Rec Pier in those days. We used to see each other from time to time. One night at the Whistling Oyster I introduced Kai to a young man who was interested in a career in tugs, and I believe he made a trip or two on ATHENA as a fill-in deckhand. And Mark Roesner, mentioned in the City Paper story, was later my mate before going on to work at McAllister as a captain, and finally Vane Bros.
I remember Read, his former Mate and partner in the ATHENA, too. The joke was in our names, mine being Reid – which if you’re a random customer sitting in the Oyster with a few down the hatch, might seem confusing or funny. Read owned the Oyster at that time, and still may.
I haven’t been back to Fells Point in many years, but back then – the 1990s and even the early 2000s, at least while Kai was still around – there was a little nexus down at the foot of Broadway that retained echos of the working days. Between our tugs at the Rec Pier, the ATHENA tied up nearby, and the Square with the Oyster (the last holdout among the old bars), the past still hung on with some of its old swagger. In today’s PC days, where liability rules the roost, a drink is tantamount to a crime, and the tugs long gone – it might be risking some disillusionment to go back. But I still think I’d like to one day.
Thanks for the memories!
February 3, 2013 at 7:17 am
tugster
hi reid– thanks for writing. i don’t know what became of athena, although i hope a reader can fill in. as to Fells Point in Baltimore, i spent a great weekend there just before the rec pier closed to moran. here is my record: https://tugster.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/patapsco-watershed-2/ and https://tugster.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/patapsco-watershed-1/
February 3, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Erik Fjord Hansen
Hello Reid and Tugster. I’ve kept my eyes peeled but no sign of the Athena so far. Here’s my father’s Facebook address http://www.facebook.com/Kai.hansen.904 . I live in Fells Point with my wife, we have a house right around the corner from Berthas. We absolutely love it there, even started a business(fine lingerie, I know strange for a tugboater), but you’re right it’s nothing like it used to be. The Oyster has changed hands and names quicker than the paint can dry, now an infused cocktail bar. The Wharf Rat, John Stevens, Leadbetter’s, Cat’s Eye Pub and Bertha’s are really the last two holdouts of the old guard. The latter two being run and preserved by the sons of the original owners. The Rec pier project that forced out the last of the tugs hasn’t made even the smallest step forward. Gentrification is rife and Condos are growing in every empty lot but a shrewd sailor can still find what he’s looking for in the right corners. They’ll never completely undo what Fells Point was, you just have to pass fine dining and weave through tourists to see it. The rest doesn’t bother me too much, I just look at it as a boost in my property value. Kai is in Beaufort NC right now about to set out for the islands. His boat is called Solglimt. They have an AIS and a Facebook page as well if you’re interested. If you ever make your way to Fells look me up. If I’m not at sea I’m never hard to find(too often found in Berthas).
February 3, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Reid Sprague (@rbss4)
Tugster, Erik –
Those photos are great! It’s not a big harbor, but there’s a good concentration of stuff there. No job inside the bridge is more than 45 minutes away.
I had HARRIET MORAN’s sister, the SEWELLS POINT, for a number of years. They’re both Combi-tugs – single screw tugs retrofitted with a powerful azimuthing bow thruster. They’re a unique kettle of fish to run – unlike a conventional tug, but unlike a tractor too – because you’re balancing thrust from each end instead of side-to-side. For some reason they built those two with elevated houses; later boats in that series, like DRUM POINT, were built without the extra deck. And CAPE ROMAIN was my last boat, which I gave up in 2005 to move ashore.
Too bad about the Whistling Oyster! But the old clientele *were* the bar, in a sense, so if they’re gone I guess it makes sense that she is, too. Still, an infused cocktail bar! I’m not sure what that is. . . I can just hear Kai ordering one, though. Glad Bertha’s is still the same! Hope to meet you and revisit Bertha’s one day soon, Erik!
May 1, 2014 at 8:15 am
Steve Theobald
While doing a search on Athena I was pleasantly surprised to see this post. I worked for Kai aboard Athena in 1989, she being the last tug I worked on before coming permanently ashore. I had worked with “Big” Andy Thorsvic at Moran in New York and ended up selling the “Circus Generator”, mentioned in the Sun story, to Kai before going to work for him.
According to a book titled, “Low bridges and High water”, (of which I have a copy but can’t find this morning), Athena was the first steel tug that Matton Shipyard built and was the first named “John E. Matton”. It was said that Ralph Matton came up with the multiple chine design because they had no good plate or frame rolling machinery and he seemed to design the boat as she was built. Shortly after, she was acquired by the Navy and sent to Boston to be a YN; (Yard Submarine Net Tender), with an Indian tribe name then later became a yard tug before being sold after World War II. She was named Athena and worked for Boston Fuel Transport who re powered her and converted her from a canaller by adding an upper pilothouse. She was then sold to Harper Towing in Baltimore and renamed James or Charles Harper, (don’t remember which one), and then Kai and his original partner re named her Athena.
Maybe Eric can update us on Kai’s travels and also what became of Andy Thorsvic and another guy, Mark Rooney who I think is a McAllister docking tug captain now.
May 1, 2014 at 9:02 am
tugster
steve– interesting additions to my knowledge in your note. thanks much.
June 14, 2014 at 7:46 am
Erik Fjord Hansen
Hey Steve, nice to hear some folks are still thinking about the old Athena. Every time I run through New York I keep my eyes peeled hoping to catch sight of her but no luck.
My father is in St Maarten on his sailboat still. He flies back and forth every so often. His Facebook or email I posted earlier are the best ways to get ahold of him. Mark Stephen Rooney is indeed a docking captain for McAllister in Baltimore. He’s on Facebook as well. We had a little tug Athena reunion in Fells point last year including “English” Gary Cowin, Stephens D Bunker who owned the China Sea Trading Company on Thames St, now in Maine and Dan Elwood.
“Norwegian” Andy Thorsvik unfortunately passed about 5 years ago. He was living with my parents for years but his Alzheimer’s eventually required 24hr care. I’m still close with his family and his legacy survives in his knots still adorning most of the old bars of Fells Point.
November 18, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Mark Rooney
Wow, Steve! Glad to see these posts about ATHENA. Great old boat. I worked with Kai on ATHENA for 12 years. Great boat and great shipmates.
November 19, 2014 at 5:29 pm
tugster
harry– i hope to get up to a few parts of the canal in mid december to see how much snow has filtered into the space drained down.
November 11, 2020 at 2:05 pm
tugster
Here’s Capt. Kai Hansen talking about his life. Thx to Reid Sprague for pointing me to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGiHpPulNYg