I wanted to do a sixth boro version of “A is for aardvaark, B is for …” post, but because each foto, no matter what other “A” word I called it, kept pointing toward “attachment,” I’ve have changed my mind, given in to the pressure. So this is a reflection on . . .” attachedness.” Responder demonstrates how the quintessential assist looks; I know I’m asking for trouble here, but this is a fairly “normal” ship assist attachment.
Of course, I couldn’t meditate on “A” and not encounter Alice Oldendorff; While discharging her thousands of tons of aggregates, Alice is attached to the dock, lines on bollards. The lengths of cable involved in working Alice boggle my mind too; a attaches to b, which attaches to c, etc. Further, in an invisible way, I’m attached to Alice, although less than I used to be AND less than I could be once again in the case that Alice reconsiders, and . . . (sigh).
Bel Espoir 2 attaches to Bounty, which itself attaches to Pier 66, which . . . By now, I assume both vessels have detached themselves from the sixth boro as they head up to new attachments in Boston. See you up there maybe.
Ellen McAllister nuzzles against an unlikely partner, an APL President ship; Ellen does its work without a tangible attachment. I stop short of calling this abnormal. Yup, stopped short.
The same invisible attachment exists here between Margaret Moran and her charge. And if you look at the ship’s bulbous bow, you might be as surprised as me to see the amount of algae attached there. Maybe some fleets need to invest in bowmowers.
Standard equipment on all tugs is the axe; Responder below has two. And the reason . . . obviously to effect a really quick detachment.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
Soon we’ll move on to “B is for bow . . . or bulb…” and so through the alphabet. Before that, I’ll probably return with A2.
If you’re new to the blog, use the the search window to get the back story on Alice Oldendorff and me . . . or not.
tugster: a waterblog 
2 comments
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July 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Mage B
I like attachment. 🙂 Don’t feel obliged to do anything about that Hoy award,…..I was just following instructions on a day without a computer. Those with us by the bay thought that was the America…….she was on the bay just an hour previously going the other way. On her stern is a giant eagle……..full wing span side to side on the transom.
Very nice lines.
July 7, 2009 at 8:39 am
Bruklin
Those axes can be used for cutting lines but they are actually required fire equipment. The pointed ends (opposite the blade) are used for piercing metal when required for ventilation or for injecting water or fire fighting foam such as into a burning cargo container. They can even be used to pry doors open and occasionally sailors have used them on each other, though that is not recommended by the manufacturer.