Mostly Random Government Boats

Friday, July 1 means it’s the start of a long summer holiday weekend, marking 235 years since the independence declaration was signed.  Because fireworks flash and spark unchecked in a plethora of state and federal budget debates,  I thought time called for government boats shooting water.  FireFighter II under the Verazzano Bridge today seemed

testing its pumps;  I wonder what the crew of

APL Qatar thought as they entered . . . feted?  dissed?

Fireboat Curtis Randolph has seen 32 years of service already in Detroit.

Actually not one of these three boats . .  docked near Curtis Randolph is a government boat:  Huron Maid is a pilot boat (see in at work in this “boatnerd” video), Joseph J. Hogan is mail boat . . . as is

the 62-year-old J. W. Westcott II.

This vessel, eastbound in the KVK this morning, probably is

NOT a government boat, but she’s gussied up like a flag.  I wondered if the paint job was new and this was a sea trials run?

Edgewater has its own fireboat, as does

Newark.  Judging from this video, Newark and Jersey City have twin fire boats?

Closing shot:  is this what 50,000 gpm looks like?  For an effective quick summary of the features of Fire Fighter II, see this video.  Fire Fighter II and its twin–343–have more than 16 times the water-pumping capacity of FDNY’s first fireboat, William F. Havemeyer.

Detroit fotos comes thanks to Cookie Baker (my sister, and NO she does not work in any aspect of food prep and YES that is her name.)    Thanks, Cook.

All others by Will Van Dorp.  Happy Independence Day.  Be independent!