The sixth boro welcomed me back this morning with Eddie R (1971) pulling an unusual tow, Caldwell Marine International‘s barge U 860.  Rich technical info on the barge can be found on pp. 6–15 of this link.

Thrusters at all four corners of the barge are connected into the dynamic positioning system.

Eddie R, registered in Southport, ME to Interport Towing and Transportation, is fleetmate to Lucinda Smith.

The “rustoleum brown” structure on the left side of the foto  might be the cable “tank.”

Note the two stern thrusters and two of four anchors.   On the foto below and the the two that follow, notice

the curved

“overboard chute,”  which guides the cable from the tank and into the  water.

Later in the morning, I noticed the unit over on the Brooklyn side.    Besides “laying cable,” I haven’t figured the details.

All fotos this morning by Will Van Dorp.

Some follow-up on yesterday’s post about Hemingway’s Pilar, built by Wheeler in Brooklyn . .   here are addtional Wheeler fotos.

And seeing the “old” small freighters in Miami made me wonder whatever became of MV Golden Venture, which came ashore on Rockaway Beach in June 1993 with almost 300 illegal immigrants from China.  Well it was renamed United Caribbeanand then  reefed in the Boca Raton Inlet in August 2000.  Wanna see it?  You have to dive  70′ now.