Dawn yesterday Rowan approaches the McAllister dock after a + 1500-mile tow of Patrice from Lake Ontario. I suspect that even if you didn’t know Patrice‘ story, you’d feel the pain. In many places and times, white is/has been the color of mourning and
rebirth. The colors and light here evoked thoughts of resurrection . . . as I stood in a little cove yesterday; structures in the background are in Port Elizabeth.
I offer these fotos of Patrice out of respect for the loss.
Meanwhile, the foto from yesterday shows unnamed vessels lying in the port of Ushuaia (end of the world, beginning of everything), over 6500 miles south of the sixth boro. Latitude number for Ushuaia is 54 degrees south; Copenhagen is 55 degrees north.
Distance from Ushuaia to Cape Horn is less than 100 miles. Again, thanks to Ben Orlove who took this foto from Le Boreal.
tugster: a waterblog 
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April 20, 2012 at 10:12 am
Ken
There is not too much sadder than seeing a ship on long term layup with no certainty that you are ever going to see said ship again. I got that feeling when I passed the Navy boneyards on the California Zephyr. Especially when you see some of the battleships.
April 20, 2012 at 10:43 am
Charles Danko
Always sad to see a casualty. Hopefully the Patrice will sail again (the Esso Vermont became the Phoenix after the Alva Cape – Texaco Massachusetts collision) but after reading the history of tugs with this name it should be retired by the company.
April 20, 2012 at 11:00 am
tugster
it was by chance that i got the foto in the dim light of a almost rainy morning in the location i did, but light and weather seemed to conspire with the chalky paint and “whited-out” glass and ports of the tug, as if to pay tribute to the engineer. in lots of parts of the world, this kind of white is the color of mourning, not black. amen to retiring the name.
April 20, 2012 at 12:08 pm
HT
Rest in Peace Chief.
April 20, 2012 at 6:04 pm
tugpower
Tugboat Engine Room Fires Are Not An Uncommon Thing. Fuel Lines From Constant Vibration Sometimes Come Loose Spraying Diesel Fuel Onto A Hot Engine Causing A Conflagration. There Are Sometimes Crank Case Explosions. Recent Fires Include The ROBERT J. BOUCHARD On Feb. 28, 2005 Off Seaside Heights New Jersey Severely Burning A Crew Member. Luckily He Survived. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1352638/posts, http://www.aboututila.com/News/Latest.htm. MISS NIZ Fire On Feb. 23, 2011 http://towmasters.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/nma_nl-76.pdf (Article Page 6), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwfe3mPmAIU. Fire On Eklof Marine’s SCANDIA On January 19, 1996 With Grounding Of Barge NORTH CAPE http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/docs/boards/scandia.pdf, http://www.whoi.edu/page/live.do?pid=53055,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Cape_oil_spill. Another Engine Room Fire Back In 1979 That I Remember Involved McAllister’s Tug CHRISTINE E (Not CHRISTINE E. McALLISTER) Built In 1970. The Tug Was Owned By McAllister, & Chartered To New England Petroleum (NEPCO) She Was Southbound In The Hudson River In Haverstraw Bay Pushing A Light Naptha Barge When The Fire Broke Out. She Was Repaired, & Sold To Bouchard To Become Their JANE A. BOUCHARD, & The Sold Back To McAllister To Become Their Present AMY C. McALLISTER. There Have Been Many Other Fires Some Not Serious, And Others Devastating & Too Numerous To Mention. ROBERT J. BOUCHARD Had Her Wounds Repaired, CHRISTINE E Sails Again As The AMY C, & The PATRICE After All Is Said & Done Will Be Repaired. She Will Sail Again As If Nothing Ever Had Happened. Like Phoenix, “She’ll Come Up From The Ashes.” The Sad Part Of This Incident, However, Resulted In The Loss Of The Chief Engineer. May He Rest In Eternal Peace.
April 20, 2012 at 6:43 pm
tugster
thanks, harold.
April 20, 2012 at 7:56 pm
eastriver
Has the name of the Chief been released… or any more details on the fire?
April 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm
tugster
not that i’m aware of, and i’ve searched.
April 21, 2012 at 7:32 am
Les Sonnenmark
There is nothing more frightening than a shipboard fire, especially away from the pier. While the topside crew fights the fire and has a sense of what is happening, the chief engineer is in the machinery space ensuring adequate water supply, cutting off electric power to the affected spaces, etc., and can only know what is reported to him. As chief aboard Crowley tugs in the late 70’s and early 80’s, I helped my shipmates fight two fires, with fortunately minimal damage and no injury. They both started in the galley, not the machinery spaces.
April 21, 2012 at 7:48 am
tugster
just curious . . . does the machinery space/engine room routinely contain safety/protective clothing for use in case of fire? i’m thinking of the gear a firefighter in a truck would have access to.
April 21, 2012 at 12:36 pm
HT
, Tugs and barges are required to have fire fighting equipment onboard, and a self contained breathing apparatus. Also to get STCW a person has to go through fire fighter training. Penn Maritime also went a step further and has Defibulators on tugs and barges which saved 2 mens lives the first month we had them. Most companys now send their men/women to Fire fighting school..
April 21, 2012 at 2:45 pm
HT
Oh one other thing Tugster, I cant say what other companies definition of fire fighting equipment is, but at Penn we had the same jackets,pants and gloves that the firemen use.
May 1, 2012 at 11:01 pm
captaincollin
Thanks for the photos and the kind words I was the skipper on watch at the time of the accident on the Patrice. Having been a fire fighter for the past 20 years is probably the only reason i am alive right now. It was by far the scariest moments of my entire life i thought for sure we would all never see home again. Unfortunately our brother was not as lucky and has begun his eternity in heaven sooner than we would have liked. The best fire fighting equipment and training in the world couldn’t have saved him. Please let it be a lesson to you my brother mariners Keep your drills and safety meetings thorough and accurate dont pencil whip it just because you have to. Remain vigilant on watch and demand cleanliness and professionalism from your entire crew especially in the engine room! TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN your men and yourselves because the life you save may very well be your own. God bless and stay safe!!
May 1, 2012 at 11:33 pm
tugster
captaincollin–thank you for the very important reminder. TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN is critical for lots of things.