. . . my latest coined term . . . for which the acronym GUP lends itself is . . . gross universal product, i.e. what’s transported in vessels like these. And it really is “universal,” as evidenced by a Hong Kong vessel like this. That it is gross . . . let me say that it goes without saying.
Newtown Creek and Red Hook belong to two generations of NYCDEP vessels traveling along the East River . . . past places like this in these photos from 2012. Red Hook came to transport GUP in 2009, the latest sludge carrier until
this one —Hunts Point–came along this February . . . in a photo compliments of bowsprite
Newtown Creek was launched in 1968 . . . and still carries a lot of GUP.
North River . . . 1974. Imagine your garbage being picked up by a 1974 Oshkosh!
Owls Head, the previous class and shown here in 2009 mothballed, launched in 1952! And I had to find some 1952 waste picker uppers.
In case you’re wondering what prompts this post and what is new in this post, given previous ones like this and this . . . well here it is, something I hunted for a long time and finally found yesterday when the air-conditioned New York Public Library felt fantastic! Mayor La Guardia spent a grand total of $1,497,000–much of it WPA money–for three sludge carriers launched in January, February, and March 1938, Wards Island, Tallman Island, and Coney Island, resp. Wards Island and Tallman Island became barges Susan Frank and Rebecca K and Coney Island was reefed in 1987, although I can’t find where.
Below are the specs. Note that “sludge” is NOT raw GUP. I’d love to hear stories bout and see pics of these Island class DEP boats. How large were the crews and what was the work schedule?
Click on the photo below for info on what was at least part of waste disposal–built in Elizabethport 1897— prior to La Guardia’s sludge tankers.
Here from the NYC Municipal Archives is a dumping boat said to be hauled out at “East River Dry docks,” which I’m not sure the location of.
Unrelated, here’s another vessel–Pvt. Joseph F. Merrell-– built at the same location along the KVK in early 1951 and disposed of not far away after transitioning from Staten Island Merrell-class ferry to NYC prison space. Does anyone know the disposition of Don Sutherland’s photos of Merrell/Wildstein?
tugster: a waterblog 
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July 10, 2014 at 11:39 am
walt
These Humble NYC DEP ships have nice lines.
Thery’re plying the Hudson, and East Rivers daily.
Their capacities are double that of thier predecessor vessels.
Their cargo, sludge is destined for dewatering facilities, and
not the Ocean, Thats a good thing, right!
As always, thanks for sharing
July 10, 2014 at 11:47 am
William Lafferty
Coney Island was reefed 10 September 1987 in the Shark River Artificial Reef site off New Jersey.
July 10, 2014 at 2:33 pm
tugster
indeed, bill . . . i thought i’d checked but you found it. thanks. here’s an article on Coney Island–http://www.aquaexplorers.com/shipwreckconeyisland.htm#.U77qLFa6Tnc– and here’s one on it and its current neighbors–http://njscuba.net/reefs/chart_nj03_shark_river.html
July 10, 2014 at 1:51 pm
Anonymous
What’s really a shame is the fact that they’re, to the best of my knowledge, offloading the GUP at sea. We need a way to reuse that stuff effectively. Perhaps making combustible bricks with some pleasant fragrance like cedar added in, burning it in lieu of coal. That way DeBlasio and politicians for the hard side of the 6th Borough could sell something besides hot air.
July 10, 2014 at 2:26 pm
tugster
Anon . . . in response, here’s a quote from a longer context “the sludge that we traveled over on the boat with from Brooklyn. “It’s spun through centrifuges to separate out the water. The leftover dirt-like substance, affectionately known as “cake,” is taken to landfills or used in more inventive ways, like filling decommissioned mines down south. ” Here’s the source if you want to read the whole article: http://www.ny1.com/content/news/how_nyc_works/211200/how-nyc-works–thousands-of-miles-of-pipes-make-up-city-s-complex-sewer-system/
November 26, 2014 at 4:33 am
bowsprite
I heard ‘cake’ gets crumbled into pellets & sold for fertilizer upriver to grow non-organic salad greens, which are sold back to the city.
But the boxes of salad greens at the local store say Product of Mexico, or elsewhere, so I feel much safer. (Wink wink)
November 26, 2014 at 6:58 am
tugster
Upriver, eh . . . ? One of my “good reads” from last summer was called “On the Water” by Nathaniel Stone. Stone ROWS a boat from Brooklyn to Brooklyn. But he heads upriver–the Hudson initially–telling people he’s rowing to New Orleans. He gets to Waterford and tells people he’s rowing to New Orleans. He exits the western end of the canal toward Lake Erie . . . all telling folks he’s heading for New Orleans. And ultimately he gets to New Orleans, only to continue back toward Brooklyn. There’s a surprise ending . . so I won’t tell you where he ends up. So you CAN go upriver and end in Mexico . . . although i can guarantee that the only “cake” traveling thru the canal must be contraband. here’s an article about Stone: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-09-10/sports/0009090024_1_stone-new-mexico-rowing