Simone

Call this Simone at the “7” in the sixth boro. Bound for sea.

A large part of what drives my continuing this blog is the satisfaction of trying to capture the magic of the traffic in NYC’s harbor, what I call the sixth boro.  And some boats and companies conjure more magic than others in my very suggestible mind.  But take Simone, she ‘s not a new boat–1970-launched–but consider her recent itinerary:  a year ago she had just returned from Senegal, and a year and half ago she had traversed the Panama Canal at least twice and made trips to California and Hawaii.   I’m impressed by that.  This is why I left the farm all those years ago.

To digress just slightly, here’s a photo of Simone one day earlier than the ones I’ve taken.  Birk Thomas of tugboat information.com took this.  This photo was taken just west of the Bayonne Bridge–looking south– and shows better than any photo I’ve seen the immense progress that’s being made of the raising of the Bayonne Bridge roadbed.

Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of these photos of Simone, here heading out with MSC Monica,  a smallish and oldish container vessel.

I’d be thrilled to get a job on a Tradewinds vessel, but for now I can watch Simone pass by and say “ah.”

Thanks to Birk for the photo already attributed, and all the others by Will Van Dorp, who says “ah.”

Here was a post from a year and a half ago when I missed Miss Lis.

As for Ipanema in the links above, I’ve been there, and here was the first of 25 posts from there.

 

Random Tugs 142

Let’s start with two from New York Media Boat.  Can you identify this vessel?

It’s Jay Michael, on a foggy morning last week.  She’s headed to the dredge over by the passenger terminal.

Eileen McAllister last appeared in this blog –I think–over six years ago here.

Here’s Laura K. Moran doing what she does.  Anyone have an ETA of the next Moran assist tug arrival?

Ocean Tower has been towing and towering elsewhere these past few years.

Here’s Caitlin Ann, a new entry in the containerized garbage hauling?

Caitlin Ann first appeared here nearly seven years ago as Vivian L. Roehrig.

And closing today’s post, Evening Star.

The first two photos by Bjoern Kils.  All others by Will Van Dorp.

 

Whatzit 26

Here’s the index.  Actually, the better title here might be whozit?

Black hull, primer red house, and blue stack . . .

It’s Jane McAllister, who’s been in the sixth boro the past few days.

Might it be the blue of Eastport Port Authority?

Now how would this stack look with white rings?

Here’s more on the boat, thanks to tugboat information.com

All photos here by Will Van Dorp.

 

 

 

Random Tugs 141

Kodiak . . . is ex-Vane and Allied.

Hunting Creek is Maryland-built for Vane.

Charles A has carried at least four previous names.

Specialist, I believe the oldest in the set today,  . . . has low sleek lines for an almost 60-year-old vessel.

When this Pegasus came into the sixth boro, she lacked the upper wheelhouse.

Atlantic Salvor has for some years–since this one left–been the largest tugboat in the sixth boro.  Rivaling Atlantic Salvor a few years back was the rescue tug turned super yacht called Lone Ranger.

And finally, for today, it’s Eric McAllister passes Ultra Colonsay, discharging salt over at Atlantic Salt.

All photos over the last few days by Will Van Dorp.

Sea Lion 3

Here were 1 and 2.  And leading up to the sinking in 2014, here are some old photos.

And then January 16, 2014.  The next few photos by Bjoern Kils, of NYMedia Boat.

Here was her sonar signature, as her exact location of sinking was marked.  Photo from Bjoern.

A nameless salt sent in this photo.

And by early February 2014, the boat was brought back to the air . . . rise again.  Photo below by Orlando Martinez.

March 2014, and the rehab had begun, if only the preliminaries to rehab.  And a lifesaving award was granted.

During the summer, there were some articles like this one in Professional Mariner magazine.

And by November 2014, Sea Lion looked like this.  Notice the funnel on the ground.

In February 2015, the funnel was in place and hull coatings applied.

By mid March, her externals looked ready to return to the water.

And then yesterday, about two weeks after she splashed back in, she was at work pushing a barge

through the Buttermilk Channel.

If you need a soundtrack, try this.  Bravo, Sea Lion.

Photos not otherwise attributed by Will Van Dorp.

If you’re wanting to see the sixth boro, New York Media Boat is an excellent way to do it.

Celluloid Sixth Boro Sailin’

Admittedly, what follows are probably the grainiest photos I’ve posted on tugster, but the context and content justify it, I think.

Click here for my occasional  series called “film tugs,” and although no tugs appear, these are screen grabs from video shot in 1975, at 3 minutes 56, 3:11, and 3:22, respectively, the video that follows.  I like the song, but I’d never seen the video until last night, when I needed a musical fix after drudgery.   The photo below is SS Stevens, in its dorm iteration.  Here from navsource are some much better pics.  Anyone have photos of her during scrapping?

Southbound, approaching the GW Bridge, this appears to be a small tanker, a la Mary Whalen and others.  There’s also a shot of this tanker right at the start of the video.

This one could be a Socony tanker a la Kristin Poling?

Now, if you are prepared to look at a 30-year-old Rod Stewart–retired footballer with bad makeup and hideous haircut–lip synching sheepishly–with glances alternatingly suggesting boredom and entrapment on a motorboat on the Hudson more than five years before MTV, which first aired in August 1981.   Give this harbor music a listen here.  Like I said, I like the song, but . . .

Anyone around in the sixth boro in 1975 recall what his “sailing” platform might have been?  Or can identify the tankers or other details in this 1975 video?

And while I’m thinking about music, here are some others . . .  Southern Cross and Sail Away.   What’s yours?

 

Stephen B

Here was a farewell post to Patrick Sky, now tied up and listed in Boats & Harbors. And here was the prelude to a splash earlier this year. The next three photos–taken March 21– show Patrick Sky awaiting the next life.

And here are some photos taken this past weekend of the replacement equipment, tug Stephen B and barge James Joseph.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Hoorn-Bound Half Moon 3

Here was 2.  Scroll through and you’ll see other posts I’ve done on the vessel in North America.  The photo below shows Half Moon under full sail off Boston earlier this month.

Here on an AIS grab from yesterday, BigLift MV Traveller scooted across the North Sea from Scotland into the port at the mouth of the IJ River.

If you scan the icons carefully here, you’ll see MV Traveller in port, near NG 10-Aqua Fauna.

And here she is at the dock.  Click on the photo to get the original source and discussion in Dutch.  The headline translates as Half Moon has arrived in IJmuiden, the port at the mouth of the IJ River.  Click here and here for more photos.  I’ll translate the text later today when my head comes back above water.

Click here and here for photos I took of tugs and other vessels on the IJ and other waterways in the Netherlands last year.   Here are some of my other IJmuiden and area photos.

Many thanks to Rene at binnenvaart for these arrival links.    The next and final step will be from IJmuiden to Hoorn.

Thanks to Mike Abegg for the photo of Half Moon under sail in North American waters less than a month ago.

Turning Fidias

Sitting on the bank, I really enjoy watching large vessels turned at the dock.  Here is an index of previous “turning” posts.

Warm Sunday mornings are the best times to watch, though, because you might spend a long time waiting.  The first photo here was taken at 0929 hrs.  Can you identify the tug beyond the bow bulb?

0845 . . . Gramma Lee T Moran arrives at Fidias’ gangway

to deliver the docking pilot . . . 0848.  And then, as events unfold onboard, from the land, it appears that nothing is happening.

At 0930 there is noticeable although quiet motion.

0931 . . .  well, it’s less quiet when Gramma Lee spins her wheels to keep Fidias from slipping seaward with the tide.

0932–10 sec

0932–29 sec

0932–53

Once the 600′ vessel starts to spin, things happen very quickly.

All photos above by Will Van Dorp.  Photo below was taken by “Jed.”

Today–and every day– is Earth Day, prompted post-Santa Barbara 1969.  Hat’s off to all the person-centuries of painstaking efforts at safety and coexistence.  Who said this?   “”It is sad that it was necessary that Santa Barbara should be the example that had to bring it to the attention of the American people. What is involved is the use of our resources of the sea and of the land in a more effective way and with more concern for preserving the beauty and the natural resources that are so important to any kind of society that we want for the future. The Santa Barbara incident has frankly touched the conscience of the American people.”  Answer here.  HR Constellation is the ex-Beluga Constellation.

Here was last year’s Earth Day post . . . sea junk.

 

Green Tugs 3

Here . . . from a long time ago were 1 and 2 of this series.

This 1960 tug has gone from green to red and back to green.

In fact, just over a year ago, I caught it here transitioning from red to green . . . like watching a butterfly leave its cocoon.

Bravo, Eric R. Thornton . . . it’s good to see you working.

All photos recently by Will Van Dorp.