It’s June, and I’m starting my 176th month doing tugster.  Wow!  how many hours might I have put into this now? 

June 2011 saw some interesting sailboats and boats.  This post mentions only a few and covers the first half of the month.

The Dyna-rigged Maltese Falcon was in town, sailing at 20 kts across the harbor and then dousing all sails almost instantly at the push of a button. She’s currently in Messina, IT.

Blue Marlin was in town and spent three weeks loading US tugs and barges sold to Nigerian interests.  Most of these names–Dean Reinauer, Curtis Reinauer, Janice Ann Reinauer, and John Reinauer–have been re-used on quite different tugboats.  “Three weeks to load a Float on-float off . . .?” you might be wondering.

Well, there were some setbacks with ill-fitting cradles.

Eventually, everything found its place and stayed there. 

I recall taking photos from Fort Wadsworth and overhearing some folks concerned “the big orange ship” was sinking.

Sixth boro haze that June made for some dull photos.  If you want to relive the ordeal of loading, click here for the tugster six-part “groundhog day” series.

Reefer Albemarle Island got assistance into the Red Hook terminals from Brendan Turecamo and Margaret Moran. Currently, the reefer is running between Martinique and Panama.

EPA Bold came into town;  the 1989 USNS Vigorous has changed hands several times and is now operated as Bold Explorer, an EGS survey vessel.

The 2007 Barbara C became Arabian Sea and is currently Saint Emilion.

The 5100 teu Cosco New York gets an assist from Miriam Moran.  Currently, she’s running south along the western Mexico coast.

We began with a luxury sailing vessel;  Black Seal made one run into the sixth boro with a cargo on cacao from Dominican Republic.  The three-masted schooner is currently at a mooring in Pocasset MA.

Let’s lleave it here for now, with all photos, WVD.