I’m not going to get into the swamp here, and I’m not inviting you too either, but the dispersal of the Bouchard fleet had many tragic subplots and components. Obviously some people have been able to turn these events into gain, and more power to them.

See the two rusty barges facing the camera here?  Those are B. No. 242 and B. No. 210.  Also,

notice the color of the tug on the 242.  They might be Morton S. Bouchard IV, the last of the fleet tugboats to have stayed over near Stapleton until fairly recently.  On the 210, I believe that’s Anna Rose.

So yesterday i was sitting chatting with a friend over at St. George and this barge appeared.  “What old ship is that?” she asked.  She takes no notice of water traffic, either on the sixth boro or anywhere else. But I knew the answer immediately. 

B. No. 260 was likely being moved out of its long-term storage near Stapleton and likely to the shipyard for deferred maintenance and much-needed paint.

Nicholas and Liz Vinik were doing the move. 

 

The next time my friend or I see that barge, it might be looking much better.

All photos, yesterday, WVD.