Splash!
That’s what I’m doing, preferably feeling the water but inside the ship today. Below, W. O. Decker handles the whitewater created by boats in a recent race with at least 10 times Decker‘s horsepower. As seen from the Bayonne Bridge walkway, Quenames displaces a fair amount of water, surrounding itself with froth. Fireboat water in […]
Helen’s Last Waltz Redux
If it seems I’m doing a lot of redux, etc. these days, my explanation is that 2012 was a great time for my being out there taking photos. It was entirely by chance that I walked past this scene on July 17, 2012 before 0900. I can’t even remember why I was there. Now it […]
Old Hulls, Old and New Names
Not quite half a year ago, I used a variation on this title, but photos I took yesterday necessitate a modification as you see above. Imagine my surprise when I saw this nameplate on the most famous–and only–wooden hulled tugboat in the sixth boro. I’d noticed before on AIS that there was USCG vessel in […]
TugBoat Roundup 2022
Another TBR is in the books. Where else can you see very upclose and personal some much-loved boats. I can and might do a post on each of these boats, but for now, just a survey. Shoofly . . . complete name is Shoofly Pie. If you want actual detail, click here and scroll; you’ll […]
Tugboat Roundup 2007-2010
I first went to the Roundup in 2007. Here are some photos. National as for sale that year. W. O. Decker is an almost-regular attendee. Cheyenne, also a regular, was red then. Since it’s currently working out of Wisconsin, I doubt she’ll ever be back. Here are some photos from 2007: fleetmates Margot and Benjamin […]
Retro Sixth Boro NYC Tugboat Races 6
It’s hard to believe, but I’ve not been to the Great North River Tugboat Race since 2014, but in normal times, September 5 would see the next race. But we’ve dispensed with the “normal times” concept for the time being. In selecting the batch for this post, I wanted splash, froth, bubbles, and the effervescence […]
Christmas Eve 2020
Having seen the forecast for December 25, I did my watch on Christmas eve. These are the latest sunrises of the entire cycle . . . photo taken around 0745, and the sky was still reddish and offering very little light. Fort McHenry and survey boat Christina cross. Yes, Christina . . . namesake you […]
High and Dry: Caddells 4
The “4” here refers to the dry dock, not the fourth post in this series. The last post on Caddell was Something Different 57. And in the “high and dry” series, this would be number 11. I’m just trying to anchor this post in the previous body of work. Also, I believe this dry dock […]
Canal Tug Project C
I believe Albert Gayer took these photos at lock E-14. This unit was transiting westbound and has just entered, as the lower gates are still open. Note the long “reins” running from the spotlight all the way back to the wheelhouse. I’ll be corrected if wrong, but I suspect these allowed someone in the […]
Something Different 53 b
This happens to be the 1953 Hobo, but any boat single, twin, triple, or quadruple looks like this when first hauled out. And here . . . after a shave and haircut,and some good pomade. She’s 38′ 12′. The unicorn here is W. O. Decker, 1930, wooden-hulled. She’d been power washed but was waiting for […]
tugster: a waterblog 