The Fuelman Cometh

With apologies to Eugene O’Neill for the title, I rode a fuel boat around the sixth boro today.  No matter that it was 4 degrees above zero (-15 degrees centigrade) this morning, vessels run with passengers and the “station” comes to the boats –some of them–in this realm.  And if there’s ice like the facial features of Capt Davy Jones on the receptacle, it has to

be moved so that fuel can flow.

Enjoy these cold photos.

Here’s the fuel boat.

More soon.  Til then, I can’t wait to look at these photo in July when the sweat is dripping off me and I’ll looking to chill.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

Weather 8

Here was 7.  In the past week, the sixth boro has seen lows to about 5 . . . like last Monday morning, and highs in the low 50s.    And then there’s been serious fog, as bowsprite captures here.  This morning was clear and mild, almost springlike.  Here was the north end of the Arthur Kill today a little after 0700, Capt Log heading south for a load.

To the left, NYK Rigel prepares to shove off from Howland Hook.    To the right, dredgers dig on. . .  or diggers dredge on.   James Turecamo heads north and east . . .

as Minerva Zenia makes her way under the Goethals.

I wonder how I’ll get used to the alteration of the classic form of the Bayonne Bridge.

Here’s the impressive assembling of equipment staging for work on that other bridge project.   Glenn Edwards looks huge in the mix.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp, just before the sun came up.

Weather 7

Here was number 6 in this series.  It occurred to me this afternoon to rename the whole series “weather overwater,” as a tip of the hat to Dr.  Jeff Masters and his site.  His 18-minute TED talk at the link with his name on it is worth the 18 minutes.   And what do you imagine happens on and over sixth boro water on a day like this . . . ?

The usual.  Diane B pushes a fuel barge, leaving BW Amazon behind,

Cheyenne consolidates scrap,

Davis Sea pushes oil somewhere up river as she did here and here,

Susana S, in the same location here a year ago, takes on bunkers. . .

. . . along with Stavanger Breeze.

Fishing goes on, and pilots

do their thing no matter the weather since 1694.

More bad weather coming . . . so what.   Not that it’s easy, though.

Moving Fuel 4

Here was 3 in the series.  The sixth boro is indeed a huge fuel transfer port, and I need to make a more concerted effort to learn which transfers are imports and which . . . exports.  Meanwhile, a look at the variety of vessels involved in just a few days shows Energy Century,

Aurora N with Crystal Cutler on the far side of a fuel barge in the distance,

Trans Trader,

Zachery Reinauer,

Patrick Sky passing the bow of Summit Europe,

and finally, passing a Laura K. Moran docking SCF Pechora, it’s Diane B with barge John Blanche.

Cold and snow do not slow this trade; in fact, it’s when the temperature drops that this trade speeds up.

Snow Day 4

OK, here’s tomorrow’s post today . . . Wednesday’s news coming on Tuesday.  The snow happened today, so let’s see it today.

Here was 3.  And another snowy post.  The first three fotos here come compliments of Brian DeForest.  Here, hanging on the wall are Hunting Creek and Coastline Bay Star.

Davis Sea–I believe–is practically invisible to the naked eye.  Here was Davis Sea as a K-Sea vessel almost four years ago.

Scotty Sky passing alongside the aptly named Alpine Loyalty.

Brooklyn at the #9 buoy.

And Hoechst Express inbound from sea.

By late morning, the snow was slowing down in the sixth boro, here on the landside of Gage Paul Thornton and Thornton Bros.

Many thanks to Brian DeForest for the top three fotos;  the others by Will Van Dorp.

Snow is snow and not the same is ice, but cold weather makes me want to keep a watch on this site for the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club, which always has the news on iceboating in the Hudson Valley.

Riverbanks 4

Here was 3 with links to 1 and 2.

I’ve been so far unable to find the original use of this barge, but I haven’t expended much shoe leather either.

Click on the foto below from the July 21, 1977 NYTimes for an article on Michael O’Keefe’s barge restaurant opening.  Anyone identify the tug?

Bulk commodities commerce needs some stretches of riverbank in the sixth boro.  Crushed stone in; garbage out, as well as

recycled materials,

aggregates,

scrap metal, petroleum,

salt, and

desert scrapings aka road conditioner. 

Products galore and more and

more.

Places to park aka dock are vital also.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Random Tugs 115

I took these fotos Friday before the winds started.

Viking . .  . . To see how she’s evolved over the past 41 years, click here.

Brooklyn was previously a fleetmate of Viking.  For her history, click here.

Above and below . . . it’s Huron Service, which recently got new paint as well.  Here’s an overview–possibly out of date–of routes served by Genesis Energy.

Clearly, from the foto, to say commerce USED to happen on the Gowanus Canal . . . uses the wrong verb tense.   Here, from L to R, it’s Shawn Miller, Samantha Miller, Miss Ayva, and Diane B.

Finally, and still in Gowanus Bay, it’s Discovery Coast and

Potomac and Hunting Creek.

Stay inside or at least firmly attached to something substantial.

Scotty Sky

I did a whole post on Scotty Sky back in 2011, although I called it something else.   Let’s revisit those fotos before adding some recent ones.

Light and  . . .

loaded way

deep loaded.

And here,

high and

dry.

I’m eager to see her

refloated and working again.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Diane B Seasonal

I can’t look at this foto from a half year ago of Diane B up the creek . . . aka Hutchinson River . . . and not feel cold.   Notice the snow on the banks. I posted this set once my ProMariner article was out.   Meanwhile, some

maintenance got done.  Here are some fotos of a creek specialist high and dry.

By the way, I have noticed her movements on AIS recently, although I haven’t made visual.

Greetings to the crew.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Down the Up Creek 2

Here was the first in the series.   Now since the Professional Mariner article is out and you can read it here, I offer the  photo essay.  The research starts on January 27, but

this closer-up of the foto above shows half the bridge won’t lift.  Research aborted, and I was really hoping to show the tow breaking its way up the Hutch through ice.  The fuel load eventually –and very eventually–has to get delivered elsewhere.  For outatowners, the background is the Bronx.

Now it’s February 3, 10:52.  The fuel has been transferred into the tanks on shore, and the crew waits for sufficient water to return to the creek for egress.

11:01.  Note how little water shows on the right side of the barge.

11:43.  While waiting for the flood, here’s a view of the engine room.

1:43.  Still waiting.

2:26.  There’s now adequate water for the towboat to squeeze alongside the barge to make up to the “bow” of the barge.

2:27.  Diane B pivots in her length and the crew makes up to the “bow.”

2:45.  As they finish making up, I run ahead to the nearest bridge for the best fotos as they “thread the needle” back out to wider water.  Let’s call this bridge #1.

2:47.  Truly this is contact sport . . . without the contact and without the sport.  Actually, it’s hard work.  Notice the barge cutting through the ice here.

3:10, and I’ve driven my car a half dozen miles to get to bridge #4.  Notice #3 and #2 open.  And if you squint, you can see Diane B‘s upper wheelhouse passing through bridge #2.

3:13 finds the tow about to pivot 90 degrees to port to clear the Amtrak Bridge, aka bridge #3.

3:17.  After fitting through #3, the tow immediately needs to line up for #4.

3:18.  Lining up may take a pulse, a snort of the engines.

Once through #4, it’s not as if the channel runs straight.

3:27.  The tow heads through Eastchester Bay for the East River.  Throgs Neck Bridge is NOT a lift bridge.  If I’m counting right, the tow passes under another 11 bridges before reloading on the Arthur Kill.

Thanks to American Petroleum & Transport and the crew of Diane B for helping with this story.  Thanks to Professional Mariner for printing my story and pictures.  Consider subscribing.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp, who places them online because I like the cheap big format afforded by electronic media.