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Almost seven years ago, I posted Go West, the announcement of my employment as onboard lecturer for Blount Small Ships Adventures. Dozens of posts followed between that date and fall 2019. Here’s my Go West at start of 2017 post. Then Covid-19 happened, and Blount decided to close their passenger vessel excursion business in spring 2020 and later to sell their fleet.
Today, I’m announcing that I have similar employment with American Queen Voyages, departing the sixth boro tomorrow by air for New Brunswick, initially. My title is “lakelorian,” a nom de voyage I share with several other folks. It’s a variation on “riverlorian,” used by lecturers on American Queen excursions on the Mississippi. Roundabout? Well, we head NE to get SW, and that’s after traveling from flying from LaGuardia to Toronto and then Saint John, crossing two international borders before getting to Eastport ME. More later, I hope.
This is a short post to announce that I expect to be out of the sixth boro much of the time from now until well into fall. I also expect to have WiFi at least sometimes, so I can post photos of noteworthy sights along new/old waterways as well as sixth boro events if you take and pass them along. In fact, if any sixthborolorian relief crew wish to step up, let’s communicate.
Meanwhile, as I step into the new, here’s glance back at the old, all photos of two of the Blount boats from 2019, their last year in service. Here’s Grande Mariner in lake mode, but
they are able to morph into NYS Canals mode and squeeze under and
through; I’ll miss
those waterways.
All photos, WVD, who’s about to wear a new hat and may be incommunicado for a bit. Here’s the new ride . . .
May 2012 was a month of verticality, as in these twin tugboats,
as in the towers of these bridges with a low, long riverboat transiting beneath, and
and in the 156′ air draft of this mega yacht once owned by one of the oligarch’s now sanctioned and hiding his other yachts wherever he can.
It was also time for Opsail 2012, the sixth of six such events to date.
I recall an evening sail around Gravesend Bay one May evening to see some of the tall ships that overnighted there prior to parading into the confines of the sixth boro.
Above and below were tall ships from Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brasil.
The tall ships have scattered to the seven seas, but these tugs each returns to the sixth boro as work dictates.
All photos, WVD.
This post (number 4650+) may stay front and center for a few days because I’ve left my desk, seated myself, precariously, on an unmotorized bike, and am (I hope) making some speed from the western end of the Erie Canal to the eastern one. I started pedaling Sunday morning from Tonawanda, not Saturday as I’d initially planned. I expect I’ll see some morning fog as is often to be found in the corridor this time of year. Yes, I’ll be taking photos along the way. Some photos I’ve posted on FB directly from my phone, or put up later if there’s wifi. An observation though . . . when you’re biking, trying to maintain a steady speed, it takes much more motivation to stop that momentum to get the camera out of the bag and take a photo.
The October 14, 2020 calendar photos I took in Amsterdam NY. It turns out that we tied up facing the Riverkeeper boat, R. Ian Fletcher on the wall just above lock 11, which, had it been clear, you’d easily see.
No matter what time you’ve planned a morning Canal departure, you might not actually move until the fog lifts, of course unless your have working radar.
Grande Mariner‘s radar had to be folded down during a Canal transit to clear the low bridges.
In the landcut portions of the canal, in autumn mornings you see scenes like these. I have to write it . . . eerie canal.
Sentinels with lethal force work the locks and
keep watch from the dead trees.
Once I can from a technological perspective, I’ll put images on FB, maybe even here. This is “making it up as I go along.”
Beef on weck, white hots, tomato pies, ghost bread, and other blandishments along the Canal Trail will be devoured with thanks. Today I’m in Syracuse area on plan to get some greens even though I’m not yet in Utica. My goals are as follows: Rome tomorrow, Little Falls Friday, Amsterdam Saturday, and Waterford Sunday . . . but that’s ambitious!
All photos, WVD, who hopes to be back at this desk in less than two weeks.
Yes, I missed doing this in July, so today I play catch-up.
Three vessels were on the July page. First, it’s Louis C, a small tanker reborn as a small crane ship. I was last aboard her on a very cold morning in January 2020. The enclosed workshop forward of the wheelhouse features a wood burning stove that has no appeal in August but was very welcome in January.
Fugro Enterprise, now as then, is working off Atlantic City, making bathymetric charts of the area where the 99 turbines of Ocean Wind will soon sprout above the surface of the waves.
The third and more prominent boat on the July calendar page is Nathan G, and rather than use a photo from July 2019, let me put up this one from July 2020, where Nathan G is one of the tugs escorting USS Slater to the dry dock. That dry docking will soon be finished, and Nathan G will possibly accompany the destroyer escort back to Albany. For more info on Slater and memberships, click here.
For August, on 17 August 2019 at 0615 and we were at the western end of Lake Ontario approaching Port Weller. You’re looking over the after deck of Grande Caribe. In case you’ve not heard, Blount Small Ships Adventures made a shocking announcement this Monday that their BSSA vessels are for sale.
Welland Canal pilot vessel Mrs C approached ready to deliver a pilot, having just
retrieved one from the down bound Federal Yukina.
A few days later in August at 0722 and at the northern end of Crystal Island in the Detroit River, about 50 miles north of Toledo OH and 25 south of Detroit MI, we passed
Edgar B. Speer as she was about to enter the down bound lane between Crystal Island and Stony Island.
Speer is one of the 1000-footer, aka “footers” who ply the Upper Lakes unable to get beyond Lake Erie because they greatly exceed the dimensions of the Welland Canal. Speer‘s cargo capacity is 73,700 tons. That would be a lot of trucks.
All photos, WVD.
On the 2020 calendar, the top right photo shows a shore fisherman, a small fishing boat, a tug, and a tanker. The 2013 and 49,999 dwt tanker, Elandra Sea, as of this morning is in the Java Sea, likely almost as far from the sixth boro as you can get. The tug escorting her in is Capt. Brian A. McAllister. It turns out that was the only photo I took of that vessel, because of the fisherman, small boat, and industrial vessels and setting.
What I was really there for that morning was the mothership of Sandy Hook Pilots, New York No. 1, the current one as the new one is being created. It seemed to be an event happening on the after deck. Surprisingly, I believe I’ve never posted this shot until now.
Upper left on the June 2020 page is Helen Laraway; seconds before I took the photo chosen for the calendar, she passed this this container ship E. R. Montecito, escorted in by James D.
The 2004 and 7544teu container ship is currently in the Malacca Strait, heading for Durban SA, and carries a new name. . . GSL Grania. I cherish info like this, reinforcing the fact that the sixth boro is but a tiny place on a planet of countless coastlines.
Assisting her in were James D, JRT, and Margaret.
The lower photo on the calendar was taken in the Mohawk Valley, lock E-13, easily accessed via the westbound lanes of the NYS Thruway. Grande Caribe was Chicago bound. For more info on E-13, click here.
As she departed the lock, she passed one of the newest tugboats on the Erie Canal, Port Jackson, named for the part of Amsterdam NY on the south side of the river. It turns out that the family of the namesake of Port Jackson moved west and distinguished himself. The barge attached to Port Jackson no doubt has an identified; I wish I knew it and its history, given the riveted hull.
The next shot after the one on the calendar shows the 183′ x 40′ Grande Caribe shrinking as it juxtaposes with the ridge that makes up the Noses. Grande Caribe is currently in Warren RI, as Blount Small Ships Adventures has decided that in the wake of COVID, it’s better to use 2020 to plan for 2021. So, neither of the Grande vessels will be transiting the canal this year. Given the virus, I’ve planed some gallivants, but as is true for everyone, much of that is on hold. I’m free to gallivant now, but my sense of responsibility says I stay put and see this all as opportunity to craft a different path.
All photos, WVD, who is working his way through his library again. Last week it was Pieces of the Frame and Uncommon Carriers. I’m currently re-reading The Night Inspector, historical novel by Frederick Busch, on the exploits in post-Civil War New York featuring a mask-wearing disfigured wounded vet who worked as a sniper in the Civil War, and his friend M, who is none other than Herman Melville, the washed up writer who currently works in the harbor as a night inspector, aka a deputy inspector of Customs who would row out to any ships arriving inport in the dark hours and waiting until morning to clear customs. Here‘s another review.
I’ve also discovered the many videos of Tim B at Sea on youtube. Interesting stuff . . . answers to questions you’ve not even considered yet in some cases.
Believe it or not, I’m way inland and without a camera, and a preference for novelty prompts a different almost-year-end post together. Rules I made for myself follow: go to my archives and select the first photo of something water-related each month of 2019. So if the first photo in my archives for each month is a person or an inland structure, I don’t use it; instead, I go forward in that month to the first boat or water photo.
For January, it was Susquehanna in a very familiar IMTT on the Bayonne side of the KVK. She’s currently westbound along the Keys.
February was La Perla, an oyster barge on Peconic Bay.
March was Nathan G on the very southern tip of Manhattan, across from the Colgate clock. She’s currently working in the sixth boro.
Jonathan C was assisting a box ship out in the wee hours near the start of April. Right now, she’s in the sixth boro, doing or waiting to do a similar escort.
May began with a NYC oyster boat headed north through the Narrows.
Early June it was Tavropos, in the Stapleton anchorage. The crude oil tanker is currently off the Tabasco coast of Mexico. The tanker appeared here previously as Moonlight Venture.
July began with Fishing Creek headed out of the Narrows. She’s currently near Philly.
In August it was Grande Mariner approaching lock E14. She’s docked in Narragansett Bay.
In September, actually on September 1, it was Kaye E. Barker southbound across Lake St. Clair with the landmark Renaissance Center ahead. She’s currently upbound on Lake Huron, possibly getting another load of ore for the season.
October began with me meeting Mrs. Chips bound for the Narrows and point south and ultimately Florida, where she currently is.
November it was Denak Voyager taking on scrap. That’s the Newark Bay Bridge beyond the ship, and Rebecca Ann lost to the left margin. Rebecca Ann is currently in the sixth boro, and Denak Voyager has exited the Straits of Gibraltar, heading back to the sixth boro.
And finally, December, it’s a mystery boat for now and an unidentified location. Guess if you like . . . I hope to get back to this photo in 2020.
Maybe tomorrow . . . last day of the year . . . I’ll do the last photo of each month following the same rules.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
This begins a new series, and I’ll post only when I can get on WIFI. “Montreal bound” will soon devolve to MB. Logistics causes me to post with a few days lag, so I’m posting from Buffalo.
To start, this is the closest I’ve been to Roger Blough so far. One of these years, I’ll see her in much greater detail.
Since I’ve switched vessels most of this years, here’s my former ride . . . Grande Mariner, Chicago bound. By now she’s been in Chicago a few days.
Off Wisconsin, we passed Sarah Andrie towing A-390,
Tonawanda-bound.
At the Fincantieri Bay yard in Sturgeon Bay, I saw what I believe are portions of the new Van Enkevort barge.
At the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, I enjoyed the works of its namesake and benefactor, Gerhard CF Miller, and this drawing from 1883.
No stop here would be complete without a glance at the Elizabeth NJ-built John Purves.
But leaving town by the ship canal, I had my greatest surprise . . . these two USCG 22′ ice rescue airboats. The Door peninsula is happy they are here.
I never knew the USCG had such equipment. These are cell phone pics, because if I had run to my bunk to grab my camera . . . I would have missed the shot altogether.
All photos and any errors by Will Van Dorp.
As a reminder, CB here expands to Chicago-bound, our journey.
Dean Marine and Excavating are continuing work on the breakwaters in Oswego.
Madison R stands by as the barge is loaded with boulders brought in by train.
The ubiquitous Rebecca Ann waits along the wall in preparation to head for the Welland Canal.
As we follow Rebecca Ann, we pass Madison high and dry and waiting for deployment.
H. Lee White’s Eleanor D stands as a reminder of the commercial fishing that once happened here.
Over in Rochester, a party boat fishing vessel enters the Genesee River.
The fast ferry fiasco that ran two seasons or so 15 years ago has resulted in this Australia-built Lake Ontario boat now the object of derision in . . . . ready for it . . . Venezuela!!
During the first half of the 20th century, Rochester was a coal-export port using these two boats.
Today tug Seaway Patricia operates here to provide bulkhead reinforcement for the high-water-level-afflicted shorelines.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, and taken in Oswego and Rochester.
This post, beginning in the hamlet of Jacksonburg NY, overlaps a portion of the canal represented in yesterday’s post. Notice our vessel to the left below; the cattails beside the road to the road are growing in the original canal bed from 1825.
Our tender ferries folks back from shore excursions.
I believe this is tug Lockport in Herkimer.
Gradall #2 and tug Governor Roosevelt conduct dredging at Illion marina.
Tug Seneca undergoes shore work at Lysander.
Juice is generated in Fulton.
And as we approach Oswego, a sentinel watches our progress.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, who needed to reduce file size to enable this post to load.
CB is obviously “Chicago bound.”
Neither Thomas D. Witte nor Clearwater here off Mount Beacon is that, but we were.
Meagan Ann headed south with
used and abused cars on
SMM 157 for the start of their last trip.
James William pushed several loads of building materials southbound.
Rebecca Ann turned around for her next trip.
Lisa Ann worked on the bulk heading project in Troy.
Frances moved a scow south, and
Ancient Mariner too moved on.
All photos by will Van Dorp, and this was Newburgh to Troy.
tugster: a waterblog 
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