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Capt. Willie Landers last appeared here several years ago; she lost a substantial mast to gain an upper wheelhouse.
She came in during my favorite time of day.
She met Atlantic Sail off Stapleton.
Meredith left a barge alongside Orange Victoria and went on to other assignments.
Troy’s pride Sarah D moved a stone scow out past Jamaica Bay, as all her crew who could did work on deck.
Ava M waited for a ship as a sloop sailed past.
Daisy Mae headed out for Philly with CMT Y NOT 1 and a load
of non-ferrous scrap, maybe.
Sea Fox headed out to a job and met Bomar Caen coming into Brooklyn. Bomar Caen was previously CMA CGM Jaguar.
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.
But first, can you guess the date? Answer follows.
Mackenzie Rose is the newest name for this 2000-built boat, after Vernon C and then Mary Gellatly.
Ellen, ex-YTB-793 Piqua, here assists a box boat with a boat on top. Ex-YTBs can be found in some unusual places.
Capt. Brian A. approaches the pilot’s door of this ULCV.
Jay Michael is painted a flat red, or maybe that’s a faded bright red.
Mount St Elias heads east with a loaded DBL 82.
Robert IV is off to a job.
Anacostia goes out the Ambrose with Double Skin 509A on wire.
Sea Lion returns, as does
Lincoln Sea and DBL 140 arrive from the south.
And finally, James D and Miriam meet a box ship to escort her into port.
Did you guess the date of the McAllister Bros. photo? It comes thanks to Steve Munoz, who sent more along as well. The answer is 1973, and the photo is taken from the Hoboken side.
All photos, except Steve’s, by Will Van Dorp.
Unrelated but interesting: How one small town grocery store in Alaska keeps the shelves stocked here. More southern Alaska boat infrastructure here.
How many locks have you noticed since Lockport?
Actually, there are none. The entire 60-mile stretch with all the lift bridges is at a same level, 513′ above sea level. And adjacent to lock 32, is a sign of contemporary water use, a kayak park.
The Pittsford Canal Shop lies west of the village.
The village features some fine examples of preservation and adaptive reuse. Note beyond the replica packet boat Sam Patch, named for a local daredevil, is a converted silo complex. A memory of my childhood is summer Saturday night with a truckload of pickles, some of which I’d picked, for the Forman’s piccalilli plant.
Several places along this trip already I’ve pointed out that the adjacent land is lower than water level. This is especially true east (actually SE) of Pittsford on a location called the Great Embankment, and area where–to avoid locks–the canal water is carried on an embankment over Irondequoit Creek. This is risky, and breaches have occurred. Beside and below the embankment is the hamlet of Bushnell’s Basin, a transshipment point in the early days before the embankment was completed. Richardson’s Canal House is located in the hamlet.
After we round the Great Embankment, we arrive in Fairport. Here excursion boat Colonial Belle makes her way westbound under the Fairport Lift Bridge, a local landmark currently closed for repairs. Colonial Belle has the distinction of having arrived in this part of the canal on her own bottom via the Panama Canal from the West Coast US.
Enjoy the beautiful pre-0700 morning in Fairport.
In my experience, this stretch of the canal gets lots of use at almost all hours.
Signage helps the traveler see what is no longer here, what led to a here being here.
Commuters use the less-traveled, economy connector between Fairport and Macedon.
Some schoolkids were very enthusiastic as we exit lock E-29 in Palmyra. I’ve been told by a reliable source that lock E-29 power house used to supply power to both lock 29 and 30, since the Barge Canal dates to a time before the national power grid. The area near the lock includes a park where you can see a reconstructed 19th century canal change (not chain) bridge, where mules towing barges would change from one side of the canal to the other. Evidence of three-arch stone Ganargua Creek Aqueduct is also right near the lock. And, in town, a short walk from Port of Palmyra marina, is a set of five museums referred to as Historic Palmyra.
Palmyra plays a role in a book focusing on the transmission of spiritual ideas along the Erie Canal, Heaven’s Ditch, by Jack Kelly. Not far from here were the places that catapulted Joseph Smith, the Fox sisters, and more into the spotlight. The canal itself served as a conduit for religious ideas, social movements, trade goods, and of course many immigrants. And this part of the canal is sometimes referred to as the “burnt-over district” because of all the spiritual movements stemming for here.
East of Palmyra a spillway captures the overflow form the canal, forming Ganargua Creek, aka Mud Creek, a place that played a wet role in my childhood.
Port Gibson, aka Wide Waters, one of the many ports along the Erie Canal, is Ontario County’s only footprint on the Erie Canal.
The canal into Newark gets quite narrow, as you see with Urger eastbound. Route 31 runs between the bank and that farm. And again, driving on 31, you could have no sense that a major waterway can be found below that bank.
Here’s roughly the same location on a very cold morning about four months later.
HR Pike headed through this stretch with brewing tanks from China for Rochester’s Genesee Brewing Company.
Tugboats like HR Pike above and Margot below need telescoping wheelhouses and ballasted barges in order to to squeeze beneath bridges like this one in Newark.
East of town, we get to lock E-28B, where a tender is pushing a deck barge eastbound.
Before we leave Newark, a town of 9000 today, down from 12,000 in 1960, have a look here and here at some of the history of the town. For a few years, the Mora automobile was made here, until it went bankrupt. Looking back on the transit we’ve made so far, Rochester once made automobiles as well, including the Cunningham, a 1920 model of which is now in Jay Leno’s mega-garage. And going back even farther all the way to Lake Erie, Buffalo was the home of Pierce Arrow, many models of which can be seen in the Buffalo Transportation Pierce Arrow Museum. Pierce began making bird cages, then bicycles, and then automobiles. One of two Moras still extant can be seen in Norwich NY.
And maybe someone can comment on why there is no E-31 and E-28 has a part A and a part B?
Some Newark photos, thanks to Bob Stopper.
Going through a backlog from “before” in late winter 2020 . . . a boat approached I didn’t recognize the profile of . . .
William Brewster . . . 65′ x 22′ and built by Blount in 1983. And in spite of the livery, it seems she’s a fleetmate of Helen Parker and Ava Jude.
How’s this for unusual color? Recognize the boat? To see her in previous incarnations, click here and scroll.
Earlier in 2020 I caught Helen Laraway, and
on my way to somewhere else in the archives, I stumbled onto this photo, taken from the window of Amtrak in 2016. I guess this was north of Hudson somewhere.
Charles D. comes and goes. Recently I caught her solo doing an assist.
One of the true staples of my time in the sixth boro has been Ellen McAllister, but what I’d forgotten I noticed in this photo from a few years ago . . . also tripped over while in the dark archives . . .
see the two circular plates on the afterdeck . . . my guess is that’s where the Z-drives were installed.
All photos . . . WVD, who will be exiting the archives soon, I hope, after we win world war c.
Today’s post will have low verbal density, but I could not pass up noting the arrival of a vessel named Captain Haddock, especially since it’s a bulk carrier with a salt cargo, not a fishing boat.
This is just a hint; it is a container vessel but with many refrigerated plug ins, it might just be transporting some citrus.
No comment.
Put rail on water and you’ll see graffiti.
Let’s end this post with more context on Captain Haddock.
All photos, WVD. Stay healthy.
Count the tugboats in this one shot . . . six! And a seventh is obscured right behind the nearest. And no, it was not part of the annual tugboat race. From (l) to (r), it’s JRT Moran, Amy Moran, Stephen B, (and Ellen McAllister is obscured) then Genesis Eagle, Magothy with Double Skin 57, and Elk River doing assist.
In case you suspect I’m making up the seventh tugboat, here’s a closeup of Ellen assisting Eagle just nine seconds earlier.
A bit later, I noticed a similar density over in the anchorage. Just naming ships, (l) to (r), there’s Advance II, White Horse, Sten Odin, and Cielo di Londra.
Then among then, there are two more tug/barge units with tugs Barry Silverton and Helen Laraway. Interesting how Barry Silverton is shrunk when beside a tanker.
And a bit later I zoomed down, around, and in to see the service vessels clustered around White Horse: HMS* Liberty (I think), a Miller Launch boat, and on the far side Lesney Byrd.
All photos, WVD, who’s now outa town for a while. Thx to everyone who’s sent in or pledged relief posts.
Also, a certain exotic ship is coming into the harbor, and I’d be very grateful if someone stepped forward to get photos of it as it arrives. Email me, please, if you might be able to get the shot.
*HMS . . . Harley Marine Services is no more; out of its ashes rises Centerline Logistics.
Radar helps when you can’t see in the fog, but
even on a clear day, you can’t see the crew operating this 2013 2000 hp tugboat, or its history . . . how it got to become a fixture in the sixth boro.
Ditto this 1994 tug, operating with 3000 hp. Here Kimberly Poling is docked, and the outside viewer knows no reason why.
Brian Nicholas was launched under a different name before Nixon was elected. If only one could be privy to all the conversations and dramas even happened aboard.
Mister Jim was based for 30 years in the Gulf of Mexico, although without looking at her logbooks, who knows where all she worked.
Ellen McAllister has the distinction in this post of having been launched before Nixon was elected also AND worked both sides of the Atlantic, and I would suspect she’s appeared on this blog more times than any other of the machines here, but still . . . even I, what do I know about her quirks and feats?
Helen Laraway, unless I tell you, would you know that she was working before Kennedy was elected POTUS? And with rehabbing and repowering . . . she’s as good as new, I believe, and working hard for a 63-year-old.
James E. Brown is the youngster of this post, built in a fishing village originally called Coq d’Inde, now anglicized.
Finally, back in the fog . . . It’s Stephanie Dann, a product of the Carter era. As to these dates and use of POTUSes as time references, it’s not political, but you’ll see my point here in tomorrow’s post.
And yes, all photos and info here by Will Van Dorp.
I’m not disparaging, but my first thought was “just another” Vane tug heading across the bow, until
we passed and I noticed it was Charleston, which I believe is Vane’s newest tug in the sixth boro.
The new “ubiquitous” vessels on the sixth boro waterways move containerized trash. Pathfinder is one of the tugboats assigned to this duty. Covanta first got the contract for this business in 2013, and my first knowledge of these barges was here.
Two different generations of McAllister tugboats headed out recently, Capt. Brian A. and
Ellen. Launched a half century apart and having a difference of almost 3000 hp, they are both working daily assisting ships in the harbor.
Janet D is a mere five years old and works in marine construction, working for the aptly named Construction and Marine Equipment Co.
Franklin Reinauer was built and christened by that name in 1984.
It appears to me here that Linda L. Miller, the truckable tug, is the prime mover, pushing Catherine C. Miller. Click to enlarge the photo and you’ll see a handsome spread of Manhattan architecture, sans the peaks.
And let’s conclude with Mister Jim, who back in 2016 did not have the gray/red livery.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, who missed the return of Atlantic Enterprise this morning, back from the work in Georgia.
J. George Betz and Morton Bouchard Jr. raft up on the floating dock.
Helen Laraway pushes toward the east.
JRT passes Weddell Sea on the way home after completion of another job.
Daisy Mae moves a deeply loaded scow westbound. I’m not certain but believe the product is road salt.
Discovery Coast heads over toward the Kills.
A light Elk River makes for the next job.
Emily Ann tows astern passing the collection of boxes in the Global Terminal.
And Majorie B. passes Pacific Sky while she steams back to the McAllister yard.
And one more, Ellen S, Pearl Coast, and Evening Light . . round out this installment.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, whose sense of this decade’s end is growing more palpable, offers this photo of Michigan Service and a whole lotta dredgin’ from the last two weeks of 2009.
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