Commercial Tugs in NYS Canals 2

Here was the previous installment in this series, half a decade ago.

Now let’s take a high lift lock, a Thruway access road bridge, and “just my luck.”

When I arrived the other day, this double-locked unit was exiting the lower side of E-17.

CMT Pike was eastbound with barges used for a job in Syracuse Inner Harbor, I believe.

So after CMT Pike was on her way, I walked to the top of the lock to see what I could see and saw . ..

another unit eastbound and just arriving on the upper side.

Oh THAT Three Sisters.  Click here and scroll . . .  might these be the same boat just four years apart?

 

And eastbound they go.

Since I was here waiting for something else, I took the time to read signage I’d never noticed.  Double-click enlarges the text;  this sign dated 2005 gives some perspective to a high lift on the Erie Canal, albeit built a century ago, with a high lift on –say–western rivers a half century ago.

Click here and here for previous examples of commercial tugs on NYS canals.  Of course, here and here are more . . . the classic Cheyenne.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

 

Two Hours on the Narrows 4

The Narrows is a prime location for me to get photos of vessels coming in from sea if they have AIS because I have several hours notice of arrival for any traffic going anywhere into or through the Upper Bay, eg., on their way to Brooklyn berths, the North River, or the East River.  I can walk around or–in case of rain or cold–sit in my car.

The downside is that it’s a wide spot, so even the zoom can draw in only limited detail.

Having said all that, here’s a shot from Bay Ridge over to the Sandy Hook Pilots station, showing (from far to near) the current black hull-yellow trimmed pilot boat mother ship New York No. 1, its eventual replacement currently with a blue hull, and the smaller boats.  Lop off the thin upper wheelhouse and paint the hull/trim, and make a thousand more modifications . . .  and you’ll have the new mother ship.

My goal was to get photos of Commander Iona, which I did and posted here. Unexpected was the arrival of Dina Polaris, which I’d first seen only a month and a half or so ago.

 

Mister Jim has been a regular on this blog and in the sixth boro surrounding waters since she first arrived a few years ago.

 

The Severn Sailing Association came through the rain with a whole host of sloops . . . from closest to farthest:  Commitment, Intrepid, Valiant, Courage, Invincible, Renaissance, Daring, Brave, Warrior.

Rhea I. Bouchard headed in with her barge, but by this time the rain was falling so hard I couldn’t confirm the name/number on the barge.

Magdalen headed out, passing a sloop and

R/V Heidi Lynn Scuthorpe, a first sighting for me.

Click here for more info on Heidi Lynn and Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute. Click here for a more technical article from Workboat on this vessel.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who feels compensated for staying out in the rain.

I saw Nauvoo (Heidi Lynn‘s previous name) years back and I posted a pic here.  I also saw Beglane.

Random Tugs 262

Sarah D makes for Global Terminal,

Helen Laraway passes an inbound container vessel,

Ava M. guides a ULCV in beside a cruise ship,

Rebecca Ann moves a light scrap barge,

Capt. Brian A. tails a box ship into her berth,

Genesis Glory passes GM 11105,

Eric McAllister assists a tanker into its berth,

Rhea I. Bouchard heads westbound light in the KVK,

and Frances pushes a scow.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who loves that the sixth boro never sleeps.

And now one more, taken this morning in San Juan PR by Capt. Neftali Padilla, it’s the arrival of the cranes towed by Capt. Latham after not quite an 18-day run. See the tow departing NYC here.  Thx much, Tali.

Random Tugs 257

New in town but probably only in as a transient . . .

It’s Michael L. Daigle, fleet mate of some Hebert boats that have also passed through the sixth boro and likely working on a dredging project in the region.  Note the white horizontal supports above the wheelhouse door on either side.  I’m guessing they’re for quick egress lines   . .  as seen here if you scroll through the 2010 post to Gulf Dawn.

Unrelated . . .  two Vane units approach the Narrows;  the forward unit below has already evolved from wire towing to alongside towing.

As a heavy squall approached, Potomac enters port allowed by

Patuxent, still with the wire out.

A few years back, HMS Justice was a regular in NYC.  These days not so much, but she called here recently.

Fleet mate HMS Liberty follows along behind.

CMT Otter heads outbound, likely towards Queens and Inwood.

And let’s end today’s post with another transient . . .  Captain Sam, here meeting Capt. Brian.  Captain Sam is a triple screw Rodriguez Shipyard boat from 2002.

All photos taken within the general confines of the sixth boro by Will Van Dorp.

 

Really Random Tugs 45

Here are all the previous installments of this series.

Glenn Raymo caught this photo up the Hudson the other day, as Joker assisted a Weeks crane.  Hays tugs do come up here occasionally, but I’ve never seen them.

Back almost exactly six years ago, the same boat headed upriver as a dead ship.  And eight years ago, working for a different company and painted in a different livery, here she was . . .  2011, eastbound in the KVK.

Justin Zizes was coming down the Hudson recently and caught this spring-evoking photo of Nathan G, her gray livery and aggregate cargo set off by the hint of leaves on the tree-lined far shore.

Thanks to Justin also for this photo of Mister Jim in her homeport in Coeymans.

Jan van der Doe sent these photos along of a group of northern European tugs at work, taken in early April by Jan Oosterboer, not far from Rotterdam.

Mutratug 32 is a Carrousel Rave tug, which means she rotate her point of attachment to better brake the assisted vessel.  To see her in action, click here.

And finally, see the tugs in this photo I took on the East River the other day?  Two of them?

Thomas J. Brown is obvious and always a delight to see.  But then there’s Bosco on the barge.  I believe she was heading for a job on the Hutchinson River.

Thanks to Glenn, Justin, Jan, and Jan for photos here.

 

All CMT Today

Years ago when Odin departed the sixth boro, someone said there’d likely never be another tug here of that sort.  Well, there is.  Every time I see either CMT Otter or Pike, I recall the unique Odin.

In CMT colors, Otter looks quite sharp.

Also in these sharp colors, it’s Daisy Mae westbound in the KVK a few days ago, pushing CMT Y NOT 2 with a good 8000 tons of southern Jersey sand.

I have an article about the sand run that will be published later this year.

Eastbound at the same point on another day is Mister Jim pushing

a barge deeply laden with aggregates.

And still fresh from a rehab, it’s Helen Laraway, ISO

a barge to load up with aggregates as well.   Here was probably the first photo of Helen Laraway on this blog.

CMT . . . the company had no tugs, actually was no company, just a half decade ago.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Random Tugs 254

Stephen B heads light westbound about to pass under the Bayonne Bridge, as

Mary H, especially busy during the cold times of the year, pushes some petroleum product in the opposite direction.  Soon leaves will decorate Shooters out beyond her. There’s a pool hall in Queens by the name Shooters, so to clarify, here are some Shooters history posts from way back.

Mr Jim moves some aggregates, also eastbound out of Newark Bay.

James D. nudges Dublin Express as needed into Howland Hook.

Eric and Capt. Brian A. assist a CMA CGM box ship.

Evelyn Cutler moves some petroleum along the supply chain.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who’s burning high octane himself these days.

Related:  Let me reiterate Lee Rust’s question of a day or so ago:  What is the current working estimate of operating tugs in NY’s sixth boro?  For starters, I think it’s hard to count because of the dynamic, transient nature of traffic.  Just ballparking it without breaking it down by company and enumerating, I’d say 75 at least.  For consistency, let’s say we can count a tugboat as present if it shows up on AIS/VHF/traffic control at least once a month.  I’d love to hear you estimates.

Random Tugs 253

Quick post today . . .

Bert,

Bridgeport,

Helen

Rhea, Mist, and Tide.  I’m eager to see the new Breeze.

And closing the post out, it’s Ava with raked spuds!

All photos by Will Van dorp, who has irons in the fire today.

 

Pairs in Springtime 7

It might as well be spring already.  Well, maybe my wish is that spring were here.  I heard a spurious claim on a TV I visited the other day that March 20 is the planetary beginning of spring in the north but March 1 is the meteorological start of spring.  But it must be true since I heard it on TV!??

But pairs, not Paris.  Capt. Brian and Charles D. . . .  interesting pair showing evolution of design 50 over the half century between the launch of each.

Fells Point landed Doubleskin 302 with Stephen B doing assist.  That’s the first I seen Stephen B in the assist role.

Miss Julia could be Dylan Cooper‘s workboat.

CF Campbell heads east passing Scott Turecamo/New Hampshire and then

makes for the Upper Bay, where JRT is assisting Orange Blossom 2, herself a bloom in the dawn light.   The photo above and the one below I took less than a minute apart, yet you’d think the light was saying hours separated the two.

Kimberly passes Eric.

Marie J Turecamo and Mister Jim run side by side under the Bayonne Bridge.  Does anyone know when the pedestrian walkway on the bridge will open?

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

 

Random Tugs 248

Kristin Poling 2006

5000 hp.

Severn 2008

4200 hp

CMT Otter 1980

1200 hp

Gulf Coast 1982

2400 hp

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who has more to say . . . just not today.