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I’ll devote a whole post once again to the 2012 races, since I have a lot of photos. What I did was look for the most dramatic or interesting photos and, in some cases, re-edited them. What I didn’t do is go back through the 2012 posts, but you can here if you want.
Again, you can identify these, or I’ll help you if you can’t. I call this the pre-race cluster, with some even pointing upstream, as if Yonkers would be the finish line.
The cluster continues as more boats arrive.
And then there’s the burn-out, or in this case . . . froth-out as two Cat D-399s crank out over 2200 hp.
The pack spreads out quickly. This was almost 60 seconds into the race. If this were a terrestrial drag race, the contest would already be over and the smoke clearer.
I’m not sure I’d want to be in a kayak, particularly a double, as all this wake translates into wave motion.
A full five minutes into the race, Quantico Creek‘s two Cat 3512 3000 hp power plants take her past the finish line with sturm und drang . . .
Seven minutes into the race . . . they’re still coming.
At the 19-minute mark, the race is over, but the bulls appear to have scores to settle . . .
and next thing you know . . . it’s tugboat rugby!
Tomorrow . . . how about returning to 2013.
All photos, WVD.
This title goes back more than 10 years. But I got some congested photos recently, so I dredge up an old title. Count the boats of all sizes here. Of course, foreshortening makes them seem much closer to each other than they really are. I count at least 12 vessels on the photo below, including some I had not noticed when I took it.
There are five here, and maybe two miles of separation between the two container ships.
Three operations were happening simultaneously in this stretch of the channel, and all were either stemming or moving very slowly.
Again, there’s lots of foreshortening here.
It may be exhilarating to get this close to a large ship, but if your engine stalls . . . stuff’ll happen really fast.
Here’s a different sort of “traffic” photo from august 31, 2008 . . . exactly 12 years ago. And it gives me an idea for a post. By the way, left to right, can you name at least half of the 12 boats at least partly visible here?
All photos, WVD.
x
Name that tug?
Yes, that one on the far side of the outbound
CMA CGM box ship . . .
and passing all the steel skyscrapers in the distance.
Eric R. Thornton has been doing its utmost to make the sixth boro greener. You first saw her here, and then later here. I’m wondering about the new stack logo, though.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
For context, let’s look back here. And last year among some of the great photos shared by Harry Thompson, here (scroll) was a crowded harbor photo I really liked.
Last Saturday saw threatening weather; even so, lots of small boats and crowds braved the possibility of rain to see the races.
Vigilance prevailed and I heard of no incidents.
And yes, I paid a lot of attention to the Bath Maine-built 1906 Mary E, but that’s because I haven’t seen her in 9 years . . . obviously I was looking in the wrong places. Click here and scroll for a photo of Mary E in Greenport almost 9 years ago.
Harvey was there. Scroll here for one of my favorite photos of the 1931 Harvey, cutting through the pack at the 2013 tugboat race.
The 1885 Pioneer was there. Click here for a sail I did on Pioneer a few years back.
A raft of small boats clustered yet kept orderly.
The 1935 Enticer . . . well, enticed, spectators as a platform.
as did a range of people movers.
including the 1983 Arabella.
The captain of the heavyweight out there, the 2014 Eric McAllister, treaded lightly through the crowd.
Of course, out in the mist along the Jersey side there are more heavyweights, a Moran tug and its huge NCL gem.
And as for my ride, Monday morning it was earning money going for a load of scrap.
Another tall old ship that might have been present–the 1928 Bivalve NJ-based A. J. Meerwald had other missions to perform.
All photos by will Van Dorp. And for photos of some of the people on the boro who were working during the race, check out NYMediaBoat’s blog post.
I took this foto in January 2008. According to this site, Cosette–321′ loa, launched 1966– was seized in Martinique some time in 2010.
She used to fill the niche currently occupied in the sixth boro by Grey Shark and Lygra, in the Narragansett Bay by Danalith, and who knows what vessels in any other port. Anyhow, I was just wondering if anyone knows the current disposition of Cosette . . .
Ditto . . . Sea Dart (II)?, here in a foto I took in October 2008 and never used. Is she still around? Is this the 1953 Higgins vessel owned by someone in Elizabeth, NJ?
Here’s a pair I haven’t seen in a few years . . . Realist
and Specialist. There was also a Specialist II for a while. I recall stories about one of them going to the Great Lakes and another to Puerto Rico, but have no confirmation. Just curious . . . not working for a collections group.
Below is the boat that prompted this post . . . Edith Thornton back a few at the 2008 tugboat race . . . here’s another shot . . . and
same hardware now as Guyanese tug Chassidy. Many thanks to Gerard Thornton for sending the foto below and starting the percolating process. I have to mention here a novel that served as catalyst for this thought process: The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll by Alvaro Mutis. The book is part Joseph Conrad, part Gabriel Garcia Marquez . .. with some Melville and Jensen thrown in as seasoning . . . and Maqroll el Gaviero–along with his “dispatcher/business partner” Abdul Bashur–are aventureros sin igual!
Here’s a different illustration of change . . . Pegasus a few years back and
last weekend: it’s springtime and she’s sprouted an upper wheelhouse
Ambassador in March 2010 is now Pramudita, a very Buddhist name. When Ambassador was here three years ago, she seemed to be under treatment for propulsion issues.
Three years from now . . . or 30 . . who knows what changes we’ll see . . . All fotos–unless otherwise attributed–by Will Van Dorp.
10 was just over exactly a year ago, and my first “fog” post fotos were taken over six years ago here. This autumn dawn brought fog and horns . . . horns that could be heard, with echoes, and felt. Eukor Morning Conductor seemed asleep to shore folk
as Anna L. Miller motored by.
On the KVK, Gage Paul Thornton chugged to an appointment as Bow Summer , which I last saw in springtime Panama, made all lines fast.
Mary Alice towed more Kills bottom out to sea.
Finally, the loudest and deepest horn came into view.
attached to Americas Spirit, a name of a befogged yet moving vessel which I’ll avoid attributing too much symbolic meaning to.
Taurus passes Robbins Reef Light.
And Americas Spirit came closer.
She was so close to this shore observer that two of her crew could be clearly seen on the bridge wing.
Barbara McAllister spun her stern to put the tanker portside to at the dock. More of these docking fotos tomorrow.
And Hunting Creek also made her way from Brooklynside to Bayonneside.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
Actually that title captures 98% of this blog’s +1800 posts. And just as elsewhere in Gotham or anywhere else, so on the sixth boro what work you see depends entirely on your station. And my station this particular day was Tchefuncte River’s Equitable Equipment‘s hull # 1428, delivered in August 1966 as Red Star Towing‘s New Haven. Now she’s Freddie K. Miller; I took the foto below just over five years ago when she was Stapleton Service. I use this foto here because a downside of being on the tow is my inability to get a foto OF the tow.
At 0520 hrs, dawn was sweetest and coolest, from this point a mile south of Miller’s Launch. When I reported at 0530, the Miller’s yard was already busy.
The crew of Freddie K Miller’s had a job: pick up Weeks Crane Barge 552 and its crew and proceed to the East River ConEd. By 0615, crew was making the tow.
0645 we were crossing west to east across the Upper Bay. Buchanan 1 was towing a scow and
Douglas B. Gurion headed west for passengers. The ferry is named for a victim of September 11.
0715 . .. near Red Hook container port, we passed this ex-MSC vessel Transatlantic. I will post more MSC soon.
0730 . . . we had passed under the Brooklyn Bridge and now could feast on this potpourri of Manhattan skyline. Side by side on the right are Gehry’s flowing-facade 8 Spruce (2011) and Gilbert’s spiky-tower (1913).
0745 . . . we pass GMD Shipyard, where morning shift has already started its work on Massachusetts Maritime’s TS Kennedy (1967).
0815 . . . the crew have tied to the ConEd dock and Weeks’ crew has begun setting the spuds, for stability as the load is transferred. My very general understanding of this load is that ConEd purchased equipment from Manufacturer M. Company A trucked it to the Weeks yard because installation by land (by Company B) was less feasible than installation from water. Miller’s job was to move equipment on crane barge to ConEd so that Weeks–with collaboration from Company B–could set equipment exactly where it will be used.
0915 . . . first equipment is lifted and rotated over the East River counterclockwise to avoid obstacles on land, and at
0920 . . . crew guides unit into exact location. If half an inch off, then lift and get it right.
1010 . . . next piece of equipment is moved. While the tug stands by with the crane barge, Miller crew does fine carpentry work in wheelhouse.
Since my self-appointed job is to record details, check out Carolina IV, sailing westbound on the East river . . . hailing from Stockholm, Yes, sailing! and . . . yes . . . that Stockholm while
eastbound are Gage Paul Thornton and a floatplane.
1115 . . . heavy-duty pipe elbow gets lifted into place. Tower protruding from the building just right of MetLife is Chrysler Building.
1215 . . . the spuds are up, the crane boom lowered and secured, Freddie K Miller has spun off the dock and now heads back westbound for the Weeks yard. If the grayish vessel in the foreground is locally known as a “honey boat,” then this has to be one of the sweetest scenes possible in these parts.
1300 . . . as we approach the Weeks yard we cross Buchanan 12 towing three stone scows, possibly headed for a quarry up the Hudson.
1330 . . . Freddy K Miller is now “light,” having left the barge at the Weeks yard. Ever Decent is outbound for sea, and by this writing is southbound off Cape Hatteras.
Meanwhile, close to Manhattan, Asphalt Star takes on bunker fuel from a Vane barge. That black hose . . . that’s like the hose at the pump where you fill your car tank.
By 1400, I’ve said my thanks to the crew of Freddy K Miller —who await their next job on this or another vessel–and the dispatcher, and take a break to examine a familiar sight: Alice, she who inspired my first ever blogpost!!
Back on the bank and before heading home, I get another shot; she’s loaded deep with her Canadian aggregates.
Imagine my delight, then, later that day getting a foto from Mike C. of Alice Oldendorff north of the Navy Yard self-unloading her cargo of crushed stone.
Many thanks to all the folks at Miller’s Launch. Also, thank you Mike for sending along this last foto. All other fotos by Will Van Dorp.
8 was here. In the foto below, note the name in raised metal.
Doubleclick enlarges, and then notice the same raised letters here.
Originally called John E. Matton, built in 1958 near the confluence of the Erie Canal and the Hudson, the foto below [of Mischief] was taken in June 2010, and
the foto below of Thornton Bros was taken today, under the Bayonne Bridge, where
this foto was taken today as well . . . of the 1961 Caitlin Ann, as
was this foto in summer 2009 . .. as Caribbean Sea.
This “colander” bow of tanker Dispatch (ex-Texaco 147, Richmond, Nepco Dispatch) was taken in August 2011. Dispatch was one of three identical ( I suppose) tankers built by Texas Steamship in Bath, Maine, in 1919. Texaco 147 sank off Cape Ann in February 1957, and has therefore weathered underwater and differently. Click here to see a recent foto of Texaco 145 aka Chelsea.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp. Thanks to Jeff Schurr for info on Dispatch.
As the sixth boro holds its tugboat race this weekend, Cape Ann has its schooner race. Wish I could be in two places at once! And speaking of the tugboat races, see who has really caught the illustration bug and might be another “sketchy” spectator! Bravo!
Transitioning from the “farm tugs” post, enjoy Governor Roosevelt, sister of Governor Cleveland, both came to the canal to 
break ice and do other tasks in 1927 as steam tugs. If you add the ages of Governor Roosevelt, Governor Cleveland, and Urger . . . you have almost three hundred years of boat work. I found Roosevelt hauled out last weekend along the Erie Canal in Lyons.
Edna (1997) was hauled out for some work recently along
the KVK.
Here’s a first sighting: Coney Island, built by
Blount in 1958. 
Here’s George (a 2009 vessel with a simple name) taken recently in Lake Charles, LA.
And (once again . . . might she be languishing?) Grouper, a year away from a century old. This is how she looked last weekend, and I’d love to hear an update on efforts to bring her back to life, lest she become HMS (heavy melt steel).
George foto comes thanks to eastriver; all others by Will Van Dorp.
Actually I’m creating the mystery, but I uncreate it after the fourth foto. You might try to guess what’s happening. I put in some lovely distractors. What was happening on Coney Island this morning between 7 and 930 am? Man with red shorts, a swimmer, and tug Edith Thornton (1951, ex-Signet Defender, J. K. McLean).
SUNY Maritime’s Empire State–-all flags flying– returns from its three-month summer training cruise to the Mediterranean.
Man with red kite in the air; black spot in between.
Man with green bathing cap wades in as a brace of jetskis bobs nearby. So far, it’s all men with head gear, but
then Bowsprite approaches with camera; yellow kayaks and NYPD as background. She didn’t say, “We have you surrounded.” This could mean only one thing: click here and find out. Here’s the site for CIBBOWS.
Swimmers in green caps (warming and limbering up) did the 5 km race.
Long Island City Community Boathouse spotted, as did the jetskiers.
Cristian read the rules.
And the first wave went in, heading for the first
turn around the buoy.
The second wave (white caps) began their one-mile race to the Coney fishing pier and
back.
Bowsprite served as beach-spotter at the finish line, where here arrive the first finishers in green caps. After
five kilometers in one hour and 18 minutes it was this close.
Now the man with the kite . . . that speck was a camera. Click here and here to see Scott Dunn’s amazing photography with kite-suspended camera.
Empire State and Edith Thornton . . . their role was to bless the race with their beauty.
This was my first swim race; I plan to attend the one in November. About the Aquarium, it served as venue for registration and celebration; as we prepared there for the race in the wee hours before sunrise, I overheard some flush pinnipeds wagering their fishy breakfast on race outcomes.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
And here’s another swimming organization to learn about: Swim Across America. Recall the 2009 swim post by tugster . . . uh, me? And someone’s unconventional techniques?
tugster: a waterblog 
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