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And the winner of the speed race . . .
in a record setting 0 days, 0 hours, and precisely five minutes and 0 seconds . . ..
. . . sorry . . . this is part of the day too; click on the foto for bowsprite’s rare foto coverage.
The winner of the speed event will be revealed, uncovered, somewhat shorn . . . at the end of this post. But first, besides the tattoo contest, other contests include line toss.
Jamie of Susan Miller shows how it’s done.
Then . . there’s sanctioned, precision pushing.
Can you spot the difference between the white-and-green tug to the right above and the one below?
Vane had twins in the race, and one near-clone.
I’m not sure what this event would be called . . . mustering maybe.
There’s sizing up and
retreat.
On the pier, winners wear not laurels but spinach . . . . Someone inspired by the anthropological study of the Nacirema people might write this up as a study of a late summer ritual called Ecar Toabgut.
There are raffles that landed some this bowsprite print of a boat that represents–I believe–the first Vane participation in this race on
September 2, 2007.
And after the race–if it hadn’t happened before–boats might pose with the great Lady.
Here are some of the crew of the fastest boat . . .
Resolute.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
Congratulations to the crew of Working Harbor Committee for their work; many thanks to all the companies and crews for participating.
And let’s make this Tubing Tuesday, with a video of the race in NYC, the one in Gloucester and this tour in port of Antwerpen . . al this same weekend.
The race may last for less than 10 minutes for (most) boats, but each participant spends hours before and after. Here, using the power of thousands of conceptual horses and one very real donkey, all four vessels in Miller contingent make their way upriver.
At Pier 66, crew on deck and crew below start them up.
Lady B (read her interesting history here and here, the latter explaining that the “B” stands for either “Benazir” or Bhutto.”
For boats that arrive on the scene early, Red Hook may have come straight from a job delivering bunker to Norwegian Breakaway, there’s time for what might look like lollygagging, and
(in these next two shots from William Hyman) saluting the spectators or just
being seen. Does Seagus have another name?
But it’s also getting acquainted time.
Some regulars didn’t show, and other vessels arrived that I’d never seen before.
I had to look up South River Rescue Squad attending the Great North River race . . .
Somewhere in the attractively dressed race day crew on Jake-boat Resolute are two of the principals of tugboatinformation.com . . . hi Birk and Craig, as well as the force majeure aka Rod behind Narragansett Bay Shipping.
This kayaker stays well out of the stream.
The white bowstriped vessel–Lt. Michael P. Murphy– in the distance won the prize for persistence, finishing the course in a historic half an hour . . . spending most of that time doing a mid-race-course onboard repair.
Despite forecasts of storms–and rain north of the GW Bridge–the only lightning I saw was here and
thunder from the crowds on the piers. That’s the intrepid bowsprite showing us her drawing/painting arm.
Spectators took advantage of any platform.
More soon. Thanks to William Hyman for his fotos, especially the one of an exuberant W. O. Decker, which I featured hard at work using Seth Tane fotos from over 30 years ago here. Click here for John Huntington’s superb fotos from a wet place in the race . . ..
Again, my hat’s off to all who must work on Labor Day, including my son, who always works holidays for the higher hourly rate. And if you’re inclined, read what Paul Krugman has to say about Labor Day.
Uh . . . what’s this?
It’s Buddy, living breathing braying hoof-beglittered mascot of Debora Miller. If you’ve never been to the New York’s race, there’s a best mascot category. In the past there’ve been . . . dogs, hermit crabs, even a chicken . . . but Buddy redefines the contest.
With the threat of rain, someone made a wise decision and advanced the start of the race. Here Resolute, Catherine Miller, Tasman Sea, and Red Hook move toward the starting line . . . feted by now-retired 1931 fireboat John J. Harvey.
Foto thanks to William Hyman . . . the line up.
And at 10:29:30 . . . they’re off . . . with 1930 wooden tug W. O. Decker taking an early and easy lead!!
45 seconds later . . . W. O. Decker has dropped back.
Here’s they are 15 seconds later.
John J. Harvey is not a tug, but to see the speed out of this octogenarian . . . was humbling. An engineer toiling away in the engine room later told me all four engines were driving propulsion.
The red tug–Resolute–went on to win, although I don’t yet have the official times. I could have written them down, but I was far too busy applauding and taking fotos.
And here’s the crowd at the finish line.
Part B tomorrow. Thanks to William Hyman for foto 4. All others by Will Van Dorp.
Many thanks to Glen Miller of Miller’s Launch for my ride this year.
Unrelated and almost forgot: Here’s a query from Jeff S, a frequent commenter on this blog: he saw a “very weather beaten wooden sailing vessel (hull) at the Jersey end of the Goethels Bridge, about 65-70 foot long , two deck cabins and a bowsprit.” It was parked in the oversize lot waiting to cross the Bridge when traffic gets light. Anyone have an idea what this may be?
Guess this tug? This and alternate fotos here are taken by Seth Tane. Answer follows.
Joan Turecamo (1980 and one of the last tugs built at Matton in Cohoes)in the foreground. Guess the one in the distance?
Natoma . . 1976.
Vessel in the distance earlier was Susan Miller, 1981. I’m guessing the barge is loaded with riprap for shoreline protection somewhere in Raritan Bay. I wonder about the origin of those rockaceous chunks.
Craig Foss was launched in June 1945 as LT-648 by Tampa Marine, one of over 700 tugs operated by the US Army at the end of WW II. For a foto of a Tampa hull, click here.
Peering over crane barge Delaware Bay, it’s Caitlin Ann, 1961.
It’s Shaver’s 1981-built Portland. For a foto of a 1947 ship-assist tug Portland, click here.
And finally . . a tug with a tent passing a clock with no hands, it’s Miriam Moran (1979).
Top foto is Amnav’s Revolution at the Rainier Foss shipyard in 2006.
Let’s make up some words and revisit Sunday’s significant changes to the “landfront” of the sixth boro, not the “waterfront.” In fact, on the waterfront change is fluid, literally. Click on the foto to see the dust fly.
What’s happening on the water at 0553 h? Just the usual . . . bananas
from Ecuador need to be offloaded.
NYPD patrols, and
kayakers make their way across the calm bay.
Tuesday morning, as seen from the Staten Island ferry . . .
machines disassemble the
rubble and
load it onto trucks for processing, once Susan (Catherine?) Miller gets them back to the roads.
Our landfront has never looked this way . . . til now.
Fotos and video by Will Van Dorp.
Captain Charles . . 1953. Know the location? The bridge in the background is a clue. Answer can be found at the end of this post.
James Turecamo, like me class of 1969, foto taken just before yesterday’s planned building implosion. By that early hour, James had already earned a fair amount of “keep.” To see James in Turecamo livery, click here.
Hunter is something different! She’s just towed in a dead fishing boat. How much would a RIB like this cost new?
Catherine and Kimberly, both Turecamo, escorted Tonna up the Arthur Kill, past the scrapyard where Gary Kane and I filmed the documentary.
Jennie B, 1955, in the mighty Columbia.
Captain Bob, August 1945 Marietta Manufacturing Point Pleasant WV hull #538, is a one year younger sibling LT of Bloxom (June 1944 and hull # 519)! Also, in this run was Mary E. Hannah and James A. Hannah, posted here on tugster in 2012. To get a sense what Captain Bob (ex-Sea Commander) looks like high and dry–and by extension what Bloxom of Graves of Arthur Kill once did–click here. On the vessel below, I love the green “door.”
Scroll through here and here for more LT Army fotos.
HMS Liberty 1978 here sidles up to schooner Virginia.
Linda L. Miller, eastbound of the East River. Linda L. and Gabby Miller assisted in loading Mighty Servant a year and a half ago.
Coastline Bay Star, once known as Coney Island, dates from 1958.
Longsplice (originally Shrike, 1959) recently high and dry near the Arthur Kill.
Pilot, 1941 out of a yard in Sturgeon Bay WI, is a sibling of Spooky!
And this vessel, on the left bank of the Willamette, I’ve no idea. Anyone help?
Getting back to that first foto, the bridge in the background is the Bronx-Whitestone. Foto then is taken from the north end of that unique part of the Bronx called City Island.
All fotos taken in the past month by Will Van Dorp.
Very related: I’m looking for someone (or some group of people) to take over guest editor position of this blog for about a month this summer. Compensation is a fortune of sixth boro shellbacks as well as fame; you could become a paladin of the port. You really can be geographically any watery place. And you have to adhere to a disciplined foto-driven/sparse verbiage mix of workboats, history, eccentricity, and apolitical wit. Of course, you can add to that a smattering of your own favorite sprinklings.
Hmmm . . . does that describe tugster? Feel free to add to a characterization of the blog. But seriously, I need to step away for a while this summer . . . to gallivant, of course. Get in touch for details. Learning the blogging template is not difficult.
Back three decades again with more fotos by Seth Tane, in this case with some vessels now considered dead.
Foto #1. QM2 assisted at the dock by Diana L. Moran, a 1956 Jakobson boat now seven years scrapped.
Foto #2. Rio la Plata. Here’s what Harold Tartell has to say about her: ” In 1984, RIO LA PLATA was built [by Sanchez Marine Services of Fall River, MA]. At the time Turecamo was quite busy, short on boats, and chartered the boat with the option to buy. Turecamo also had another tug on charter from Tidewater Marine Services around the same time period. She was EL ZORRO GRANDE. She was to be renamed HELEN J. TURECAMO, but I never saw a photo of her officially with that name affixed. She was sold to Dunlap Towing Co., LaConner, Wa., & renamed MANFRED NYSTROM. In 1987, RIO LA PLATA went West to become Oscar Niemeth Towing’s SILVER EAGLE. She is still in service.”
Foto #3. Harold says “The McAllister tug assisting LASH Atlantico with barges is MARGARET M. McALLISTER.”
Foto #4. “The red canaller towing the two light oil barges is Morania Oil Tanker Corporation’s MORANIA NO. 8.”
Foto #5. “JULIAN A was built 1943 By George Lawley & Soms, Neponset Ma., as DPC-28, WSA-22, WOTOCO, GAY MORAN (1967). In 1972, she became JULIAN A. owned by Julian A. Corp. In the early 1980′s she was owned by River Towing Corp. name unchanged. She was later sold to Raymond Connelly Shamrock Marine Corp. & renamed INTREPID. By 2001 her existence was in doubt,” Harold.
Here’s the class of Army DPCs. In this foto, Julian A was towing salvaged scalloper Fatima from Massachusetts waters to the sixth boro, where her engine parts would be used in a restoration project. Not long after this foto was taken, the tug was searched by the federal agents who found $32 million of marijuana.
Foto #6. About the yard vessel sporting the flag and striped stack, Harold says, ” JOE WEBER McAllister’s little yard tug at Tug & Barge Drydocks, Jersey City. They built her in 1975. She was later sold to Miller Launch, & is now MILLER GIRLS.”
Click here and jump ahead to 1983 in this fascinating compilation of Jersey City history from 4.6 billion years ago to the present for a reference to the now-gone McAllister Tug & Barge Drydocks. Click here for a tugster foto of Miller Girls.
Foto #7. Harold says, “I’m having a little difficulty indentifying. Under the handrails on the lower small white panel near the pilothouse door, it appears to read N.J. MATHER. I will continue to work on it.” Any ideas? She seems narrow boat; someone with long arms in the wheelhouse could have a hand out each each at the same time.
Foto #8. On the Morris Canal . . . here’s a foto I wish I could truly travel back in time to see. Part of the house seems to be a huge rectangular tank. Up high the sign says “nite blues limited.” Anyone know the story? The Morris Canal today has changed. Anyone have water-focused fotos of the Canal you are willing to share on tugster? Type morris canal into the search window and you’ll find lots more fotos.
I’m eager for your interpretation of these fotos of a lost sixth boro, captured on fotos of Seth Tane.
Graves of Arthur Kill has archival footage of a boneyard on the Arthur Kill from about the same era. I’d love to see more fotos of what was new and what was derelict in the sixth boro from then and before.
Actually, this is a reprise of a post I did earlier this week . . . Ferry Coursen carried trucks. 
Mary H pushed a creek-size barge.
Winter fishing continued apace aboard Eastern Welder.
I got a close-up of Mary H.
Brendan Turecamo headed out for an assist.
A slightly different angle on Sorensen Miller shows the yellow as strapping.
More shots of John P. Brown moving railcars over to New Jersey.
A Moose boat on patrol barreled right at me.
Hunting Creek got light at the mooring.
And a USACE boat practiced bathymetry.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp. For fotos of Hamilton (ON) harbor delights, click here. Here’s more info on the 1935 tug he shows. It’s for sale for less than a loaded Escalade. Unrelated . . . another blog I read these days is Ohio River blog with good inland rivers fotos here. And since I’m all over the place today . . .check out this Flickr page by Guillermo Barrios of southern South American tugs and towboats. And finally check out these fotos of the old bridge in Bucksport, ME. I haven’t crossed that bridge–about to be demolished– in over two decades . . . .
Forecast for the morning after the Oscars was for some sun, which I sorely needed. And who’s out . . . William Oscar aka W. O. Decker, for starters.
CCNI Aquiles and Dallas Express at Global . . . and a Moose boat racing toward us.
I couldn’t quite figure out what Sorensen Miller‘s load was. In the background, that’s the Newark Bay Bridge, which doesn’t make it on my fotos much.
Virginia Sue was fishing off Clermont.
John P. Brown moved nine (?) railcars from Brooklyn to Jersey.
Clipper Legacy arrived here yesterday.
Shawn Miller‘s pushing trucks around again, this one all ready for the mid-March holiday.
Taurus light moves past Christine McAllister.
And . . . let’s conclude with another shot of William Oscar, wherever it may be heading.
All fotos this morning before the clouds moved in . . . by Will Van Dorp.
I debated calling this Eagle 4 or Eagles 2 . . . but thought both would be misleading. It’s like this . . . at 1030 this morning, Eagle Boston was turning on the hook just inside the Narrows. See the 17-year-old tanker’s new baby sister here.
Around the same time, Ellen McAllister was eastbound on the KVK, although I knew not where bound. See third foto here for one of my older fotos of Ellen.
When Ellen arrived, flood tide was used to rotate the tanker and
get her headed inbound and past the tanker named for the river-god. I’m guessing Asopus is a variation of the same name as the upstate creek called Esopus.
The point here serves as an imaginary fulcrum for the turn into the KVK.
Amy C McAllister has the starboard side.
That’s a quite deep floating pool of oil.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp. Here’s the fleet list.
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