Summer Sail 4

Here are previous iterations of this title.   Of course, many options exist for getting onto sixth boro waters.  One delightful way I’m most familiar with is aboard schooner Pioneer;  get tickets here.  Enjoy these photos, mostly taken from the cabin top starboard side and outboard the foremast earlier this week.

Soon after leaving the pier, we passed a 1920s schooner Pilot repurposed as an eatery/drinkery on the Brooklyn side, Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.  More on Pilot and its owners here.  Click for more on the rest of the fleet and their restaurants.   Pilot came into the sixth boro as Highlander Sea, towed by Jaguar.

Within minutes of leaving the pier, four sails were set and we made our way south;  the engine was shut off as soon as it was no longer needed.

Looking astern toward Red Hook container terminal, I noticed a tugboat following us.

You would not expect an 1885 schooner to have anything other than traditional sails.

Without engine against a flood tide, we rounded Governors Island and got as far south as we could before entering the shallows off Bayonne, and we tacked and started out return to Manhattan.   With the engine silent, it was a magical sail.

 

Although other schooners like Clipper City take passengers to sail the harbor, Pioneer is by far, by very far, the oldest . . .

As we made our way back to the pier, night was falling, and we dropped sail and motored back under the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

All photos, WVD, who invites you to come sailing while the summer is here.

An invitation:  Any group of friends want to all sign up for an evening sail, say in early August while the days are still longer than later?  Either Pioneer grads or tugster folks or Pegasus alums or any other bond?

 

Whole Lotta Dredgin’ 15

At least two other dredging projects are happening in the sixth boro simultaneously.  The one in the Buttermilk Channel  came to my attention because of the following two photos taken by Captain Malcolm of  schooner Pioneer.

Neither this tug–Miss Gloria— nor the dredge were ones I was familiar with. Miss Gloria is a 2003 Rodriguez Brothers tug operated by Marquette, and plenty of other Rodriguez boats work the sixth boro, and Marquette boats have been here before as well, mostly involved in dredging projects.

Malcolm’s photos intrigued me enough that I decided to come out for a night sail on Pioneer;  it had been far too long since I last had done that, especially given Pioneer‘s role in my starting this blog to begin with:  I’d been volunteer crew on the schooner before I started the blog, had taken lots of harbor activity photos, and then created this blog as a means to share those photos. 

Here’s a one-photo digression then for a photo I took more than 16 years ago from another vessel of Pioneer–black hull–and Adirondack sailing together in the Upper Bay at dusk. Although both are schooners, over a century of age and shipbuilding materials development and some very different history separate them.

To return from this digression, the following photos I took of the Great Lakes D & D dredging in the Buttermilk, photos i took after Malcolm suggested I put my feet back on Pioneer‘s deck. More photos of that lovely evening to follow.

I also have not shared photos I took of outstanding GLDD equipment I took in March. Click here for a January 2022 preview. 

Miss Gloria was elsewhere, but Smith Predator, who’s been doing dredge spoils runs the past few weeks, was standing by as a dump scow was being filled. I’d seen Smith Predator on AIS, and with a name like that, it had attracted my attention, but to date, I’d not gotten a good clear photo, only very distant ones.

 

Thanks to Captain Malcolm for the first two photos and the suggestion to come sailing;  all others, WVD.

More photos from the Pioneer sail to follow.

Helen’s Last Waltz Redux

If it seems I’m doing a lot of redux, etc. these days, my explanation is that 2012 was a great time for my being out there taking photos.  It was entirely by chance that I walked past this scene on July 17, 2012 before 0900.  I can’t even remember why I was there.  Now it matters no more because as soon as I saw this, scuttlebutt told me what was happening.  A towline on Helen‘s stern after all those years meant

she was moving.  I raced around Peking to get a different perspective.   She was indeed being towed out and made fast to the car float with the green spud.

I saw McAllister Responder there, but I had’t figured out why, yet.

After spinning around (does Decker have z-drives?!!)  [just kidding], deckhand made up head to head with Helen on Decker‘s port side, and

began to move astern.

At the same time, Responder crawled astern on the far side of the opening.  Now it wasn’t until today, studying these photos, that I noticed the crewman about midships on the stern deck.  Would that have been the late Capt. Brian?

But as I said, I hadn’t noticed that person until today. He shows up in another photo. 

Once Decker had Helen out of the “anchorage” enough that Responder could take Helen alongside, Decker threw off her lines and

 Responder took over as dance partner for the the 1900 Helen. Notice the crewman on the stern deck?

Away they went on

might have been Helen‘s last transit of the Buttermilk channel.

All photos, WVD, who last posted photos of Helen here half a year ago.

One of the photos from this July 2022 event was memorialized here, I’m happy to report.

 

Old Hulls, Old and New Names

Not quite half a year ago, I used a variation on this title, but photos I took yesterday necessitate a modification as you see above. 

Imagine my surprise when I saw this nameplate on the most famous–and only–wooden hulled tugboat in the sixth boro.

I’d noticed before on AIS that there was USCG vessel in North Cove, but I never imagined this would be it.  In the background, Mariner III adds an allusion to another time period.

Now does that look like contemporary font the USCG would use?!!  I don’t think so.

And the stack marking and registration board “New York Harbor Patrol” no longer say what it used to . . .  might this be some leasing arrangement.  But hey . . . this is NYC, a movie-making-magnet metropolis, and this just smacks of a made-for-movies-makeover!  Remember this one?  Find a lot more film tugs previously on tugster here.

As to the other part of the title check this out . . .   the name of the barge B. No. 280 follows the Bouchard nomenclature pattern.

Of course, I never imagined Bouchard boats in anything other than their original livery . . .

For now at least the name is the same;  in fact, the name board appears not even to have been refinished.

The stack is unadorned white.

And “Portland OR”  registration on the starboard stern corner of the barge and

on the tug.  Maybe some lion motifs are forthcoming?

All photos, WVD.

 

Retro 2010 Waterford Tugboat Roundup

Back in 2010, I did four posts about the weekend, which you can see here.  What I did for today’s post was look through the archives and just pick the photos that for a variety of reasons jumped out at me.  A perk is each of the four posts has some video I made.  One of these photos is from 2006.

Again, I’m not listing all the names, but you may know many of these.  In other cases, you can just read the name.  If you plug that name into the search window, you can see what other posts featured that particular vessel.

Below, here the pack that locked through the federal lock together make their way en masse toward the wall in Waterford.

You’ll see a lot of repetition here.

The photo above and most below were taken earlier than the top photo;  here, Chancellor and Decker head southbound for the lock to meet others of the procession beginning in Albany.

 

 

2020 is Decker‘s 90th year.

 

 

 

Nope, it’s not Cheyenne. Alas, Crow became razor blades half a decade back.

Technically, not a tugboat, but Hestia is special.  We may not have a functioning steam powered tug in the US, but we do have steam launches like Hestia, with very logical names.

 

 

You correctly conclude that I was quite smitten by Decker at the roundup back 10 years ago.

 

All photos, WVD.

And Shenandoah was not from 2010. It was 2009.

 

Laissez Les Merrily Merry Temps Rouler

A truly unique take on the the elf and his conveyance towed by three reingators  comes from Louisiana.  I’ve read here that the lead gator is called Rouxdolf.  Those reingators will need some bonfires to guide their way through the bayou.

Bravo Morgan City, and from Emily Ann off Sandy Hook as seen only from onboard in the wee hours during a time of year when there are more wee hours than anything . . .

 

And from Lake Superior a year ago

the lights and Detroit slim wearing red aboard Erie Trader and Clyde S VanEnkevort.  Both Emily Ann and Clyde S will be working today, Emily Ann in greater sixth boro and Clyde S, as always, conveying Mesabi ore toward the mills in the southern Great Lakes.  Cheery thoughts to all the crews–Emily Ann and Clyde S and all the other boats–out delivering gifts or anything else across the waters.

And finally from this spot down between Wavertree and the shop barge . . .a tree grows in the sixth boro…

. . . and for a vessel named St. Nicholas, see what bowsprite has wrought. May the spirit of all the Christmases whisk you up and up and away.

Cajun Christmas photo borrowed from Jim Taylor;  Hank Beatty for the Emily Ann photos, and the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader photos and W. O. (Willys Overland???} Decker photo by Will Van Dorp.

For more info on the reingator tow and who did it and how, click here.

Unusual Tow

You’ll excuse this poor quality lede photo once you realize who/what took it:  the Statue of Liberty has functioning eyes and watches everything that passes through this sector of the sixth boro.  Think about that:  she’s big and she witnesses!  And yesterday it was raining here, so those are water droplets on the lens.

But the point of this post is the tug with an unusual tow just entering from the right.  I know it’s not very clear, but bear with me . .  or us.  It gets better.

A bit later, Phil Little was at the ready from the cliff across from the Manhattan passenger terminal, but who knew which side of the tow to watch until this point.

A bit later, Luis Melendez, NYC Parks dock master at Dyckman Marina,  was on the optimal albeit rainy side of the tow to see schooner Pioneer well defined against the scow.

Here’s a little bit of history if you’re not familiar with Pioneer:  she was built in Marcus Hook PA in 1885 as a sand sloop, operating between Delaware Bay and the Delaware River. So think of the photo this way, and I’m paraphrasing someone else here: she was a sand sloop converted to a sand schooner (and other configurations) now made to a sand or aggregate scow and headed upriver pushed by the mighty 1957 Frances.   Pioneer was hitching a ride to Albany for engine work.

A few dozen miles later, Kevin Oldenburg was ready to get even clearer pics.  It was still rainy but not yet dark.

 

After she rounded Jones Point,

she was soon visible from the Bear Mountain Overlook along Hwy 202.

That’s Iona Island off the port side and

sand sloop/schooner that Pioneer was, she had clearly a small fraction of capacity when compared to her 21st century scow descendants.

Many thanks to Justin Zizes, Jonathan Boulware, Phil Little, Luis Melendez, Kevin Oldenburg, and the Lady of the Harbor for their contributions–made in rainy December conditions–to this post.  By the way, did anyone get photos from W. O. Decker?  Anyone else from any other vantage point?

A previous time we had this many collaborators watching traffic was just over a decade ago and involved sailing barges and a mothership named Flinterborg.

Getting back to the Statue of Liberty cam, “girl with no eyes” made a great song, but it could certainly not be said to refer to our Lady of the sixth boro.

Since I mentioned Dyckman Marina, whatever became of Mon Lei, the Chinese junk formerly owned by Robert “believe it or not” Ripley and recently docked up there at the now defunct-La Marina for a few years?

Lady Liberty called me up last night to apologize for the poor quality of photo she delivered and asked why Pioneer had not hitched a ride on a nicer day.  I was speechless, because what does one say when the Lady calls you up on your personal number??!@#?

 

 

Retro Sixth Boro 21

I have represented these “retro” posts as a slice of the sixth boro exactly a decade ago, but it more like  . . . what in the boro caught my attention.  So welcome back to December 2009, as seen from today, December 2019, taking advantage of 20/20 hindsight.  And, to digress, I’ll bet the term 20/20 [2020?] hindsight will seen a bit strange in the next thirteen months.

Over at South Street Seaport, a group of vessels then is no longer there: Marion M, Peking, and Helen McAllister.  Of those, Peking, though not the oldest, has the longest and most convoluted saga.

Sea Raven is no more, but with those high pipes, she always caught my attention.

Cable Queen seemed to have a future back a decade ago, but naught seems to have come of it, since last time I looked, she was still docked in Port Richmond.  For context to this photo of the 1952 vessel, click here.

NY Central No. 13, scrapped in 2017 . . . also seemed to have a future back in 2009, although the owner was not in a rush to complete the job.

In 2009, the sixth boro was in the midst of a several-billion-dollar dredge project, as folks were talking about these ULCVs that would be arriving after the opening of the new Panama Canal locks. GLDD’s dredge New York was part of that effort.

I don’t know if Volunteer is still intact, but I’ve not seen her in years.   Here she lighters Prisco Ekatarina while Mark Miller stands by.  As of this writing, Prisco Ekatarina is in the Gulf of Finland.

Does anyone know if Horizon Challenger, built 1968 in Chester PA,  still floats?

Patriot Service currently works as Genesis Patriot.

I believe Escort is laid up.

And let’s close with these two.  Below it’s the now modest looking Ever Divine and Tasman Sea, and assembling photos for this post, for the first time I see the Taz’ devil sign on the stern of Tasman Sea . . .   Maybe I’d seen it before and just forgotten.   Ever Divine is currently crossing the Indian Ocean.

There it is . . .

All photos taken in December 2009 by Will Van Dorp.

 

Newest Hull in the Sixth Boro 5 Christening

Eleven years ago I missed a christening because of work.  Then last year I missed one again for the same reason.  But last night, neither work nor weather could have  kept me away.

Ava (rhymes with “java”) M. McAllister has already been working in the harbor about a month, but time needed to be carved out of her busy schedule to welcome her to the harbor with ceremony.

Since her namesake is an accomplished skater, the tug demonstrated just a modicum of her skills . . . .

including some tug-modified twizzles and axels.  Notice the guests of honor including the namesake waving on the bow?

The pipers came, they played, and then they led the way

to the convivialities.

Welcome, Ava.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who several years back did a review of McAllister’s 150th anniversary book here.

For more of my photos including namesake breaking the bottle, go the McAllister Towing FB page.  

Port Colborne Pics 1

Besides the title, you might place this photo by the background.  It was the focus of this post from about six weeks ago.

I returned to Port Colborne because I wanted to spend more time.  All vessels traveling between the upper four Lakes and Ontario/St Lawrence Seaway must traverse here.  And an alarm on Bridge No. 21 notifies that traffic will pass in a few minutes from the sound.

In the case of today’s post, however, I was caught between a need to head back across the border and a compulsion to see the vessel about to enter town from Lake Erie.

A schooner.

Leftmost flag on the crosstrees tells the tale.

It’s Lettie G. Howard, homeward bound and beyond.  For now, after a summer of sailing and sail training on Lake Erie, Lettie was headed to New York via the Saint Lawrence/Nova Scotia.

 

As she came into the dock, cold rain starting to fall and hint of winter, the crew tied her up with skill and aplomb to wait for timing.

Fair winds and warm days.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.