Sixth Boro Traffic 3

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

Sixth Boro Random Delights 6

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.

December Light 2 Variation

Take 2 . . . some the same, some different.  Lynx southbound at 16:08.

Evening Star anchored at 16:09.

Christine McAllister anchored at 16:10.

Julia and Twin Tube attending Maersk Katarina at 16:13 at the 28 buoy.

Crystal Cutler heading for the Kills at 16:30.

Overseas Atalmar and bow of American Spirit at anchor . . . 16:37.

Another shot of Christine McAllister at 16:44.

Discovery Coast at 16:46.

Liberty V at 16:53 bound for Liberty Island . . . a crewboat.

Twisted #2 sign at the Battery looking toward Jersey City at 17:07.

Barbara McAllister preparing to remake the tow at 17:26.

Maserati VOR70 at the dock, heeled over for repairs, at 17:40

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Non-Random Tugs 4

NRT 3 ends with a shot and video of Grouper; given an important news bulletin, it’s fitting I start with Grouper in NRT 4.  The news . . . she’s got a NEW LEASE on survival.  As soon as she’s fit to travel west, she’s headed to a spot just north of Detroit.  Such news!  Updates will follow as her uncharted future allows.  I tinted the foto a bit yellow . . . as in sunny, a bright future taking her to her 100th!  Since 1912, identities she’s carried include the following:  Gary, Green Bay, Alaska, Oneida, Iroquois, all before Grouper.  Maybe a new name will follow too?  Thanks to Jon for 97 years of pedigree info in his comment a few days ago.

Thanks to Jed for this foto of Quenames, headed north here past Governor’s Island, bound for Boston, I suppose . . . with whatever that barge was designed to transport.  My last shot of Quenames was in late summer 2007!  Thanks much, Jed.

Nope . . . it’s not the Charles D.  It’s Responder, featured a dozen times here before, initially in 2007.  So what happened to the reel and boom that was her trademark?   I’ve no clue.

Taft Beach . . . and her crew worked through Thanksgiving, through the powerful gusts and ebbs of Saturday night’s storm, and will do so more on Christmas Day . . .  as the dredging must go forward . . . er downward!  Greetings and hats off to all who work through whatever holidays transpire.

While we’re on Norfolk tugs, here’s another, shot on the Delaware.  I’ve never seen Lucky D up in the sixth boro.

And while we’re on the Delaware, here’s a sibling of Heron, Falcon, and Sea Raven.  I’ve not noticed Petrel in New York harbor.

I mentioned Charles D earlier.

To round these out, a quite random choice although I love her lines, it’s Christine M.

All fotos in the past month by Will Van Dorp.

Ship-trip-tease

Okay . . . now for something new.  Recall the question I tossed out with the “Relief Crew 9” about suggestions for a puzzler-post name?  Well, Jed came right up with Tugster Teaser, and I like the ring of that name.  The problem though is that this puzzle relates to a ship, not a tug.  Hence, the title above.

The question:  identify the date the foto above was taken.    The bright shiny clue is the passenger vessel bound for sea in the middle of the foto, the one with the three stacks.  This was her FINAL departure from New York.  With that clue, you super researchers might even figure out the three tugs starboard of the three-stacker.

While your brain goes into involuntary analysis mode, enjoy some random fotos all taken in the past week.  Sea Service (ex-Sea Star) 1975 eastbound headed for KVK.  Sea Star is so less utilitarian-a-name than what it currently responds to.

I put up a slightly later foto from this scene two days ago:  Christine McAllister and Kimberly Turecamo.

Kimberly  Poling (ex-Jaguar) 1994 understated beauty on an October afternoon, splendor nevertheless.

Ooops!  the best ones always get away!  When I pressed the button, the shutter (shooter?) lagged like never before.  You should have seen what was right there!  @#@!

New York Central No. 13 with two piercings (and related implants) looks impatient about getting splashed;  I can hear that hull wondering how maneuvres will feel with two thrusters.

Final shot:  Penobscot Bay (WTGB 107) aligns with Robbins Light, Our Lady of Bedloe’s Island, and some point over on the west shore of Manhattan.  I hope to have an exciting gallivant story from a certain 140′ ice breaking tug very soon.  Not WTGB 107.

All fotos except the puzzler ( or ship-trip-teaser) by Will Van Dorp.   Captain Allen Baker . . . thanks much for the puzzler.  Answer soon.

Finally and related, Steve Turi sent along a link to dramatic ocean liner  postcards.  Besides drama, they radiate romance and mystery, especially the ones with handwriting on the back . . . a range of emotions recorded in ink now public and  immortalized.  Anyone game for some Griffin and Sabine?  Last spring, Steve sent along fotos of toys he’d carved from driftwood.

Also related:  today I enjoyed the “Edge of New York” at the Museum of the City of New York, thanks to a reminder from Old Salt Rick here.  Looking large there, I also found a model of Norman Belgeddes’ 1932!! design for an ocean liner.  See it here.  Wow!!  And now that I think on this a bit, doesn’t it look vaguely like Bowsprite’s avatarship?

Random Tugs 44

Lil Rip !!  I’d seen this unique tug twice before;  both times were in the Rondout on rainy, dark days.  To see Lil Rip yesterday in the euphoric October light . . . it has been worth the long wait.  Long waits usually make outcomes more satisfying, eh?  Lil Rip, the Empire State Building and even the Chrysler Building!  I am

satisfied.  Now I understand why my friend Jeff Anzevino chased it through 30 miles of the upriver portion of the Hudson to get pictures a few days ago.  Go, Jeff!   I’d like to do a whole post on Lil Rip:  the three-exhaust configuration itself qualifies as unusual.  Help me with some specs/genealogy and I’ll put up more fotos.  Here she’s following bulker Florence Lily, delivered by Oshima Shipbuilding in Spring 2009.  Lil Rip brings dynamic color (October leaf-red & yellow)  to the otherwise gray cityscape;

It’s Miss Gill (ex-Samson, Karl Foss, Mister Mike)  1970 last week and smaller sibling

Captain D (ex-Dick Bollinger) 1974 from last summer.

Christine McAllister (ex-William L. Conlon) 1975 of Great Lakes Dock and Dredge, and Kimberly Turecamo (ex-Rebecca P)  1980.

Penn No. 4 (ex-Morania No. 4)  1973.

Co (ex-Draco) 1951 and based in New Bedford!  Some rainy day I can imagine the fun to be had figuring out “re-namings” for vessels using this subtraction method.  Like Falcon could become Fa . . . or DEP North River could re-enter as No River . . . you get the idea.

Take my word for this one:  the tug dividing the shimmery water from the wintry sky is Volunteer (1982).

McAllister Brothers has an interesting stack/top of wheelhouse line.  I can’t help notice the drab yellow & red foliage on the far bank.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.  Check out Jeff’s 2010 calendars, one of which is a fundraiser.

Bonus:  two more Lil Rip closeups.  Portside . . .  with Goldman Sachs in background;  safety buoy is Albany . . .?

and starboard.  And to add here what I put in comment, if Lil Rip is little, I’m eager to see Rip or  BIG RIP!

August Morning on the KVK

The dawn sun communed with harbor waters for   about 10 minutes before retreating behind thick cloud, but

those few minutes delighted me.  That’s Hellespont Prosperity in background and Margaret Moran headed for the Upper Bay.

Thomas D. Witte moved in some dredge equipment, and then looked for a dolphin to hang on.  “Dolphin”  See meaning 3.

Would you believe I asked these three vessels to line up like this?  Left to right:  Ruth M Reinauer, Christine McAllister, and Nathan E  Stewart.

And a beastly shot.  Left to right:  Sea Wolf, Wildebeest, and Falcon.

If the sun rises tomorrow, I hope to post more, as usual.

All fotos August 6 morning by Will Van Dorp.

Someone asked what prompted the “meditations” series . . . well, I’m facing some big decisions  with respect to work and aging . . . you know . . . fun stuff.

High and Dry 5

Caddell’s has quite the history.  It also has a busy present.  Sunday . . . four tugs and a barge ccupied the dry docks.  First, Franklin Reinauer

showed her wheels inside kort nozzles.

In the next dock, Christine (thanks to identification by Jed and Allen) McAllister tug.

See the size of the worker relative to the wheels.  Christine‘s size and (to me) unusual climbing arrangement are proof-positive.

Next dock . . .  was Gateway‘s  Navigator.  Outrageous has appeared here before, most recently here; I’ve not seen Navigator before.

And last but not least, also a veteran of this blog,  James Turecamo, I believe.

Oh and the barge . . . sorry I took no foto.

Ships both functional and in transition need maintenance.  You can help support Mary Whalen, a vessel in transition, AND  meet and dine in a unique and truly exclusive  waterfront setting with yours truly Tugster and Bowsprite by bidding for us on eBay soooooon.  Details will follow.  Now I know that bidding on an experience with Tugster and Bowsprite sounds like it should be illegal, but we two bloggers have suspended some rules by allowing ourselves to be put up for auction.  eBay link soon.  So . . . sister, if you want to hang out with your brother, here’s your opportunity, but I know the competition could be fierce.

Actually Portside’s Mary Whalen project is truly worthy of your support.  Proceeds of this fundraiser do not go for Whalen restoration:  rather, they will support Portside’s mission of hosting visiting vessels (tugs, historic vessels, charter and excursion boats, government boats of the FDNY, NYPD, USACE, DEP, NOAA, and more.  Come to the fundraiser on Saturday, June 13–(just one week before the Mermaid Parade)– 6 through 9 pm at Brooklyn Lyceum.  Tickets are $50, raffle on site, auction online.  Tickets here and more info here.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Unrelated but Harbor Night is this Friday night, and River Day . . .  the longest day, starts Saturday.