Hoorn-Bound Half Moon

If Half Moon had a voice and addressed folks in her new permanent port, she’d say something like this:  Mijn reis is begonnen. Ik zie jullie in minder dan een maan.

Almost exactly three months ago, I indicated in this post that Half Moon was bound for a new life in Hoorn, namesake of that rock off Tierra del Fuego.  This more she left . . . keeping her speed just under the posted 40 mph max although just barely.  I raced but she showed me nothing more than her stern,

as she surveyed the denizens and green and orange icons of this uninhabited island called Manhattan one last time

before heading toward the gate of hell and

the Bronx and

points east.  If anyone gets photos of this vessel on the Long Island Sound, please send them to me and I’ll post them here with your name as credit. For an index of my previous Half Moon posts, click here.

Maybe now is the time to dust off–and complete– the narrative that bowsprite and I discontinued five and a half years ago when we failed to agree with the Henry Hudson’s secret missions to North America just over 400 years ago.  Just maybe we will disclose what best conspiracy theorists believe.

All photos taken by Will Van Dorp.

 

Transitioning 7

Half Moon . . . is heading from the erstwhile new Netherlands to the old Netherlands soon.

Click here for other Half Moon tugster posts from the past few years.

Here she was with Rana Miller and the Waterpod.

Once settled in in Hoorn, her immediate home waters will be Markermeer and after that IJsselmeer.   I took this photo looking out over the Markermeer half a year ago.  To the right is Hoorn and to the left is Enkhuisen. For the connection between the small city of Hoorn and the rock at the tip of South America, click here.

Some years ago, bowsprite and I started a blog called Henry’s Obsession . . . about the voyage of the original Half Moon.  It’s a blog . . . so it’s in reverse chronological order.

One more photo . . . taken by Bernie Ente some years ago . .  shows her deep draft and

used with permission here.

 

 

 

Assorted Dutch Craft 1

I’m not sure the following two boats are Kvichak built.  Three previous ones were.  Here was a post of those US-built Dutch pilot boats I had here a few years back;  check out the uniforms of the crew!

 

Unlike in the US, the Dutch lifeboat or life saving organization is NOT part of the Coast Guard.  In fact, it’s a volunteer group with really impressive vessels.   Click here for more info on KNRM, that group.

The next two photos were taken outside the KNRM museum in Den Helder.

North Sea petroleum vessels lie here near the Amsterdam/Zaandam border.

Finally, an unidentified antique tug collects race buoys on the IJsselmeer just south of Hoorn, a ZuiderZee port that served as center of the VOC during the “golden age” of Holland.

All photos taken by Will Van Dorp, who hopes to get back to Coney Island this weekend for the m e r m a i d s.