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Another TBR is in the books. Where else can you see very upclose and personal some much-loved boats. I can and might do a post on each of these boats, but for now, just a survey.
Shoofly . . . complete name is Shoofly Pie. If you want actual detail, click here and scroll; you’ll see some profile of each of these boats (and others). All I’ll say about Shoofly is that she’s a WW2 naval vessel evolved into a rat rod (We need a new term for this category.) vessel. It has also likely sailed the greatest number of places, freshwater and salt. I’ve photographed this boat before, but somehow, it’s never made it onto this blog. Some explanation follows.
I frame this as a comparison of push knees on Edna A and J. Arnold Witte.
How about this as a frame– l to r, Nathan G, Margot, Benjamin Elliot, and Edna A. — involving two-thirds of the NYS Marine Highway boats participating in the event. Then another set of NYS Marine was not present . . . working . . . .
CMT Otter . . . represented Coeymans. I learned some modification history of this boat last weekend. It was once Delta Ram and looked like this.
This vessel is the fourth in the series of Atlantic Hunter boats. I had photos of Atlantic Hunter IV (under a different name last year) but those photos like those of Shoofly . . . disappeared.
My Pal Sal is not the latest government boat purchased by NYS Canals, although you might suspect otherwise. To stray down a tangent though; Sal has a song named for her; we really need a popular ditty about canal tugboats . . . any or all of them. Lobby your favorite songwriter or channel your own inner songwriter muse.
W. O. Decker looked spectacular! Last time I saw her some details were not the same.
Joncaire is several years into her new livery; she used to be the red of NYPA Niagara River boom maintenance fleet, as seen here (scroll).
Here’s the view from the 4th Street Bridge, and
here from the 2nd Street Bridge.
All photos yesterday, WVD, who got out there before many people were crowding the bulkhead.
I missed a lot of folks who were there because I stayed in the welcome center most of the time, listening to the talks.
It’s been over 12 years that this boat has had this appearance; before then, it was orange.
Ten years ago, this one was green.
I must admit I’ve gotten used to seeing them both in Donjon blue, and they look great.
A year ago, this boat had not yet entered the state of New York, but when she did, I caught her here and here about to enter the NYS Canal system from the Great Lakes.
Since then, she’s been quite busy.
As have all the Donjon blue boats.
Have a look at Meagan Ann in the 2013 tugboat races here. And speaking of those races, here and here are photos/videos of Meagan Ann and other from 2009.
Has anyone heard specifics about a 2022 tugboat race in the sixth boro? Here are some photos of boats that participated in the 1952 (!!!!) race on the Hudson.
All photos, any errors, WVD.
While I’m at it, let me throw in a photo from the tugboat race in 2010.
Other than ice water or a cold shower on a hot day, what’s more refreshing than than looking at some tugboat photos taken at dawn?
Can’t you just feel the cool morning air? In winter, we might bemoan the temperatures usually lowest at sunrise; in high summer, it’s the most peaceful and comfortable time.
Let’s just follow these two tugboats as they pass . . .
You’ve seen them both before.
J. Arnold Witte seems to be keeping very busy since she got here not even a full year ago.
Rhea I. maintained her name although now operated and owned by Centerline, the lion logo line.
J. Arnold‘s scow is running low in the water.
All photos, WVD, who might be out of touch for a few days and will likely not post this on FB because of the absence of WiFi in the southern wild. He will, however, be taking lots of photos.
Here was part 1, all taken in Lake Erie port of Erie PA.
The next four photos were taken in the Lake Ontario port of Oswego, partway through the delivery of the newbuild to the sixth boro. I share these photos now because my most recent article in ProfessionalMariner has just come out. Enjoy it here.
Appropriate for today, I took these photos using ambient shoreside light before the rain that was supposed to happen the day the crew was going to enter the NYS Canals system at lock O8 on the Oswego Canal.
Fortunately there’s a bridge just before the entrance to O8, which protected my lens from the rain as I got this shot. That bridge is the same one from which the top 1950s photo was taken in this recent post featuring Albert Gayer photos.
Here the boat is exiting O8 headed up the Oswego Canal to O7. The clocktower in the distance is atop City Hall, an Oswego landmark.
A few days later I caught the next photos in Little Falls NY, as the boat approached the top of E17, the big lock. Notice on the cliff just above the leading edge of the wheelhouse . . .
a climber about to rappel down a cliff on Moss Island. A few years ago I waited atop the same cliff to get photos of Rebecca Ann pushing the new dredge Oyster Bay.
Lock 17 is worth a visit during the season; the lift is the greatest in the Canal, 40.5′.
Here the boat was exiting the bottom of the lock, under the raised “guillotine” door.
All photos, WVD, who mentions both Oswego and Little Falls in various trips in these virtual tours.
Laurie Ann Reinauer is pushing RTC 85 for an appointment somewhere the Kills.
Meagan Ann moves dredge spoils out of MOTBY.
Thomas D. Witte stems with another scow as Meagan Ann passes by.
J. Arnold takes the Back Channel over to Claremont.
James William heads for an assist.
A fact about Buchanan 12 . . . it appears she’s had that name and worked for that same company since 1972. That’s longevity.
All photos, WVD, who’s happy the days are getting longer, with fewer than 200 days until the summer solstice.
Tugboats move quite the variety of materials around the boro on barges. The brand spanking new J. Arnold Witte here moves Delaware Bay, a bucket dredge.
Doris Moran moves containers around the boro much quicker than trucks can.
I had to throw this in . . . a late 1950s Chevy pickup was moving a motorcycle southbound on the BQE.
Sea Fox transported a scow with its own clamshell (I think) in the upper bay.
Helen Laraway had some rich light on her as
she came west in the East River, passing Lower Manhattan, with
some cubed metal.
The seldom seen Liberty II was bringing maintenance equipment to the Statue island, when I noticed an interesting detail. See the blue Thrustmaster engine covers?
A closer up of that part of Liberty II shows she’s twin engine and her starboard engine is not in use.
Closing it out, Durham is moving a mini scow into the Kills.
All photos, WVD.
Still not back along the sixth boro . . . and so here are more photos from along the road . . .
Some murals are faded and others recently applied. The one below must require some local knowledge to explain the juxtaposition of agriculture and defense.
Others make sense as reminders of a journey of generations.
I just can’t pass up remotely taking brightly talented photos posed for others, or
really odd items, or
smoke coming from
a diverse
set of engines and applications.
I’ll get back home later this week.
All photos, WVD, who throws in a little truckster and tagster here.
Oh . . and in this yacht parade, what’s that third boat?
All photos, WVD, who has a serious case of the gallivant fever.
I’d hoped to catch this boat in the NYS Canals, but . . . Going by the adage of . . “if the mountain fails to come to you, you go . . .” here’s this.
Sneak preview then of J. Arnold Witte, taken yesterday on my way west.
The first boat by this name . . .
she’s 78′ by 26′ and I believe triple screw….
All photos, WVD.
tugster: a waterblog 
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