Two Hours on the Narrows 4

The Narrows is a prime location for me to get photos of vessels coming in from sea if they have AIS because I have several hours notice of arrival for any traffic going anywhere into or through the Upper Bay, eg., on their way to Brooklyn berths, the North River, or the East River.  I can walk around or–in case of rain or cold–sit in my car.

The downside is that it’s a wide spot, so even the zoom can draw in only limited detail.

Having said all that, here’s a shot from Bay Ridge over to the Sandy Hook Pilots station, showing (from far to near) the current black hull-yellow trimmed pilot boat mother ship New York No. 1, its eventual replacement currently with a blue hull, and the smaller boats.  Lop off the thin upper wheelhouse and paint the hull/trim, and make a thousand more modifications . . .  and you’ll have the new mother ship.

My goal was to get photos of Commander Iona, which I did and posted here. Unexpected was the arrival of Dina Polaris, which I’d first seen only a month and a half or so ago.

 

Mister Jim has been a regular on this blog and in the sixth boro surrounding waters since she first arrived a few years ago.

 

The Severn Sailing Association came through the rain with a whole host of sloops . . . from closest to farthest:  Commitment, Intrepid, Valiant, Courage, Invincible, Renaissance, Daring, Brave, Warrior.

Rhea I. Bouchard headed in with her barge, but by this time the rain was falling so hard I couldn’t confirm the name/number on the barge.

Magdalen headed out, passing a sloop and

R/V Heidi Lynn Scuthorpe, a first sighting for me.

Click here for more info on Heidi Lynn and Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute. Click here for a more technical article from Workboat on this vessel.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who feels compensated for staying out in the rain.

I saw Nauvoo (Heidi Lynn‘s previous name) years back and I posted a pic here.  I also saw Beglane.

Magdalen

Imagine my excitement the other day when I caught Weeks newest trailing suction hopper dredge (TSHD) come briefly into the sixth boro, likely for fuel or gear.  I believe she’s working along the Jersey shore.

Magdalen, named for Chairman Weeks’ mother, is big:  356′ x 80′ with a loaded draft of 25.3′  with hopper capacity of 8550 cubic yards of dredge spoils.  A comparison could be made with TSHD Ocean Traverse Nord with capacity of 1543 cubic yards.

For all the specs, click here and go to page 13 of the Weeks Winter 2017 Newsletter.

 

Her first project was in North Carolina in January 2018.

A similar type TSHD featured here recently was Filippo Brunelleschi, which is significantly larger for different jobs:  465’x 90.2′ with hopper capacity of 14,750 cubic yards.  Currently the world’s largest TSHD by hopper capacity is Leiv Eiriksson, 60,165 cubic yards, with dimensions of 764′ x 134,’  currently in Tuzla, Turkey.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.