Harry McNeal, a TriFrame, and More

Tony Acabono wrote me that he was confused, although maybe he was not.

As this approached and passed by, I was briefly confounded.

The shape reminded me immediately of a tidal power installation in the East River, which I’d written about here 12 years ago.

The three nodes of the structure on the barge are marked A, B, and  . . . as you see . . . C.

I got out ahead of it.  The main tug here is Harry McNeal, and alongside is Miss Julia.  I’m not sure who owns Miss Julia.

A tidal strait, which the East River technically is, with tides in first one and then another direction, will spin these turbines and generate electricity.  Winds may be variable and intermittent, but the tides never cease.

Verdant Power is the clue will get you much more info.  

The three turbines/blades are fitted into a triangular structure, a TriFrame.  It will be submerged in the East River as part of RITE, Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project, as yet a pre-commercial operation.  Materials and design are being tested.

And finally, from the Tideland Institute, Julia, Harry, and the turbines eastbound, like some low-flying albino birds,  in the Buttermilk.

  Read gCaptain’s take here.

And how would you imagine the Tri-Frame got lowered to the bottom? 

Columbia specializes in lowering and raising.

This post reminds me of Whatzit 36 . . . from three and a half years ago.

Thanks to Tony, Tideland, and AC.  Photos not credited to others by WVD, who’s repeatedly astonished by the sixth boro surprises and complexity. 

Pairs in Springtime 10

It might as well be spring already.  Well, maybe my wish is that spring were here.  I heard a spurious claim on a TV I visited the other day that March 20 is the planetary beginning of spring in the north but March 1 is the meteorological start of spring.  But it must be true since I heard it on TV!??

But pairs, not Paris.  Capt. Brian and Charles D. . . .  interesting pair showing evolution of design 50 over the half century between the launch of each.

Fells Point landed Doubleskin 302 with Stephen B doing assist.  That’s the first I seen Stephen B in the assist role.

Miss Julia could be Dylan Cooper‘s workboat.

CF Campbell heads east passing Scott Turecamo/New Hampshire and then

makes for the Upper Bay, where JRT is assisting Orange Blossom 2, herself a bloom in the dawn light.   The photo above and the one below I took less than a minute apart, yet you’d think the light was saying hours separated the two.

Kimberly passes Eric.

Marie J Turecamo and Mister Jim run side by side under the Bayonne Bridge.  Does anyone know when the pedestrian walkway on the bridge will open?

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

 

Random Tugs 244

Margaret shines “brightly” over by Fort Wadsworth.

Scott Turecamo transfers commodity over at the east end of Bayonne.

I think it is Miss Julia, but I still know nothing about her.

Of the Seaboats fleet absorbed into Kirby, Weddell Sea is the only one I see these days, and here she

gets assistance to the dock from Normandy.

Gracie M. was the newest Reinauer boat at least three boats ago.

With the ongoing renewal in the Reinauer fleet, Morgan must be among the oldest boats they operate.

And I’ll never forget an tempestuous morning when first I heard Evelyn‘s sound, when she was working as Melvin E. Lemmerhirt.

And that returns us to Margaret.

All photos by Will Van Dorp.

 

Random Tugs 157

Prayers for and condolences to families/friends of Specialist crew.  Here’s a photo I took of the boat back in 2007.

 

Here was Janet D pushing crane barge Jared Walter the other day.

 

Another crane barge, this one pushed by Quenames, which I never seen pushing anything but a petroleum barge.

 

Tugboat Sassafras moving Doubleskin 30 into IMTT, and then going over to Brooklyn light.

 

And finally, it’s Harry McNeal and Miss Julia  . .. again moving crane barges.

Last one for today . . . it’s JRT Moran, and those do not look like deckhands on the bow.  I’m just wondering.

The container ship being assisted is Northern Justice.

 

No matter what you do, be careful out there.  Here’s the latest USCG report I could find.

Small Tugs 3

The first four photos come with many thanks to Bonnie frogma, the intrepid “river rat” who’s currently devoting lots of time to preparations for arrival to the sixth boro of Hokule’a.  I know nothing about this particular Lil Toot.

Bonnie took these photos on Jamaica Bay.  Note the cliffs of Manhattan in the distance.

Emily I believe is the 1961 built 35-footer.   Bonnie first posted photos of Emily here.

I took this photo last weekend.  I’ve seen 70′ Wollochet on AIS, but here’s my first view of her crossing sixth boro center stage.

What this appears like notwithstanding, I think the local boat under 40′ is called Miss Julia.

Here’s one of the half-century-plus-old WYTLs on the far side of Robbins Reef Light recently, one of the tools the USCG chooses for ice-breaking in the wintery Hudson.  Click here and scroll through to see a WYTL making ice cubes a half decade back.

Mako III is a 45′ tug the same age as I am.

Last but certainly not least, Allan Seymour sent this along from the Miami River, and I have no idea about a name or a story.  Anyone help out?

Many thanks to Bonnie and Allen for some of these photos.   If you’ve wondered about the name frogma, read this.

Unrelated and sad news just passed along by Michele.  Remember this post and this one about goats at the Narrows?  Here was my first contact.

Here’s the sad news.  Here’s the marketing concept.