Random Sixth Boro 10

The sixth boro, i.e., the watery part that holds the other boros together, is the one that never sleeps, with current, tides, mechanical denizens and their operators, their flora and fauna,  . . .  I’ll leave the list there for now.

You can read the season changing in the fact that Eastern Welder has reappeared for sixth boro clams.

Morning Claire is a regular in the boro, but last time I saw her was several thousand miles to the south.

Stolt Larix is one of the world’s largest parcel tanker fleets, but

what really caught my attention was its PBA backboard, where crew might play watch against watch. I’m always checking for hoops on ships that pass.  I wonder how good the crew teams are.

Gregg is off to assist a tanker in.

Names intrigue me, and I find bulk carriers have the best of the best, like Mega Maggie here.

Century Royal headed into the North River, prompting me to double check her provenance, and her voyage from Progresso MX to Yonkers USA tells me she’s loaded deep with raw Mexican sugar, not road salt as I’d originally assumed.

Here’s an obvious clue to season.

And finally, I’ve not yet seen the newest ferry carry any passengers, but she is training for the shuttle.  For one of my most recent articles, click here for my review of SSG Michael H. Ollis.

All photos, WVD, who’s out to see what and who he might next see.

Panama Tugs 4

Rio Indio could have been grouped with yesterday’s post because it’s a Z-Tech 6000:  ASD with 4826 hp Wärtsilä engines with azimuthing 7.8′ propellers in Kort nozzles, generating 61 tons of bollard pull.  I include it here for contrast with the rest of the boats in this post.

Calovebora came out the next year (2010) with an upgrade:  it’s an ASD (azimuth stern drive)  Z-Tech 6500, larger propellers and slightly beamier than Rio Indio, with a 12V228 GE power plant generating 5845 hp and 65 tons bollard pull by means of Schottel SPR 1515 FP units.  The GE power plants were produced in the big small city of Grove City, PA . . .  Pennsylvania.

Farfan is basically a twin of Calovebora, as are all the other boats in this post.  This photo was taken at the dredging center in Gamboa.

Belén also is a 6500.  Most of this series is named for Panamian rivers: Belén was discovered by Columbus, who also then discovered that the existing population were not hospitable to outsiders who gave signs of settling.

Dolega as well is fleet mate of the other 6500 boats.  Here she’s made up to a mooring in Gamboa.

Morning Claire was US-bound when we met her in Gatun Lake on March 5;  yesterday she arrived and departed the sixth born.  Her “slow” arrival is explained by the fact that she stopped at a half dozen ports on her way here, and as of tomorrow, she’ll be in Boston.

Providing a “cut-style” assist to Morning Claire through the Canal is Sajalices, another Z-Tech 6500.

And our last 6500 for this post is Parita 1, product of 2011, whom we met at Atlantic Ocean level the morning we were headed for Gatun locks.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who alone is responsible for any errors in info here.

And remember, I’m still looking for photos of helm seats, captain’s chairs.  I’d like to do a post on them.  I’m looking for the full range:   luxurious to decrepit or basic or high-tech.  Email me a photo of the chair and identify the vessel. You don’t need to be sitting in it.  I’ve got photos of three seats so far, but I’d like a half dozen before doing a post.