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Here was the first time I used this title.
America II looked resplendent bathed in a last burst of late afternoon sun yesterday.
She was one of several sail vessels out; here Pioneer seems headed over to a new loading point.
On a meteorologically different afternoon a few weeks ago, I caught Lettie G. Howard out headed for the Kills. Here was another spring when I caught Lettie under very bare poles.
I saw Topaz briefly only once, so far away she was only a tall mast, but Claude Scales caught this from his daily vantage point. Click here for a close-up of Nantucket WLV-612 from three years ago.
No words . . . no gilding the lily!
Pioneer heads back to the dock.
Anyone know where Mary E is sailing from these days?
Thanks to Claude Scales for use of his Topaz photo. All other photos by Will Van Dorp, who has used the title “autumn sail” much more frequently. And if you have not yet read my article about sailing to Cuba last winter, you can read it here.
For context, let’s look back here. And last year among some of the great photos shared by Harry Thompson, here (scroll) was a crowded harbor photo I really liked.
Last Saturday saw threatening weather; even so, lots of small boats and crowds braved the possibility of rain to see the races.
Vigilance prevailed and I heard of no incidents.
And yes, I paid a lot of attention to the Bath Maine-built 1906 Mary E, but that’s because I haven’t seen her in 9 years . . . obviously I was looking in the wrong places. Click here and scroll for a photo of Mary E in Greenport almost 9 years ago.
Harvey was there. Scroll here for one of my favorite photos of the 1931 Harvey, cutting through the pack at the 2013 tugboat race.
The 1885 Pioneer was there. Click here for a sail I did on Pioneer a few years back.
A raft of small boats clustered yet kept orderly.
The 1935 Enticer . . . well, enticed, spectators as a platform.
as did a range of people movers.
including the 1983 Arabella.
The captain of the heavyweight out there, the 2014 Eric McAllister, treaded lightly through the crowd.
Of course, out in the mist along the Jersey side there are more heavyweights, a Moran tug and its huge NCL gem.
And as for my ride, Monday morning it was earning money going for a load of scrap.
Another tall old ship that might have been present–the 1928 Bivalve NJ-based A. J. Meerwald had other missions to perform.
All photos by will Van Dorp. And for photos of some of the people on the boro who were working during the race, check out NYMediaBoat’s blog post.
Here was part 1. Thanks much for the comments. My conclusion is that most but not all were taken at the 1986 centennial celebration of our lady of the harbor. I am still seeking a photo of the canal tug Grand Erie, ex-USACE Chartiers, launched in 1951, at the event.
Barque Simón Bolívar, it would be good to see her back in the sixth boro again. At this point, she was less than a decade old. This past summer, she called in various ports in the Caribbean.
Any help here anyone?
USS Iowa BB-61 served as the reviewing stand for the event. Click here for scans of the day and here for video. Can anyone identify the tug alongside the battleship starting at about 2:10?
Barque Eagle of course. Can anyone identify the tugs in this photo?
It’s schooner Pioneer in the background.
The red-hulled vessel at the foot of the tower . . is that stick lighter Ollie, now rotting away in VerPlanck? See the end of this post. Anyone know the USCG tug?
These look like the morning-after spent fireworks shells. What did it say in front of “industry” here? And here ends the photos supplied by Harry Thompson.
And here, as a note that I should do a post soon about Ollie . . . is one of the photos I took of her in 2010. I saw her earlier in 2015, and it’ was even sadder by five years than this one. Anyone have good pics of Ollie in her day?
Thanks very much, Harry, for getting this show going.
There’s winter sail, spring sail, and autumn sail. And today I’m just staying inside culling photos. Since moving by wind has been around for millennia, Pioneer is a relatively modern vessel.
Pioneer, 1885
This vessel below can be “insanely fast.” I took this photos and ones that follow back on May 11, 2015 in Morris Canal.
Lending Club 2, 2015
Here’s another sixth boro regular, the largest NYC-based schooner. See her here in winter maintenance.
Check out these special sails on Clipper City.
Here LC2‘s just finished the 635 nm run in less than 24 hours.
From Seth Tane on the Columbia River, it’s HMCS Oriole, US-built in 1921.
I’d love to see the interior of Lending Club 2, but my guess is . . . spartan.
Also from back in May . . . it’s Wavertree in the last feet of its transit for a major makeover, Thomas J. Brown sliding her over.
Here’s another shot of L’Hermione entering the Upper Bay for the first time.
And what do you make of this?
Maybe more on that last photo tomorrow.
Except for the photo by Seth Tane, all photos by Will Van Dorp.
“Really random” posts tend to be far-flung, so let’s start out with this photo by Jed, who has contributed many photos recently. Then there’s JED, who has contributed photos starting from 2008. The boat dates from 1975.
From Jan Oosterboer via Fred Trooster, here’s the 1955 tug Argus along with
Orion (1961), and
Sirius (1966). It appears that Sirius–like Orion and Brendan Turecamo–also has a wheelhouse that can be raised.
For the scale of the “tow” here, scroll down and
behold–Thialf, with a combined lifting capacity of over 14,000 tons!! Click here to see the view down from Thialf’s deck AND be sure to read the comments that follow. Here are a few other heavy-lifters including Saipem 7000.
Heading back to NYC but as the South Street Seaport Museum area of the sixth boro of NYC looked in 1985, from a secret salt, it’s the 1939 USCGC WYT-93, Raritan! The two vessels around her are, of course 1885 schooner Pioneer and 1908 lightship Ambrose. Click here for a list of specifics and missions on Raritan, but one of her operations was against M/V Sarah of Radio NewYork International. M/V Sarah was eventually blown up for a movie stunt.
And rounding this post out . . . from Elizabeth, in Alameda, it’s the 1943 YT-181 Mazapeta.
In the distance is T-AKR-1001 GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan, an MSC RORO named for a significant USN officer.
Credit for each of these photos is as attributed. Thanks to you all.
First, if you’re free today and within travel distance of Lower Manhattan, do yourself a favor and attend this event, 4 p. m., a book signing by Dr. James M. Lindgren. His new book is a much needed complement to Peter Stanford’s A Dream of Tall Ships, reviewed here a few months ago. Details in Preserving South Street Seaport cover almost a half century and will enthrall anyone who’s ever volunteered at, donated to, been employed by, or attended any events of South Street Seaport Museum. Lindgren laments SSSM’s absence of institutional memory saying, “Discontinuity instead defined the Seaport’s administration.” Amen . . as a volunteer I wanted to know the historical context for what seemed to me to be museum administrations’ repeated squandering of hope despite herculean efforts on the part of volunteers and staff I knew.
As my contribution to creation of memory, I offer these photos and I’d ask again for some pooling of photos about the myriad efforts of this museum over the years.
Pier 17. April 17, 2014. According to Lindgren, this mall opened on Sept 11, 1985 with a fireworks show. Its demise may by this week’s end be complete.
April 12, 2014. Photo by Justin Zizes.
Feb 23, 2014.
Jan 21, 2014 . . . Lettie G. Howard returns.
Sept 20, 2013. This is the last photo I ever took FROM the upper balcony of Pier 17.
Sept 12, 2013.
July 2012. A fire had broken out on the pier, and Shark was the first on scene responder. Damage was minimal, despite appearances here.
Now for some photos of vessels that have docked in the South Street area in the past half century.
July 2012 . . . Helen McAllister departs, assisted by W. O. Decker and McAllister Responder.
June 2012. Departure of Marion M as seen from house of W. O. Decker. Photo by Jonathan Boulware. The last I knew, Marion M is being restored on the Chesapeake by a former SSSM volunteer.
Lettie G. Howard hauled out in 2009.
2009. The Floating Hospital . . . was never part of the SSSM collection.
2009. Maj. Gen. Hart aka John A. Lynch aka Harlem.
Helen McAllister with Peking and Wavertree. Portion of bow of Marion M along Helen‘s starboard.
Mathilda posing with W. O. Decker in Kingston. 2009.
Moshulu now in Philadelphia.
2005, I believe. Spuyten Duyvil (not a SSSM vessel) and Pioneer.
Thanks to Justin and Jonathan for use of their photos. All others by Will Van Dorp. For many stories on these vessels, that mall, and so much more, pick up or download these books and read them asap.
Here was 9.
It seems that sailing just gets better as summer turns into fall. Like Pioneer. Click here for bookings via Water Taxi.
America 2.0
Shearwater
Adirondack
There are also those sailing vessels I’d like to see under sail. Like Angel’s Share with its twin helms, here
a close-up of the port helm.
with its Marshall Islands flag
Heron . . . which I’ve seen as far south as Puerto Rico.
I’d love to find the time and invitations to sail on all those wind vessels. But I actually did sail on Pioneer the other day. Come with the vessel and crew as we leave the pier,
ride the wind in a busy harbor for a few hours, and
then lower sail before returning to the pier.
All fotos taken this week by Will Van Dorp. Time’s now for me to head out and enjoy more of this autumn air.
Looks like I got lured outa town once again. Meanwhile . . . Discovery Coast goes on hauling out dredge spoils, and
Pioneer sails toward Red Hook. Note Mary Whalen in the distance.
And if you’re around on Thursday, make your way to Red Hook to buy stuff–art, tools, etc–to help raise funds for Mary Whalen. Details here on Rick Old Salt’s blog.
Both fotos by Will Van Dorp, who will try to post fotos from along the course . . . .
Boro6 aka the sixth boro or New York harbor sees diverse vessels and and floats in and out staggering amounts of cargo. I’m thrilled by the amount of collaboration this blog can muster. Many eyes see more things. Like Princess Danae, captured last week by John Watson. Princess Danae has long since departed, but John pointed out a secret. Any ideas?
The vessel is operated today by Classic International Cruises. For scale, compare her beside Norwegian Jewel. The secret? Princess Danae began life in 1955 as Port Melbourne, a tanker general cargo vessel! (Thanks for catching that, Bart!)
A first time foto from Capt. G. Justin Zizes, Jr. . . . it’s Maryland. Welcome, Justin.
I’m putting the next two fotos here because I wonder if anyone can tell me what type of barge this is . . . long and narrow, towed on a single diagonal line by
Thomas J Brown. This is my second time to see Brown towing this barge.
A darker story awaiting enlightening here . . . the inimitable Elizabeth Wood took this foto some five or so years back. It’s Lettie G Howard, dormant and in bondage for many months now, and for sale; part of the sad dissolution
and crumbling happening at the museum formerly known as South Street Seaport. Until a new plan for the ships (See these stories by MWA, Old Salt, and Frogma.) even Pioneer will remained fettered. SOS indeed, or given the age of Lettie G and Pioneer . . . should we make that CQD? CQD!! The MWA link has a tribute to Bernie also.
Thanks to John, Justin, and Elizabeth for these fotos and the collaboration. The ones of Thomas J Brown and Pioneer by Will Van Dorp. Type any of these vessel names (except Princess Danae) and you’ll get many previous appearances. And, doubleclick enlarges most.
The previous in the series was here. I document the conclusion of that sail here. After the jib gets dropped, the mate secures it on the headrig. The link in that sentence gets you to a glossary; doubleclick enlarges fotos. At Buck’s suggestion: music by Richard Thompson and Bob Neuwirth.
In preparation to lower the foresail, the boom is centered and
secured.
This crewman lowers the peak halliard as
another flakes the sail.
Once the foresail is stowed, the mainsail boom is centered and secure; it too
gets flaked as it’s lowered.
Reef nettles are tucked into the flakes to maintain clearer line-of-sight for the captain.
Forward docklines are laid out.
Crew prepares to send the first stern line.
Upon command it goes toward the bitt and
get hauled in.
Ditto the first of two bow lines, and then
they get hauled in.
Once the schooner is tight and centered on the point of egress, it’s all fast.
This trip complete . . . I’m ready for another soon. The sixth boro awaits.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
Unrelated: See Bonnie’s “fishtales on fryday” here.
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