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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.
Last fall I caught Pioneer from outboard; yesterday I rode Pioneer on its trip to welcome back schooner Anne and play with Erin Wadder. This post is mostly intended to document the first part of that ride. Before leaving the dock, captain and crew confer.
This seasoned crew greets passengers as they transition from terra to aqua.
After the vessel slips into the East River, crew tidies docklines.
Crew on the halliards raise the mainsail; then
coil and hang these lines on the shrouds, to keep them from free to run, should an emergency lowering of sails need to happen.
Bow watch signals oncoming traffic.
Pioneer skitters down the Bay quite nicely for a hull that served as a sailing sand conveyance a full 125 years ago. Imagine a 1985 Mack dumptruck racing around with paying passengers in the year 2110!!
The winds inspiring Pioneer to skitter and scud also propel these other sailing vessels yesterday, Anne farther and an unidentified sloop nearer. Can anyone identify the sloop?
Scuppers port and starboard get a thorough rinsing.
Reid and Anne engage in some performance artistry with Freja Fionia.
The sloop tacks past again, and Pioneer, belly
in her sails, plays along.
A followup post soon will document Pioneer‘s return to the dock. For now, sharing the air and water with us was a crew setting out on a formidable journey as Reid concluded his. Artemisoceanrowing intended here to leave the sixth boro for a ride across the North Atlantic all the way
to the UK. To be followed.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp. See you among the merfolk tomorrow!
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