Ship-trip-tease

Okay . . . now for something new.  Recall the question I tossed out with the “Relief Crew 9” about suggestions for a puzzler-post name?  Well, Jed came right up with Tugster Teaser, and I like the ring of that name.  The problem though is that this puzzle relates to a ship, not a tug.  Hence, the title above.

The question:  identify the date the foto above was taken.    The bright shiny clue is the passenger vessel bound for sea in the middle of the foto, the one with the three stacks.  This was her FINAL departure from New York.  With that clue, you super researchers might even figure out the three tugs starboard of the three-stacker.

While your brain goes into involuntary analysis mode, enjoy some random fotos all taken in the past week.  Sea Service (ex-Sea Star) 1975 eastbound headed for KVK.  Sea Star is so less utilitarian-a-name than what it currently responds to.

I put up a slightly later foto from this scene two days ago:  Christine McAllister and Kimberly Turecamo.

Kimberly  Poling (ex-Jaguar) 1994 understated beauty on an October afternoon, splendor nevertheless.

Ooops!  the best ones always get away!  When I pressed the button, the shutter (shooter?) lagged like never before.  You should have seen what was right there!  @#@!

New York Central No. 13 with two piercings (and related implants) looks impatient about getting splashed;  I can hear that hull wondering how maneuvres will feel with two thrusters.

Final shot:  Penobscot Bay (WTGB 107) aligns with Robbins Light, Our Lady of Bedloe’s Island, and some point over on the west shore of Manhattan.  I hope to have an exciting gallivant story from a certain 140′ ice breaking tug very soon.  Not WTGB 107.

All fotos except the puzzler ( or ship-trip-teaser) by Will Van Dorp.   Captain Allen Baker . . . thanks much for the puzzler.  Answer soon.

Finally and related, Steve Turi sent along a link to dramatic ocean liner  postcards.  Besides drama, they radiate romance and mystery, especially the ones with handwriting on the back . . . a range of emotions recorded in ink now public and  immortalized.  Anyone game for some Griffin and Sabine?  Last spring, Steve sent along fotos of toys he’d carved from driftwood.

Also related:  today I enjoyed the “Edge of New York” at the Museum of the City of New York, thanks to a reminder from Old Salt Rick here.  Looking large there, I also found a model of Norman Belgeddes’ 1932!! design for an ocean liner.  See it here.  Wow!!  And now that I think on this a bit, doesn’t it look vaguely like Bowsprite’s avatarship?

Hornbeck in Boro6

Someone I care about expressed delight in seeing Hornbeck boats.  “They’re pretty, beautiful white and orange,”  I recall a statement.  Well, I have news for you:  they’re Candies.  What? are Candies?  Well, many of them are ex-Candies, at least.  That’s Otto Candies, LLC, Marine Transportation and Towing.

Like Patriot Service, ex-Sean Candies.   From a distance, I imagined the black stack-fronts as darkened windows.  Guess the total horsepower.

114′ loa and launched in 1996.

Spartan Service . .  new to boro6 this summer?  Formerly Domar Captain.

Redundant radars?  Spartan is 101′ loa and launched in 1978.

Huron Service, ex-Eric Candies.  Left to right in background:  Zachery Reinauer and Baltic Sea.  I first wrote about Huron here over a year ago.

Left to right here in Gowanus Bay:  Huron Service 98′ loa and from 1981, Sea Service 104′ and 1975, and Atlantic Service 100′ and also 1975.  Bridge in the background is the BQE.

Here’s Sea Service over at the Palisades anchorage . . . or is it called Yonkers anchorage.

Erie Service, ex-Brett Candies 98′ and 1981.

And here’s Michigan Service, ex-Kevin Candies 980 and 1981; along with Erie.  Now given these names, you know there has to be a Superior Service.  I’ve just never seen it.  Maybe it operates elsewhere.  Here’s the Hornbeck site.

When I saw the colors here, I thought it was a Candies boat operating as a Candies boat in boro6.  Wrong.  It’s Sandmaster of Amboy Aggregates.  Oh, it’s ex-Ben Candies, 107′ and 1983.

Answer to Patriot Service hp:  6140.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.  Again, click on a foto to enlarge it . . . at least, it does so on my machine.

White Tug Fleet

Disclosure: I’ve never claimed to be in the tug industry although I’ve often considered trading in my profession to start a new life as a deckhand and go up the chain. Too bad life is so short or I’d do it. There is a precedent: in 1986, I resigned from a college teaching position to learn to drive semi, and I ended up a few weeks later hired to teach student drivers the intricacies of double clutching and backing. Anyhow, I’m dredging up this ancient history to make a point: namely, tugs excite me. They have power and style. Politicians and CEOs, who are reputed to have a power and style, do not excite me in the same way. Check out Hornbeck‘s incomparable Patriot Service below, one of my favorite recent fotos.

 

Or in their fleet check out Gulf Service …

 

or Stapleton Service escorting Calusa Coast . . .

 

or Sea Service.

 

Style and power! Nowhere could those qualities better be witnessed. To you all in the industry, my hat’s off. That’s why I fotograf and blog. Had I been born on Staten Island rather than farm country, I might be at the helm. Other fleets soon.

Photos, Will Van Dorp.