Christmas Eve 2022

Can you identify this text?  “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.”  I’ll provide the answer at the end of this post. 

Thanks much to George Schneider for sending along this “cheer,”  Wedell Foss, Port Angeles WA and taken last night.

As for me, I’m staying inside mostly today and not going out looking for Christmas Eve festivity photos, but I planned ahead and have these to share.  Know this be-decked-the-decks boat?

 

South Street Seaport Museum always decorates the boats. 

And this captain, maybe he supports his whirlwind worldwide Christmas Eve navigations by peregrinating the sixth boro days and nights all the rest of the year?  Did you realize the North Pole elf king had a USCG license?

So merry Christmas eve from tugster tower.  Thanks for reading the blog, commenting, sending along photos, sending me cards, sharing tips, and especially leaving me off the list when the subpoenas go out. 

Now that quote . . . I remember friends used to have posters on their walls with that text way back when.  Here’s more:

“… As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit….

Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”   It’s Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata.  That link gets you the whole short text.

Since it was 7 degrees F this morning in the sixth boro, here are some southern Christmas tips, southern as in Chile, that is.  I think of warm Chile in northern winter because around the five boros and beyond, it’s where our road salt comes from.  

Many thanks to George for sending along the photo, and the ferry captain for transporting cheer around the sixth boro.  Gary Steele, thanks for reminding me about Desiderata, product of Terre Haute IN. 

If you have your own tugsteresque seasonal photos you wish to share, please send them. 

Summer Sail 4B

I’ve compartmentalized my photos from the Pioneer sail the other night, in part because in a short two-hour sail there was so much to see.  For starters, Stephanie Dann had earlier just rushed eastward and came back with Cornucopia Destiny, a dance partner on her starboard side.  I can speculate about this, but I don’t know the details.

As we headed into the Buttermilk, we met Susan Rose AND

Jordan Rose, ex- Evening Breeze and Evening Star, respectively.

This sweet downeaster passed.

I suspect Jordan came along to assist 

Susan into the notch.

Meanwhile, a ways down the piers, Stasinos Jimmy and currently still Evening Tide were rafted up for the moment.

Whatever brought Jordan to the Red Hook piers, by the time we had sailed passed the gantries, she was overtaking us.

On the return, as night began to fall, we met Thomas D. Witte and

then her fleetmate Douglas J.

At this point, my photos were pixelating, but I still managed to get Eastern Dawn, heading back to the “barn” at dusk.

All photos, WVD, who has handed the keys to the tower over to the robots again for a while.

 

Summer Sail 4

Here are previous iterations of this title.   Of course, many options exist for getting onto sixth boro waters.  One delightful way I’m most familiar with is aboard schooner Pioneer;  get tickets here.  Enjoy these photos, mostly taken from the cabin top starboard side and outboard the foremast earlier this week.

Soon after leaving the pier, we passed a 1920s schooner Pilot repurposed as an eatery/drinkery on the Brooklyn side, Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.  More on Pilot and its owners here.  Click for more on the rest of the fleet and their restaurants.   Pilot came into the sixth boro as Highlander Sea, towed by Jaguar.

Within minutes of leaving the pier, four sails were set and we made our way south;  the engine was shut off as soon as it was no longer needed.

Looking astern toward Red Hook container terminal, I noticed a tugboat following us.

You would not expect an 1885 schooner to have anything other than traditional sails.

Without engine against a flood tide, we rounded Governors Island and got as far south as we could before entering the shallows off Bayonne, and we tacked and started out return to Manhattan.   With the engine silent, it was a magical sail.

 

Although other schooners like Clipper City take passengers to sail the harbor, Pioneer is by far, by very far, the oldest . . .

As we made our way back to the pier, night was falling, and we dropped sail and motored back under the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

All photos, WVD, who invites you to come sailing while the summer is here.

An invitation:  Any group of friends want to all sign up for an evening sail, say in early August while the days are still longer than later?  Either Pioneer grads or tugster folks or Pegasus alums or any other bond?

 

Whole Lotta Dredgin’ 15

At least two other dredging projects are happening in the sixth boro simultaneously.  The one in the Buttermilk Channel  came to my attention because of the following two photos taken by Captain Malcolm of  schooner Pioneer.

Neither this tug–Miss Gloria— nor the dredge were ones I was familiar with. Miss Gloria is a 2003 Rodriguez Brothers tug operated by Marquette, and plenty of other Rodriguez boats work the sixth boro, and Marquette boats have been here before as well, mostly involved in dredging projects.

Malcolm’s photos intrigued me enough that I decided to come out for a night sail on Pioneer;  it had been far too long since I last had done that, especially given Pioneer‘s role in my starting this blog to begin with:  I’d been volunteer crew on the schooner before I started the blog, had taken lots of harbor activity photos, and then created this blog as a means to share those photos. 

Here’s a one-photo digression then for a photo I took more than 16 years ago from another vessel of Pioneer–black hull–and Adirondack sailing together in the Upper Bay at dusk. Although both are schooners, over a century of age and shipbuilding materials development and some very different history separate them.

To return from this digression, the following photos I took of the Great Lakes D & D dredging in the Buttermilk, photos i took after Malcolm suggested I put my feet back on Pioneer‘s deck. More photos of that lovely evening to follow.

I also have not shared photos I took of outstanding GLDD equipment I took in March. Click here for a January 2022 preview. 

Miss Gloria was elsewhere, but Smith Predator, who’s been doing dredge spoils runs the past few weeks, was standing by as a dump scow was being filled. I’d seen Smith Predator on AIS, and with a name like that, it had attracted my attention, but to date, I’d not gotten a good clear photo, only very distant ones.

 

Thanks to Captain Malcolm for the first two photos and the suggestion to come sailing;  all others, WVD.

More photos from the Pioneer sail to follow.

Unusual Tow

You’ll excuse this poor quality lede photo once you realize who/what took it:  the Statue of Liberty has functioning eyes and watches everything that passes through this sector of the sixth boro.  Think about that:  she’s big and she witnesses!  And yesterday it was raining here, so those are water droplets on the lens.

But the point of this post is the tug with an unusual tow just entering from the right.  I know it’s not very clear, but bear with me . .  or us.  It gets better.

A bit later, Phil Little was at the ready from the cliff across from the Manhattan passenger terminal, but who knew which side of the tow to watch until this point.

A bit later, Luis Melendez, NYC Parks dock master at Dyckman Marina,  was on the optimal albeit rainy side of the tow to see schooner Pioneer well defined against the scow.

Here’s a little bit of history if you’re not familiar with Pioneer:  she was built in Marcus Hook PA in 1885 as a sand sloop, operating between Delaware Bay and the Delaware River. So think of the photo this way, and I’m paraphrasing someone else here: she was a sand sloop converted to a sand schooner (and other configurations) now made to a sand or aggregate scow and headed upriver pushed by the mighty 1957 Frances.   Pioneer was hitching a ride to Albany for engine work.

A few dozen miles later, Kevin Oldenburg was ready to get even clearer pics.  It was still rainy but not yet dark.

 

After she rounded Jones Point,

she was soon visible from the Bear Mountain Overlook along Hwy 202.

That’s Iona Island off the port side and

sand sloop/schooner that Pioneer was, she had clearly a small fraction of capacity when compared to her 21st century scow descendants.

Many thanks to Justin Zizes, Jonathan Boulware, Phil Little, Luis Melendez, Kevin Oldenburg, and the Lady of the Harbor for their contributions–made in rainy December conditions–to this post.  By the way, did anyone get photos from W. O. Decker?  Anyone else from any other vantage point?

A previous time we had this many collaborators watching traffic was just over a decade ago and involved sailing barges and a mothership named Flinterborg.

Getting back to the Statue of Liberty cam, “girl with no eyes” made a great song, but it could certainly not be said to refer to our Lady of the sixth boro.

Since I mentioned Dyckman Marina, whatever became of Mon Lei, the Chinese junk formerly owned by Robert “believe it or not” Ripley and recently docked up there at the now defunct-La Marina for a few years?

Lady Liberty called me up last night to apologize for the poor quality of photo she delivered and asked why Pioneer had not hitched a ride on a nicer day.  I was speechless, because what does one say when the Lady calls you up on your personal number??!@#?

 

 

Combi Dock III & Peking Saga 3

No need for much language here.  I started these photos around 0830.  Despite some rain, conditions were ideal for this loading . . . or engulfing.

Here Dorothy J gently moves the antique barque foot by foot closer to Hamburg.

Combo-Dock III, the engulfer, lies in wait.

Robert IV assists when needed.

Without the zoom, I imagined the gentleman with the yellow helmet to stand by on the helm.

We have 20 meters and closing . . .

 

 

 

With big power on minuscule tolerances, Dorothy J eases her in.

 

 

 

The barque floats gently forward in the hold.

Lines to capstans on the heavy lift ship are doing the work, as the tugs stand by until released from service.

 

 

 

 

 

Peking is now engulfed.  Time is about 1130.  Operations to make fast and secure now begin before they head out into the Atlantic for Germany.

Many thanks to Jonathan Kabak and Jonathan Boulware for the floating platform.

All photos here by Will Van Dorp, who is thrilled to have seen this today.

Chrononauts 7b

Ken came up with additional photos of his overnight in the transient slip at South Street Seaport Museum many years ago . . .  so here they are.  Note the Twin Towers in the background.  To the right side of the photo, I’m guessing that’s a mastless Lettie G. Howard and Major General William H. Hart, now languishing along the Arthur Kill.

Here’s a close up of the stick lighter, identified by eastriver as Vernie S. 

Russell Grinell, among other things, was an owner of schooner Pioneer before she came to SSSM.

Here’s Black Pearl in the foreground, with a respectable looking eagle’s figurehead.

And finally, this might be the stern of Anna Christina, which sank in the “perfect storm” as mentioned in this NYTimes article.

Again, many thanks to Ken Deeley for bringing these photos he took from the transient dock several decades ago to the light.  One of my tugster goals is to publish photos like these, bringing them into the  “creative commons.”

 

 

Wavertree Returns 2

Who else greeted Wavertree on the rest of the way home?  John J. Harvey is always in on celebrations.

Lettie G. Howard was there,

as was the helicopter.  Feehan presented herself on the far side of Rae.

Pioneer accounted for

herself with crew in the crosstrees.

Pioneer and Lettie teamed up at times.

Wire showed up.

New York Harbor School had two boats there, including Privateer and their

newest vessel Virginia Maitland Sachs, about which I’ll post soon.

Melvillian throngs came down to the “extremest limit of land” on Pier 15 and 16, for one reason or another, but who were about to be treated to some excellent ship handling.

Rae took the lead, showing the need for tugboats of all sizes.

 

The larger tugs pushed and pulled as needed to ease into the slip

 

until all lines were fast and

and the shoreside work needed doing.

Bravo to all involved.  If you want to take part in a toast to Wavertree, you can buy tickets here for the September 29 evening.

If you haven’t read the NYTimes article by James Barron yet, click here.

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who hopes I left no one out and who as before is grateful to the South Street Seaport Museum and the photographers’ boat provided by US Merchant Marine Academy and crewed by a set of dedicated cadets.

Often folks ask how one can learn about the harbor or is there a book about the sixth boro.  Volunteering at South Street Seaport Museum is a great way available to all to get access to the water, to learn from like-minded folks, and to start on a journey of reading the harbor and its traffic for yourself.  Each volunteer’s journey will be unique, and willing hands make institutions like this museum survive and thrive.

Wavertree Returns 1

Almost exactly 16 months ago, Wavertree left Pier 16 for a lot of work at Caddell Dry Dock.    Here was my set of photos from that day, and here,  subsequent ones at several month intervals.  Yesterday she made way, back to Pier 16.

Here’s looking back west.  Compare the photo below with the third one here to see how much work has been accomplished on the Bayonne Bridge during the same 16 months.

Yesterday, Rae helped, as did

Dorothy J and Robert IV.

The combined age of Rae, Robert IV, and Dorothy J is 139 years, whereas the beautifully restored flagship they escorted in is 131 years old.

And as the tow approached the Statue, John J. Harvey joined in.

 

These photos all by Will Van Dorp, who is grateful to the South Street Seaport Museum and the photographers’ boat provided by US Merchant Marine Academy and crewed by a set of dedicated cadets.

For some interesting history on Wavertree and info on a fundraiser on board on September 29, 2016, click here.  For the story of how Wavertree came from Argentina to New York, read Peter & Norma Stanford’s A Dream of Tall Ships, which I reviewed here some time ago.

More photos of the return tomorrow.

Lettie: Sixth Boro to Gloucester and Return

Here are some posts about Lettie G. Howard.

Want to join the crew for a sail to Gloucester for the 2016 schooner race, be part of the race crew, or help sail the 1893 schooner back to NYC’s sixth boro?

You’d be crew in training, integrated into watch-standing along with her professional crew.

On the return, she stops in New London for the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival.  And all the while, you’d be supporting the good work of South Street Seaport Museum, which has many other unparalleled events coming up in the next few weeks.

Here are the specifics on ticket prices, dates, and itineraries:

NYC to Gloucester | 8/29-9/2: $800.00*

Gloucester Schooner Race | 9/4: $160.00

Gloucester to New London | 9/5-9/9: $800.00

New London to NYC | 9/11-9/13: $480.00

*Sail the first leg and join the race at no additional cost!

To reserve your spot,  email: lettieghoward@seany.org

 

The first and last photos here come from Hannah Basch-Gould;  all the other have been taken by Will Van Dorp, who on these dates will be gallivanting to francophone Canada in search of Champlain’s dream.