New Sixth Boro Fishing Machines

Although the sixth boro may see its first snowfall today, it’s not winter for over a month yet.  Winter fishing, though, has seen lots of posts on this blog.  But here’s a focus on something new for me.  See the fishing machine in the photo below?

Here’s a closer up, a set of photos I took a month ago.  I’ll call it a hands-free kayak.

Nearby and maybe chasing the same school of fish was another.

And they’re geared out:  high-visibility flag, beach trolley wheels, outrigger, spare paddle, rod holders, landing net . . . and likely electronics. .  .

Has anyone reading this tried out a “hands-free” kayak?

Just the other day I saw so many hands-free fishing kayaks that at first I thought it was a tour, but these fisherfolk seem just follow following the fish, as the folks in the motorboats are.

 

I didn’t see anyone land a fish, but I wonder how much pull a large fish could apply to the kayak.

Below a a view out to sea, with a southbound Tammo and core sampling Seacor Supporter.

I have an ulterior motive in posting this: I’m considering a long kayak trip and wonder if for long trips a pedal kayak would be more efficient than a conventional one.  Can you really pedal for an hour and then switch and paddle, moving for longer periods  of time by alternating the part of the body at work?

All photos by Will Van Dorp, who bought his first kayak back in 1987.

Riverbanks 10

Here are previous installments focusing on background.

Sometimes the partial reveal and the juxtaposition highlight what’s on the shorelines, like those triple deckers in Bayonne that would blend in perfectly in many 19th century mill towns.

Or the hugely forgotten Singer plant in Elizabeth, hugely forgotten by most residents of Elizabeth, that is.  Imagine, if someone could turn the clock back on that one, 10,000 people would have manufacturing jobs . . . either sewing machines, or

weaponry of all sorts.

 

But one detail on the bank over by the NJ-side of the Bridge caught my attention.  So I thought these beams would be trucked from the disappearing bridge to a scrapping yard.  How surprised I was when the crane lifted the beam off the truck not 1000 feet from where they’d been on duty for decades and

lowered them

one after the other

to what might be a series of trucks below.  I can’t quite see what becomes of the beams on the ground at Bergen Point.  And I think that’s the Passaic small boat.  ??

 

All photos by Will Van Dorp.  Keep your eyes open and stay safe.

Random Tugs 182

Margot nears Troy with the Lockwood Bros barge from back in October. Watch the variety of backgrounds in this post, too.

Jay Michael a few days ago passes by Con Hook.

Amy C McAllister rounds the southern tip of Manhattan towing a capacious cargo barge Columbia Baltimore, capable of carrying 690 tees..

Betty D light crosses the Upper Bay.   I didn’t say “Betty Delight,”  but the possibility for misunderstanding is there.

Brendan Turecamo escorts Tammo inbound from the island of Jamaica.

Fort McHenry waits over by IMTT.

Sarah D pushes in some upstate rock.

Fells Point crosses the Upper Bay bound for the Kills.

And to finish with a photo from September, it’s Rae, standing by for the move of Wavertree.

All photos by will Van Dorp.