Retro Sixth Boro (and beyond) 30

In fall 2010, deepening dredging was happening in the sixth boro to prepare for the ULCVs now so commonplace here,  after Panama Canal enlargement and Bayonne Bridge raising. These operations afforded me the chance to see a cutterhead close up.  The crewman wielding the hammer was trying to loosen a worn tooth.   By the way, those teeth weigh 35 pounds each.  Teeth . . .  dentist?

Then as now, Layla Renee was in the dredge support trade.  Right now she’s in Charleston.  She was only two years old at the time of the photo.

It looks that way, but W. O. Decker is NOT a dredge tender in this photo.  Here five people on Decker are catching the stare of the one dredge worker in work vest.

The entire K-Sea fleet has disappeared.  As of 2020, Falcon has become Carol and I’ve not yet seen her latest livery.  Houma was scrapped in 2017 in Baltimore.

Here are two of the McAllister tugs involved in easing MSC’s USNS Sisler (T-AKR 311)into Bayonne drydock as then-John P. Brown manages the door.  For many more photos of the event, check out “floating the door,” where you also see Allied’s Sea Raven, unlabelled.

I caught Growler at Mystic Seaport that fall.  Rumor has it that Growler has returned to the sixth boro under a new name and sans teeth, but is under wraps.

Also in Mystic at that time, 1885 steam/sail vessel Amazon (has nothing to do with Bezos), the 2000 Amistad, and the 1908 steamer Sabino.  Does anyone know the whereabouts of Amazon today?

My reason to be in Mystic that October was to work on Pegasus, seen here with Araminta and Cangarda.  What works of beauty all three are!

Deborah Quinn here is docked near where Jakobson Shipyard used to be located.  I believe that’s her location as of this writing.

Under the old Bayonne bridge, Maurania III assumes position to ease the 1997 Maersk Kokura around Bergen Point.  Maurania III is currently in Wilmington NC.

Back a decade ago, Day Peckinpaugh had some good paint on her, and Frances was like a cocoon in Turecamo livery.  There’s scuttlebutt of a new lease on life for Day Peckinpaugh.

Let’s end with dredging, as we began.  Terrapin Island was one of the regulars in the navigation dredging effort.  Terrapin Island is currently in Norfolk.

All photos, October 2010, by WVD.

Big announcement soon.

 

Two T-AKRs

This weekend the Upper Bay portion of the sixth boro cradled two “fast logistics ships” or “Large, Medium-speed, Roll-on/Roll-off Ships” (aka T-AKR, although I’ve no idea how that alpha indicator relates to those descriptors;  LMSR would make more sense.)  at the same time, one off Fort Wadsworth, below) and the other

off Owl’s Head fishing pier.  The T-AKR above–USNS Sisler T-AKR-311–was preparing for sea trials at the end of her refurb period, and the one below–USNS Watkins T-AKR-315 was preparing to enter the graving dock in Bayonne to begin hers.  Sisler was launched in 1998, and Watkins, 2000, both by NASSCO in San Diego.

I also have questions about the relationship between the MSC–to which these vessels belong–and USNS, unless it is that technically all “ships” serving the USN are referred to as USNS.

Framing from memory, I took what were intended as identical photos of each.

 

I’m not sure when Sisler will return from her sea trials or

when Watkins will exit the graving dock.

I’m wondering if Sisler will be back in for a final coat of gray to cover what appears to be a primer coat.

 

All photos by Will Van Dorp, whose previous posts of T-AKRs can be found here.

 

Random Ships 69

Let’s start with Alice Oldendorff, inbound with a hold full of Nova Scotia stone and about to turn to starboard on her (almost) final approach to Brooklyn.   Alice and I have a long history.

YM Wind makes the final approach her into Global Terminals, her first call at sixth boro docks.  In contrast above, Alice has already made hundreds of calls here, always transporting aggregates. Visible assisting Wind are Alex McAllister and Ava M. McAllister.

E. R. Montecito is a large ship, but containers are stacked 17 across, versus 20 across for Wind above.

Undine here takes on bunkers and other supplies.  The small black/red/white vessel long her stern is Twin Tube, the venerable 1951 harbor supply vessel. In dry dock in the distance it’s USNS Sisler.

MOL Emissary travels the last few miles before Port Elizabeth.

Uniquely named tanker Forties waits in the Stapleton anchorage.

COSCO Vietnam enters the Kills and passes Houston at the dock.

Since Kriti Amber is Greek-flagged, I’m guessing that’s a variation on “Crete,” but that only conjecture.

QM2 takes on fuel while transferring passengers on the port side.

And let’s call it a day with Unique Explorer.

All photos recently by Will Van Dorp, who considers himself fortunate to live in this large port.