Government Boats 27b

These fotos come from Phil Little, who took them from Weehawken.  They complement the ones taken by bowsprite and published here a week ago.  A strong ebb tide appears to be moving the big gray New York very quickly toward the Intrepid pier, but

the dance of three coordinated tugs makes the departure a study of efficiency, although–as Phil suggests, “there may have been some brow-mopping after they got LPD-21 straightened out” and proceeding southward bound for sea.

And here, thanks to my sister on Maraki, two landing craft exit a lock on the Erie Canal a few months back.  Does anyone know their story?

Thanks much to Phil Little–showing closer-ups of Robert E. and Ellen McAllister and Resolute, here’s a differently cropped version of foto #1–

and the Maraki crew for these fotos.

Government Boats 27

What on earth–or on the river–could cause all these NYWaterways ferries to stick so close to the terminal?  Like fish in a weir . . . must be something big around . . . although I see no vessel between Resolute and Robert E. McAllister on AIS . . .

Praise the day!  Bowsprite–who loves gray or otherwise stealthy and can sometimes clear away the miasma and draw them, if you ask her nicely– ascended to a rooftop yesterday to see what MIGHT lurk between the two aforementioned tugboats.

Here is the current bearer of that name, but there’ve been at least six prior iterations.

She passes the clock–now being restored–and the light

but I was not there.  So here’s my chance to place another government boat in the proximity of Robbins Reef.

Bowsprite, my favorite harbor illustrator,  snapped all fotos except this last one above–of USACE Hayward–which I took.

For another of her ink renderings of sixth boro details, click here.

9/10/11

If you have a chance to get to Pier 25 in Lower Manhattan, you should see Carolina Salguero‘s Maritime 9/11 exhibit on steamer Lilac.  Click here for info.

Also, check out this very moving 12-minute video called Boatlift, an effort to evacuate Lower Manhattan 10 years ago using the fastest, safest route out.  In the past week, New York harbor aka the sixth boro has seen a large vessel as

well as these small ones, RIBs.   They seem to be everywhere, but

maybe it’s just a few flying hither and yon

actively intercepting

anyone in the wrong place.  That’s QM2 leaving town after being escorted across the Upper Bay last week.

Try intruding on a safety zone and

these folks will intercept you in the most

convincing and

intimidating fashion.

No matter the time and weather . . . and

the sixth boro’s seen enough weather of late to take on Mississippi mud colors…

these patrol vessels zoom around.

along with RBMs (in the distance) and vessels

of other agencies like NYPD.

I’m not posting tomorrow.  I’m going off to a meditative place.  The closing foto today comes thanks to Capt. Justin Zizes.  Thanks, Justin.

A parting thought . .  I think it’s possible that folks who have never lived in NYC might have a hard time understanding New Yorkers.  I’m just a transplant here, but I understand the sentiments described in this NYTimes article by N. R. Kleinfield.

All fotos except the last one by Will Van Dorp.

9/9/11

Knowing what I knew, Maurania III headed up to the North River–where recently she raced– could only mean one thing, especially

given her accompaniment by Ellen and Elizabeth, also wearing the canvas frocks.  What it meant was that

USS New York  had done its local doing and was

bound for sea.  We’re two days off the one decade anniversary of

quite the tragedy.

By the way, I’m with Bloomberg on this one: please stop calling it ground zero.  Let’s move on because time has moved on.

Also, for the record, we have a local election in my voting district, and I will hang up every time pollsters call and ask if I feel less or more secure now than before 9/11.  It’s a stupid question.  IMHO, be vigilant, but there NEVER is such a thing as complete security, although I’m grateful for those who endeavor to keep us secure.

Period.  Hope you liked the fotos of USS New York leaving for sea after paying respects.  Fotos by Will Van Dorp.

USS New York

See Bowsprite’s POV here.  What’s my version of events?  What’s my  story?

Actually what are the stories?

There are many, as

is always the case.  Here and here are links too.   Leave a comment with yours?  Some people call this crowd-sourcing;  broadcast media have done this all along, calling it interviewing reduced to sound bites.

Remembrance and promise and

technology and

fears and

much more, wrapped in a 1.4 billion dollar package.  A complex tale . . . plowshares beaten into swords?  I wanted to put these fotos up quick before hurrying to work.  Tomorrow and maybe Wednesday . . . more fotos.

Many many thanks to Lt. Scott Rae of Sturgeon Bay.   Thanks Pamela for passing along the invite.

<<written 10 days hence ..  . see Bowsprite’s farewell USS  New York here.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.  See Rick Old Salt for visitation hours on LPD 21.