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One of these is not like the others . . . and I’ll tell you why later.
By the way, in case you can’t make out the names, it’s Wicomico, Fells Point, and Kings Point.
When I first started this blog, the dominant bunkering company in the sixth boro was K-Sea, and on a given routine day back then, I might have caught three K-Sea boats at work. When the first Vane boat arrived in the boro–was that in 2008 or 2009?–I never expected this many white with blue trim and V on the stack to work here.
Potomac has been in and out of the harbor for over 10 years.
Above and below, it’s Wye River.
And circling back to a tugboat from earlier in the post, enjoy another shot of Fells Point.
All photos, WVD.
My cryptic statement that “one is not like the others” might have you wondering what I meant by that: Wicomico, Potomac, and Wye River are 4200 hp models; the others are 3000 hp.
Thanks for the well-wishes yesterday; the blog marches on with post 5051.
The venerable Frances came past to greet me first . . .
Lots of digital ink has been devoted to Frances on this blog. I even toured her once at the Waterford Tug Roundup.
I watched Potomac and Double Skin 59 made fast alongside Afra Willow as she slowly swung on her hook with the tide change.
Wicomico was outbound with a barge on the wire as
Patapsco had come in
with Double Skin 59 earlier.
And finally, this unidentified truckable tug came in. When she was way out, I imagined her a sailboat.
All photos by Will Van Dorp, who really should spend more time at the Narrows.
Here are the previous posts in this series, and I’m finding that in the four years since the last installment, things have changed . . . and not. Most of these boats haven’t appeared in the previous four. The livery and logo remain the same, but there are some new boats. Can you figure out how two of the following photos differ from then others?
Chesapeake, launched 2006
Once while listening on VHF, I thought there was a new boat in town called “honey creek.”
Hunting Creek, 2011
Quantico Creek, 2010
Wicomico, 2005
Red Hook, 2013
Tangier Island, 2014
Fells Point, 2014
Susquehanna, 2006 with Savannah.
Christian . . . 1981
So, obviously, Christian, being a crew boat, differs from all the others. Another difference, though, is that Chesapeake and Susquehanna were not photographed in the sixth boro. Identifying one location might be easier than the other. Guesses?
By the way, I know I’ve seen Kings Point, but I seem not to have a photo.
Answer soon.
Choptank . . .
Nanticoke again . . .
Wye River . . . though it looks the same as Nanticoke and Choptank.
Christiana . . . is in a different class, for Vane, although she looks a lot like a certain Reinauer.
Chesapeake . . . thought it could be –at least to my eye– either Wye River, Choptank, or Nanticoke.
Wye River . . . although it could be Chesapeake with nameboards switched?? [No, there’s a slight window difference in the wheelhouse.]
The nameboards say Wicomico.
Wicomico again.
Wicomico a third time, passing what looks like Charles D. McAllister.
Patapsco, according to the nameboards.
Brandywine is a twin of Christiana. At 6000 hp, they’re a smidgeon less than 1/3 more hp than the Patapsco class.
Back to the Patapsco class, it’s Bohemia.
Of that class, I’ve yet to see Patuxent, Anacostia, and Severn.
Has there ever been another company that had 15 identical (are there nuances I’ve missed??) tugboats? And on the Patapsco class, why does the forward companionway lead starboard rather than port?
All fotos . . . Will Van Dorp.
Imagine being in rough seas in the upper wheelhouse of Wicomico,
or Gulf Service, or
Volunteer. Air draft of Volunteer is 114 feet.
114 feet! See the two crew standing on the afterdeck below.
So here’s some figuring to take years of rust off my math brain: let’s assume the upper pilothouse is 100 feet from the water, and in rough waters, the vessel pitches and/or rolls 20 degrees. How many feet from top center would a crewman in the house travel with each 20 degree pitch or roll? Answer tomorrow . . . as it may take me that long to do the math.
Photos, WVD.
Anyone not familiar with the waterways (or their names) around Staten Island might cringe upon seeing the name in the title. My students, newcomers to the United States as many of them are . . . see “Arthur Kill” on signs in the area and, besides wondering what the object of the sentence ( Arthur kill who or what?) must be, suppose the parties responsible for the name on the sign have some thuggish perversity, some macabre sense of humor they want no part of. But Arthur Kill it is . . .
A K-Sea, a McAllister, a Reinauer, and a Maria J. Bayonne, NJ barely shows through the drizzle in the distance, and . . .
a social unit of buffleheads swimming in the borderwaters between NYC and Elizabeth, NJ, already come south, while
another K-Sea approaches and a Vane Brothers (Wicomico) heads south. That’s Linden, NJ in the background.
More Arthur Kill soon. All fotos, Will Van Dorp
This title last emerged back in January, mid-winter. Mid-summer returns it. Some rhythms flow and ebb like the tides, energy levels, breathing, the moon. So do movements on the watery boro. Below see sloop Clearwater sailing ‘tween wooded banks, Indy in pursuit, and
below Clearwater motors south ‘tween Manhattan and Weehawken.
Light Vane barge Double Skin 56 ebbs southward, stern first
on the hip of tug Wicomico, Louisiana-built tug named for the river in Maryland and small sibling of Brandywine, (see fantastic launch sequence) and
then the full Double Skin 56 gets pushed northward.
Red Hook’s transformation demonstrates an entirely different rhythm, unidirectional and relentless, as seen from mid July 2007 ….
to late July. By September, I predict the stack and all industrial structure surrounding it will disappear.
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
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