As we moved away from the dock, we got a good view of the World War Two veteran aircraft carrier Intrepid.

Heading downriver, we passed the retired, now privately owned fire boat John J. Harvey and the also privately owned lightship Frying Pan. Six years ago I was on a cruise on the tugboat Cornell when we were called on to pull Harvey, then stuck on a mudbank, free. I recorded the incident on video. The large structure behind Frying Pan is the Starrett-Lehigh Building, (Cory & Cory, Yasuo Matsui; 1931), a striking adaptation of some elements of art deco architecture, such as rounded corners, continuous horizontal strip windows, and varying brick colors, to an industrial and warehouse structure.

Continuing down the Hudson, we saw another former government vessel now in private hands, the lightship tender Lilac. Behind her is the Borough of Manhattan Community College and the towers of the Independence Plaza housing complex.

Passing the tip of lower Manhattan we saw a skyline dominated by the new One World Trade Center (David Childs/SOM; completion expected later this year) and the newly opened Four World Trade Center (Fumihiko Maki, 2013). The low, white building on the shoreline below One WTC is City Pier A, built in the 1880s and expanded in 1900 and 1919. It was used at different times for police and fire boats, lay derelict for many years, and is now being rehabilitated as a venue for restaurants.

Looking up the East River, we could see the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, as the sightseeing boat Robert Fulton went by.

We headed through the Buttermilk Channel, which lies between Brooklyn and Governors Island. The retired harbor tanker Mary A. Whalen, purchased and restored by PortSide New York, is docked at a pier on the Brooklyn side. In the background, above Mary’s wheelhouse, is the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building (Halsey, McCormack and Helmer, 1929), for many years Brooklyn’s tallest.

A double-crested cormorant was perched atop a buoy.

Heading across the harbor, we passed the ferry terminal on Staten Island and the ferry Spirit of America.

Entering the Kill Van Kull, which lies between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey, we passed the tug Brian Nicholas pushing two barges, one loaded and one empty, lashed side-by-side.

The tanker Skopelos was docked on the Bayonne side. In the background, to the right, is a wind turbine; an effort to reduce the demand for the fossil fuel tankers carry.

King Duncan, another tanker, was berthed just beyond Skopelos.

The World War Two veteran destroyer escort U.S.S. Slater was undergoing maintenance at Caddell Dry Dock and Repair Company, Inc. on the Staten Island side. There’s an article about Slater’s stay at Cadell’s, ending with a photo showing her after completion, sporting her bold camouflage, here. Slater is now back in Albany, where she serves as a floating museum.

A short way past Caddell’s we passed under the Bayonne Bridge, which is being raised to allow the gargantuan container ships now going into service to pass under it. The project is being done in stages, so as to keep the bridge open to traffic except during late night hours. Photo by my wife.

After the bridge, we turned into Newark Bay, and passed the outbound container ship MSC Arushi R., escorted by the tug Miriam Moran.

After MSC Arushir came Don Jon Marine’s Caitlin Ann, pushing an empty barge.

Maersk Pittsburgh was docked at Port Elizabeth.

Another Don Jon tug, Mary Alice, was headed up Newark Bay.

Ital Laguna was docked at Maher Terminals, Port Elizabeth. The First Watchung Mountain can be seen in the distance.

Elizabeth McAllister was also heading up the Bay,

Endurance, docked at Port Newark, is a rarity these days; a large civilian cargo ship flying the U.S. flag. She is a RO-RO (Roll On-Roll Off) ship, and is used to transport equipment and supplies to U.S. forces abroad.

Heading back toward the Kill Van Kull, we passed Ellen McAllister. The tug’s low profile suggests she may sometimes be used on inland waterways with low clearances.

MSC Bruxelles was docked at Port Newark.

As we came alongside Maersk Pittsburgh we saw St. Andrews, the tug that had brought the barge from which Pittsburgh was taking on fuel. Note the scrape marks on the ship’s hull.

Another view of the Bayonne Bridge as we headed back toward the Kill Van Kull.

The tug Houma passed us just before we reached the bridge.

We passed the Moran tug fleet’s Staten Island home port. Laura K. Moran and two other tugs were docked there.

A little farther along was the Reinauer dock, where Dean Reinauer and Kristy Ann Reinauer waited for their next assignments.

Traffic was heavy on the Kill Van Kull as we headed out. Ahead of us was Northstar Marine’s barge Northstar 140, towed by Reliable.

Here’s a better view of Reliable as we overtook the tug and her tow.

With the New York City skyline as a background, Bouchard’s B.No.280, escorted by Charles D. McAllister, headed up the Kill Van Kull.

Power behind B.No.280 was supplied by Ellen S. Bouchard.

Then came Manhasset Bay…

…which was easily overtaking Paul Andrew pushing a barge.

We encountered three tugs in succession towing barges “on the hip”; first Brooklyn, …

…then Sassafras, …

…then Gulf Dawn.

We almost overtook MSC Arushi R., which we had passed earlier as we entered Newark Bay, as she left the Kill Van Kull headed for the Narrows and the Atlantic.

As we left the Kill Van Kull and rounded Constable Hook, we passed the Bayonne Golf Club, with its faux lighthouse club building (2006). The Scottish style links were built atop what previously was a waste disposal landfill. 

The container ship Positano, sitting light with no visible cargo, was docked at Bayonne’s Military Ocean Terminal.

Just past Positano was the U.S. Naval Ship Watkins, undergoing maintenance work at the Bayonne Dry Dock & Repair Corporation’s graving dock.

The cruise ship Explorer of the Seas was moored at the Cape Liberty Cruise Port, Bayonne. The Kirby tug Lincoln Sea and a barge were docked at the end of the pier.

After passing Bayonne, we saw the majestic skyline of … Jersey City, with Lady Liberty in the middle.

Hearing a droning noise overhead, I looked up and saw a World War Two vintage B-17 flying by. 

The Colgate Clock, on the Jersey City shoreline, is a memory from my childhood, when I passed it several times on ships leaving from or arriving at New York. The building on which it once sat has been demolished; fortunately, the clock (Seth Thomas, 1924) has been preserved.  We were right on time; our cruse started at 11:00 a.m. and was scheduled to last two hours.

As we approached our dock, I saw kayaks near Intrepid’s stern.

Source: Self-Absorbed Boomer
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/tzVM/~3/_gwLogl8zyo/photos-from-hidden-harbor-tour.html

United Photo Industries, Photo District News, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Flash Forward Festival have announced the selected Photographers for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Fence, which will be unveiled Thursday June 13, and will be up throughout the summer, leading up to Photoville in the Fall.

Thousands of photos were submitted for the contest, with winners on the Photoville site, in the following categories: people, play, creatures, streets and home.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/59479

The Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica), of which there are many on Piers 1 and 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park, are beginning to bloom (see maps for locations here). So, just like last year, BBP is having a contest for the best bluebell photos. Contest details are here.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/58801

The consummate photograph that newspapers around the world are using to illustrate Lower Manhattan’s Monday night blackout from Hurricane Sandy—not surprisingly—was taken from our Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

New York-based Associated Press photojournalist Bebeto Matthews took the pic, which has appeared in papers across the U.S., as well as New Zealand, Norway, France, Wales, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, India, Germany, Malaysia… on and on. The AP caption reads, in part: “Lower Manhattan goes dark during superstorm Sandy, Oct. 29, as seen from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade in the Brooklyn borough of New York. One World Trade Center, background center, remains brightly lit.” Larger view below.

Personal harumph… If ya ask me, your BHB correspondent’s pic, taken just after dawn Tuesday morning and posted here, trumps Mr. Matthews’ image. Hey, I’m here to serve youse…

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50676

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49306

It was Christmas in August at 5 Montague Terrace on Monday, as the beautiful brownstone was utilized for a print shoot—complete with fresh pine ornamentation, poinsettias, a wreath on the door and (faux) snow in the windows—for a fourth-quarter T.J. Maxx print campaign. Sadly, the comely models standing on the street to the side of the stairwell declined BHB’s request for photos… It appears they insist upon compen$sation for $miles.
(Photo: Chuck Taylor)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/46438

The always intriguing Ephemeral New York, which “chronicles an ever-changing city through faded and forgotten artifacts,” has deemed the neon sign outside the St. George Hotel one of “New York’s coolest vintage liquor store signs.” It joins age-old comrades in the West Village, 14th Street & Eighth Avenue and the Lower East Side.

Of course, there is no actual Hotel St. George Liquor Store today. The recently renovated Michael Towne Wine & Spirits at 73 Clark Street below the sign is anything but “shabby,” as Ephemeral describes the still-working red neon booze banner, adding, “You probably won’t find organic wines or imported microbrews in these old-school city liquor stores. Their shabby vintage signs tell us they’re traditional neighborhood shops where you can pick up decent booze at decent prices.”

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/43875

After rolling around for 10 minutes, I had to agree with my friend and decided to register my concerns with the organizers on-site and with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. This afternoon I was pleased to discover that my complaint was taken seriously. The two barriers that I was most concerned about were completely addressed. Thank you Photoville, Brooklyn Bridge Park in the BBP Conservancy for responding and creating an accessible event!

Without turning this posting into a complete recitation of my concerns and what transpired, there was more than a 2-inch drop down to get into the exhibit from the bike path and the cargo containers where the photos were being displayed all had a step. As you can probably imagine, I was quite annoyed with this discovery. While I appreciate that Dave from Photoville was trying to assist in offering to help with my wheelchair into the containers, is simply not a good idea. Lifting a 400-pound wheelchair is dangerous at best and is only acceptable under the Americans with Disabilities Act in the most extreme and unusual circumstances. When I got home later that evening, I wrote an email of complaint outlining the barriers.

As I arrived at the exhibit today, I really did not know what to expect. On the one hand, people had assured me that the problems would be fixed. On the other hand, reasonable plans to address wheelchair accessibility had not been thought through completely. Thankfully, when I arrived today my first discovery was that the 2 inch bump from the bike path had been abated.  Immediately I knew this was a good sign. Shortly, I found Laura Roumanos, who is the co-founder of Photoville, and she seemed pleased that I had made the effort to return. Laura offered to get the newly acquired portable ramp and assist me to get into the various exhibits in the cargo containers. We ended up having an interesting conversation as she gave me a guided tour of the installation.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/43328

The Photoville exhibit located along the uplands of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 3 from June 22 to July 1, has added a rustic touch to the Brooklyn Heights waterfront. In fact, it makes the former powder blue warehouses that lined the locale look downright charming.

Brooklyn-based art cooperative United Photo Industries’ “photographic village” comprises 30 enervated metal shipping containers offering a “celebration of photography,” alongside exhibitions, lectures, hands-on workshops, nighttime projections, a mini dog run and beer garden.

A look down from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, however, reveals a scene that looks more like the remains of Kurt Russell’s apocalyptic 1981 film “Escape from New York.”

RELATED: TK Small Gets Results: Exhibit Made More Accessible

The Photoville website describes its mission as “a Brooklyn-born, art-presenting cooperative dedicated to identifying, harnessing and occasionally conjuring unexpected exhibition opportunities. All in the name of fostering conversation, championing new directions in photography and cultivating ties within an ever-expanding, globe-trotting community of photographers.”

(Photos: Chuck Taylor)

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/43300