Archive for the ‘DonJon’ Category
shared obeisances
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On this Maritime Sunday, witness the struggles of the Thomas D. Witte tug as it manages a barge into place on the lamentable Newtown Creek. That’s the City’s “Newtown Creek Dock”, tenanted by the mill of the titanic SimsMetal operation.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In a distant era, this locale was the home of the LIRR’s infamous Manure Dock, where a 30 foot high pile of the stuff would have awaited disposition to agricultural clients further east. Recycling, it seems, has a centuried history along the Newtown Creek.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The narrowness of the great canal creates a series of issues for tug and barge combinations along the Newtown Creek and always has. There used to be a specialist company, Newtown Creek Towing, which was located nearby the Vernon Avenue Bridge.
A hearty Maritime Sunday shout out to DonJon towing and the crew of the Thomas D. Witte is offered.
Also:
Remember that event in the fall which got cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy?
The “Up the Creek” Magic Lantern Show presented by the Obscura Society NYC is back on at Observatory.
Click here or the image below for more information and tickets.
heavy articles
“follow” me on Twitter at @newtownpentacle
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just a short one today, the tug Mary Alice rolling along at twilight. Back tomorrow with something a bit more substantial, but today must be spent with loved ones as the world soon ends.
Only 12 days left until the 13th b’ak’tun ends, initiating the Mayan Apocalypse on December 21st, after all.
spaces and travelers
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Lonely and alienated, your humble narrator nevertheless enjoys several safe harbors where pitying hosts allow me a chance to sit and recover from my endless marching across the great human hive. One of these spots is the North Brooklyn Boat Club in DUPBO, where the tug Cheyenne recently revealed itself to me. Cheyenne is employed by DonJon Marine, and on this day was hitched up to two recycling barges- likely coming from the SimsMetal dock adjoining the Dutch Kills tributary of the loquacious and far larger Newtown Creek. Welcome to yet another Maritime Sunday, at this, your Newtown Pentacle.
Built in 1965, by Ira S. Bushey and Sons of Brooklyn, New York (hull #628) as the tug Glenwood for Red Star Towing.
In 1970, she was acquired by Spentonbush Towing where she was renamed as the Cheyenne
The tug was later acquired by Amerada Hess where she retained her name.
She was then acquired by Empire Harbor Marine where the tug retained her name. The company would later be renamed as Port Albany Ventures.
In 2009, Port Albany Ventures was acquired by the DonJon Marine Company of Hillside, New Jersey.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The mast on Cheyenne was rigged backward, no doubt to allow passage under the Pulaski Bridge without having to waste time waiting for the bridge operators to open the span. The captain is quite visible in the wheel house, and he sounded a couple of toots to the crew at North Brooklyn Boat Club. He did seem aghast when I came into view, but who could blame anyone for reacting in shock to the sort of shambling mess and crude imposture which stares back at me from the mirror.
from donjon.com
Founded in 1964 by Mr. J. Arnold Witte, Donjon’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Donjon Marine’s principal business activities were marine salvage, marine transportation, and related services. Today Donjon Marine is a true provider of multifaceted marine services. Donjon’s controlled expansion into related businesses such as dredging, ferrous and non-ferrous recycling and heavy lift services are a natural progression, paralleling our record of solid technical and cost-effective performance.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Cheyenne fled the scene, no doubt alerting the authorities to the weird habitation witnessed in DUPBO. Regardless of the thunder struck expression on the Captain’s face, another of the dread realizations that a sailor’s life holds, a hearty Maritime Sunday shout out is nevertheless offered.
from donjon.com
DIMENSIONS: Length Overall: 83.0 ft./ 25.30 m
CONSTRUCTION: All Steel
PROPULSION & STEERING: Main Engines: Single Screw Fairbanks Morse Diesel 1,800 bhp
Also- Upcoming tours…
for an expanded description of the October 13th Kill Van Kull tour, please click here
for an expanded description of the October 20th Newtown Creek tour, please click here
frequent references
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Maritime Sunday rolls around once more at this, your Newtown Pentacle, and a humble narrator will remain uncharacteristically terse for a change. All week have I tormented you, lords and ladies, with electioneering and political intrigues and I do believe that we’ve arrived at a juncture where a few simple photographs should be called upon to do the talking. A few tugboats should do the trick.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It has been a busy week- meetings at and about sewer plants, conversations and presentations about titanic bridges being deconstructed and the community amenities which will accompany their replacements, just yesterday I found myself at no less than three distinct events at and upon the Newtown Creek itself, and on top of all this a social event in Manhattan which I was called on to photograph. I actually cannot remember all which was witnessed, said, and done at this moment- and will have to rely upon the hundreds of photos recently deposited on my hard drive to reconstruct my activities.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As you read this, I’m likely on my way to a certain destination, well outside of my normal “beat”. An attempt to have a little fun on one of the few weekend days not occupied with the tours and other obligations which have otherwise consumed much of my attention over the last few months. Exploring the unknown, or at least the barely known, has not been a luxury enjoyed since the early spring. One desperately craves wholesome excitement and ribald adventure.
perils faced
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Simple of mind, your humble narrator is always overjoyed when a previously unrecorded Tug passes in front of me. This time around, it’s the Mary Alice operated by Donjon Towing. Extensive operations performed by the corporations boats upon my beloved Newtown Creek have been discussed frequently at this, your Newtown Pentacle, and usage of the search box at the upper right hand corner of this page will reveal many of them to those who typed “Donjon” into it’s text field.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
If horses could swim well, it would take 3,000 of them to equal the output of this Tug’s engines, which drive the hundred foot long and 40 foot high boat through the Kill Van Kull along with its barge. A home town girl, Mary Alice was built in 1974.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As she passed me by, the comical windmill generator in Jersey- rising over the oil tanks- came into view. For a while, I’ve been wondering if it was put there to provide comic relief to, or just taunt, the petrochemical companies located on the Kill Van Kull. That’s this week’s Maritime Sunday, Lords and Ladies.
The Newtown Pentacle 