Posts Tagged ‘ny harbor’
symbolism and phantasm
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another item in my “catch-up” file was when I got to witness the redoubtable employees of Consolidated Edison blowing off some steam at the South Street Seaport back in June.
from wikipedia
SS Normandie was an ocean liner built in Saint-Nazaire, France for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. She entered service in 1935 as the largest and fastest passenger ship afloat; she is still the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built.
Her novel design and lavish interiors led many to consider her the greatest of ocean liners. Despite this, she was not a commercial success and relied partly on government subsidy to operate. During service as the flagship of the CGT, she made 139 transatlantic crossings westbound from her home port of Le Havre to New York and one fewer return. Normandie held the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing at several points during her service career, during which the RMS Queen Mary was her chief rival.
During World War II, Normandie was seized by the United States authorities at New York and renamed USS Lafayette. In 1942, the liner caught fire while being converted to a troopship, capsized and sank at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal. Although salvaged at great expense, restoration was deemed too costly and she was scrapped in October 1946.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A zone of the greater city that I normally avoid like the plague, South Street Seaport is a tourist mecca which also happens to host a museum. Said museum had initiated an event wherein the vast sonics of the legendary SS Normandie would be activated and displayed for the public.
from youtube
and at travelfilmarchive.com there’s this great newsreel clip that tells the Normandie story
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The engineers of ConEd informed me that these pipes and hoses were connected into the high pressure steam lines that underlie lower Manhattan, and were carrying 150 PSI of steam to the Normadie’s whistle.
The NY Times folks were in attendance, apparently, so here’s what the professionals said.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Knowing the effects that high pressure steam might evince upon the human body, I stepped backwards a few feet, but in reality- if anything went wrong, there would be pieces of me found across the river in Brooklyn.
from wikipedia
The New York Steam Company began providing service in lower Manhattan in 1882. Today, Consolidated Edison operates the largest commercial steam system in the world, now known as Con Edison Steam Operations, providing steam service to nearly 2,000 customers and serving more than 100,000 commercial and residential establishments in Manhattan from the Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan to 96th Street uptown. Roughly 30 billion lbs. (just under 13.64 megatons) of steam flow through the system every year.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A small crowd of dignitaries gathered, and the ConEd guys gave the go ahead for the Normandie’s phantom to sound its voice.
from wikipedia
Regular cricket matches were held near Fulton Market in 1780 when the British Army based itself in Manhattan during the American Revolution. Robert Fulton became famous for his steamship in 1809 though he did spend time in Paris during the American Revolution.
Fulton Street is named for Robert Fulton, an engineer instrumental in the development of steam ships in the United States. Ferries connected Manhattan across the East River to Fulton Street in Brooklyn.
The street has a Beaux-Arts architectural feel with many buildings dating back to the Gilded Age or shortly thereafter. The early 19th century buildings on the south side of the easternmost block are called Schermerhorn Row and are a Registered Historic Place.
The Fulton Fish Market was located nearby at the South Street Seaport until 2005, when it moved to Hunts Point in The Bronx.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At this distance, as the scalar waves of sound were reflecting off the building walls and masonry clad street, it sounded for all the world as if the gates of hell had just fallen off their hinges and that demon trumpeters were signaling the impending war of apocalypse.
from wikipedia
A steam whistle is a device used to produce sound with the aid of live steam, which acts as a vibrating system [1] (compare to train horn). The whistle consists of the following main parts, as seen on the drawing: the whistle bell (1), the steam orifice or aperture (2), and the valve (9).
When the lever (10) is pulled, the valve opens and lets the steam escape through the orifice. The steam will alternately compress and rarefy in the bell, creating the sound. The pitch, or tone, is dependent on the length of the bell; and also how far the operator has opened the valve. Some locomotive engineers invented their own style of whistling.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Your humble narrator has often found himself vulnerable and sensitive to high volumes, and has noted a curious phenomena in the presence of extreme loudness. The visual field narrows, as one’s brain attempts to make sense of the overload of auditory information, which has been remarked upon scientifically by insurance industry specialists who describe a similar effect when one drives an automobile with loud music playing and it’s corollary of higher accident rates.
from straightdope.com
It’s been well documented that jets of high-pressure gas (which is what superheated steam is) can cause injuries even without the added complication of heat. OSHA warns against possible amputation from high-pressure gas and limits air pressure for industrial cleaning to 30 PSI. High-pressure gases can easily penetrate the skin, especially via an existing cut or wound, and potentially lead to gas embolism–bubbles in the bloodstream that can migrate to the heart, lungs, or brain and cause serious trouble. U.S. Army medical reports tell of numerous gas-penetration injuries suffered during training with blank firearm rounds. Just 12 PSI can likely pop your eyeball from its socket. Less than 80 PSI of air from 12 inches away reportedly swelled up a woodworker’s hand “to the size of a grapefruit.” One source reports that high-pressure nitrogen cut into a worker’s leg like a knife, and other references warn that high-pressure gases can cut fingers, toes, and other body parts. Again, I didn’t find an actual case of high-pressure gas cutting anyone in half, but it’s not going out on much of a limb to say it sure would smart.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Such incidences of altered perception are commonly encountered at festival concerts, and military science is exploring the strategic use of sonics as we speak. Modern Cruise ships are equipped with sonic devices used to deter piracy, and the United States military possesses an inventory of experimental “non lethal” sonics.
from wikipedia
The Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) is a crowd-control and hailing device developed by LRAD Corporation.
According to the manufacturer’s specifications, the equipment weighs 45 pounds (20 kg) and can emit sound in a 30° beam (only at high frequency, 2.5 kHz) from a device 83 centimetres (33 in) in diameter. At maximum level, it can emit a warning tone that is 146 dBSPL (1,000 W/m2) at 1 metre. The maximum usable design range extends to 300 metres. At 300 metres, the warning tone (measured) is less than 90 dB.
The Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) is a crowd-control and hailing device developed by LRAD Corporation.According to the manufacturer’s specifications, the equipment weighs 45 pounds (20 kg) and can emit sound in a 30° beam (only at high frequency, 2.5 kHz) from a device 83 centimetres (33 in) in diameter. At maximum level, it can emit a warning tone that is 146 dBSPL (1,000 W/m2) at 1 metre. The maximum usable design range extends to 300 metres. At 300 metres, the warning tone (measured) is less than 90 dB.
Note: Friend of the Pentacle, chronicler of the sixth borough. and oddly peaceful guy Will Van Dorp from tugster was standing right next to me when he recorded the following video.
Now, I didn’t ask him if it was OK to link to his video, but I don’t think he’ll mind if y’all just take a peek…
harbor shots
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At the start of June, your humble narrator was offered the rare chance to act as… a humble narrator.
Nobody of more august character was available, I supposed, when the Working Harbor Committee asked me if I would be interested in speaking during a Circle Line cruise.
Wow.
from wikipedia
Circumnavigation of Manhattan became possible in 1905 with the construction of the Harlem Ship Canal, the first regularly scheduled trip being the Tourist captained by John Roberts in 1908.
On June 15, 1945 Frank Barry, Joe Moran and other partners merged several sightseeing boats to form the Circle Line operating out of Battery Park.
In 1955 it began operating at its current Pier 83 location. In 1962 it bought the Hudson River Day Line.
In 1981 the two companies split.
In 1988 the 42nd Street company bought World Yachts operating upscale dining cruises from Chelsea Piers. In 1998 the 42nd Street company also launched The Beast, a speedboat ride which takes tourists around the Statue of Liberty and goes 45 mph.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
An eerie quiet came over me when the microphone was first passed over, and panic quickly overcame any attempt at “being cool”. Luckily, veteran MC John Doswell of the Working Harbor Committee rescued a drowning man. By the second tour of the day, I managed to catch a little of his “vibe” and followed the narrative he supplied after my disappointing showing on the first tour. While John was speaking I managed to grab a few interesting shots. The fireboat above, for instance, is the FDNY’s newly minted 343 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
from nycfireboat.com
Because of the very real threat of additional terrorist attacks after 9/11/01, the boats will also be capable of protecting firefighters from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear agents (CBRN). While performing in any of these hostile environments, the crew will be protected in a pressurized area that will also have it’s air supply filtered by special charcoal and HEPA filters.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As always, the Empire State Building commands the scene from both the East River…
from wikipedia
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, and includes the largest concentration of restored early 19th-century commercial buildings in the city. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping and nightlife, with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge. At the entrance to the Seaport is the Titanic Memorial lighthouse.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
And from the North- or lower Hudson- River. There is a satisfaction to the design of this structure, a governing and massive esthetic that has always drawn me. Center stage is where it belongs, IMHO, with the rest of the skyline of Manhattan descending in bilateral asymmetries around it. Empire State and its nearby rival- the Chrysler Building- are what skyscrapers should look like.
from wikipedia
The building design most closely associated with New York City is the skyscraper, whose introduction and widespread adoption saw New York buildings shift from the low-scale European convention to the vertical rise of business districts.
As of August 2008, New York City has 5,538 highrise buildings,[70] with 50 completed skyscrapers taller than 656 feet (200 m). This is more than any other city in United States, and second in the world behind Hong Kong. New York has architecturally noteworthy buildings in a wide range of styles. These include the Woolworth Building (1913), an early gothic revival skyscraper built with massively scaled gothic detailing able to be read from street level several hundred feet below. The 1916 Zoning Resolution required setback in new buildings, and restricted towers to a percentage of the lot size, to allow sunlight to reach the streets below.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Traffic observed on the Hudson included this tug, the Shannon Dann heading South. 96 feet long, 31 feet high, and blessed with 2 2,400 HP engines- it’s hitched to a Lehigh Cement barge, slipping it past the Marine and Aviation Pier. Shots like these hang on the Empire State building, which says New York City louder than any banner headline could.
from lehighcement.com
Lehigh Cement Company was founded in 1897 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Over the years, through a visionary policy of acquisitions, equipment modernization and productivity improvements, Lehigh Cement Company and its related companies have become leading suppliers of cements and construction materials in the United States and Canada.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Also noticed was the Vane Brothers Nanticoke, a 2004 vintage tug nearly 95 feet long with 4,800 HP purring under its hood. Again- no Empire State Building- Meh shot.
from vanebrothers.com
The Vane Brothers Company has served the maritime industry in the Port of Baltimore and the U.S. Eastern Seaboard for more than 100 years. Today, we are comprised of five divisions operating out of the ports of Baltimore, Maryland; Brooklyn, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Norfolk, Virginia.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Chelsea Piers in the fore. By the end of the second tour, I thought that I hit some kind of rhythm and felt better about my performance. Ultimately your humble narrator was able to forget his troubles for a moment, as it was quite a beautiful day.
from wikipedia
Chelsea Piers is a series of historic piers on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City that was a passenger ship terminal in the early 1900s that was used by the RMS Lusitania and was the destination of the RMS Titanic.
The piers are currently used by the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex. The new complex includes film and television production facilities, including those for CBS College Sports Network and Food Network, a health club, a day spa, the city’s largest training center for gymnastics, two basketball courts, playing fields for indoor lacrosse and soccer, batting cages, a rock climbing wall and dance studios. In addition there is an AMF Bowling center, a golf club with multi-story driving range, and two full sized ice rinks for skating. It is located in the Chelsea neighborhood, on the northern edge of Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District.
From Astoria Park, fireworks show, June 30 2010
– photos by Mitch Waxman
An FDNY fireboat shooting Red White and Blue water in between the Triborough and HellGate Bridges, followed by a cool tugboat, and then a fireworks display framed against the latter bridge. Happy 4th of July!
Crazy Seaport Experience
– photo by Mitch Waxman
So, last night- June 15th- the Working Harbor Committee held one of its periodic tours of New York Harbor and both myself and a group of friends attended. Unbeknownst to us, however, a free concert was being offered by a local radio station. Whoever produced this show, incidentally- as in the individual- was criminally negligent regarding crowd control -IMHO. By 6 pm, the entirety of pier 17 was overwhelmed with thousands of kids, and the crowd backed out from the river a good two blocks up Fulton street.
from nydailynews.com
The raucous crowd massed on the Seaport’s cobble-stoned streets spun out of control during a lull that followed a performance by opening act DJ Ninjasonik.
“It was a riot,” said Melanie Gerald, 22, of Brooklyn, who was caught in the middle of the mayhem.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A small miracle, the steel staircases didn’t collapse under the weight of all these folks. They had come to see an act starring someone named Drake, and when word went around that the NYPD cancelled the show due to the uncontrollable numbers of people, they started throwing all sorts of things at each other and the stage. To be fair, however, NYPD had a meager footprint mustered around this massive legion- and normal crowd control techniques like sectioning the crowd into “pens” and limiting entry points to controlled gateways were entirely absent.
It really, really smelled of weed. If it smells like weed in the 21st century financial district, especially around a tourist attraction like the South Street Seaport, NYPD is clearly not in control.
from brooklynvegan.com
Chris La Putt was on hand to see Ninjasonik play less than one song at South Street Seaport this fine Tuesday evening (6/15). As previously mentioned, not counting Hanson’s soundcheck, that was all the music the giant crowd got to hear. Headliners Hanson and Drake never got to perform as the cops quickly shut down the free show to be safe.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Our vessel departed, followed its course, and upon our return- it became obvious that NYPD was very much in control again. Helicopters circled overhead, less than a thousand feet up, and several Harbor units were also observed patrolling and illuminating the coastline beneath the FDR drive. Our boat, which normally docks at Pier 17, made a rough adjustment and moored to Pier 11 allowing us to debark.
from nytimes.com
The police said that chaos erupted shortly after 6:30 p.m. when word got out that Drake would not be arriving until 8 p.m. People began throwing things off the balcony down to audience members below, and the police ended up arresting at least two people for disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration. The concert’s promoter eventually shut the concert down for safety reasons, the police said.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Vehicles flashing their bubble lights were observed in long lines, creating a mobile wall and acting to separate the crowd into manageable segments. Hundreds if not thousands of kids were roaming around, angry at having missed the opportunity to experience the concert. Real menace hung in the air, although both kids and cops seemed to maintain a measure of civility on one hand and professionalism on the other. Above, the choppers.
How things have changed, in the City of Greater New York, since your humble narrator was a boy in the 1970’s.
check out this video from black348 at youtube.com
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Even as late as the mid 1990’s this kind of situation would follow a script familiar to all, angry Cops bashing heads and kids breaking windows. There were a few scuffles, and a few bad actors were observed on both sides, of course. However, my friends and I- the youngest of whom was 30 and the oldest 60- remained unmolested and untrammeled. The kids were just being kids, the cops were just being cops.
also from youtube, check out this video by UrbaNiista
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Maybe this sort of situation is part of the reason that the cops do those scary training exercises of theirs, when 50 or more Police radio cars will move through the Shining City in a great serpentine formation. All I can say is that I was there, disconnected from the event- an Outsider, as always- and that the problem originated when the crowd was allowed to “do what it wilt”, which became the whole of the law for a time.
And kids, here’s a bit of wisdom from the 1980’s- never call a New York City Police Officer anything other than Sir. The fact that you’re still breathing indicates that they are showing restraint, you don’t want to test their patience, and most cops respond to polite behavior. Act all nutty, and they can hit you with boats, helicopters, missiles- anything they want to. You can’t win an argument with a cop on the street, go quiet and let the lawyer handle it.
finally- check out the local abc affiliate’s report on the scene.
exhalted beyond thought
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Police methods are varied, and ingenious.
The NYPD Harbor patrol, staffed by fierce and dedicated mariners, has become quite modern of late. Recently noticed, but in their use for some time, was this Defender class boat patrolling the malign waters of the 21st century. The military variant of this watercraft carries an esoteric catalog of weapons and electronics, but the civilian police version shares only a love for speed and adept maneuvering with it’s Coast Guard cousins, and is not equipped with the high caliber machine gun on its prow.
from safeboats.com
The Defender class comes standard with full cabin to protect the crew from weather and an independent forced air diesel heater, both of which provide the crew with the maximum amount of comfort and minimal fatigue. The Defender has the direct benefit of years of evolutionary USCG Non Standard boat history to maximize its operational availability. Just one sea trial will prove that the Defender Class is unmatched in performance, work ability, fit, finish and quality.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Vigilant, notice that the officer noticed me taking his picture, which will be apparent if you click through to the larger incarnations of the image found at Flickr. The boat appeared to slice through waves, and it’s general appearance was that of a predator, silvery quick and able to strike at any time it chose. Comic book metaphors ring out, and if outfitted with large wing shaped hydrofoils and a certain insignia, this could very well be the Batboat of the late 1970’s come to life.
from wikipedia
The importance of the container shipping industry is equally matched by its vulnerabilities to terrorist attack. The U.S. maritime system consists of over 300 sea and river ports with more than 3,700 cargo and passenger terminals. The United States and global economies depend on commercial shipping as the most reliable, cost efficient method of transporting goods, with U.S. ports handling approximately 20% of the maritime trade worldwide. The volume of trade throughout the U.S. and the world creates a desirable target for terrorist attack. An attack on any aspect of the maritime system, mainly major ports, can severely hamper trade and potentially affect the global economy by billions of dollars. The security of ports and their deficiencies are numerous and leave our ports vulnerable to terrorist attack. The vulnerabilities of our ports are many, leading to potential security breaches in almost all aspects of the container shipping industry. With the sheer volume of maritime traffic, there is serious concern of cargo/passenger ship hijackings and pirate attack, as well as accountability of the millions of shipping containers transported worldwide. Given the overwhelming number of ships and containers, there are many areas of concern regarding the security of U.S. ports.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Harbor Unit sped off, and as it did, I noticed the quick moving harbor pilot launch America nearby. Luckily, I was fairly close to America earlier in the trip, and got a couple of OK shots of a very capable boat. Incidentally, I’ve recently been exposed to a maritime truism that helps to distinguish when to call a water craft “boat” or “ship”. A “ship” can carry and launch a boat, not the other way around.
from uscg.mil
Developed in a direct response to the need for additional Homeland Security assets in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Defender Class boats were procured under an emergency acquisition authority. With a contract for up to 700 standard response boats, the Defender Class acquisition is one of the largest boat buys of its type in the world. The 100 boat Defender A Class (RB-HS) fleet began arriving at units in MAY 2002 and continued through AUG 2003. After several configuration changes, most notably a longer cabin and shock mitigating rear seats, the Defender B Class (RB-S) boats were born. This fleet was first delivered to the field in OCT 2003, and there are currently 357 RB-S boats in operation.
The 457 Defender Class boats currently in operation are assigned to the Coast Guards Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST), Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT), Marine Safety Units (MSU), and Small Boat Stations throughout the Coast Guard. With an overall length of 25 feet, two 225 horsepower outboard engines, unique turning radius, and gun mounts boat forward and aft, the Defender Class boats are the ultimate waterborne assets for conducting fast and high speed maneuvering tactics in a small deployable package. This is evidenced in the fact that several Defender Class boats are already in operation by other Homeland Security Department agencies as well as foreign military services for their homeland security missions.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is the Sandy Hook Pilots Launch Boat “America”. Like her namesake, she’s a tough cookie that can move very quickly, but works way too hard.
from state.nj.us
All pilot vessels are maintained to a high standard, and are equipped with state of the art electronic navigation and communications equipment. All motor boats are equipped with rescue equipment, including a “Life Sling” and davit for man overboard retrieval operations. Pilot boats must operate under severe weather and sea conditions. The hull material of the pilot boats is audio-gauged regularly, and steel/aluminum plating is serviced and/or renewed when required. In general, Planned Maintenance (“PM”) procedures and Service Life Extension Program (“SLEP”) work have prolonged the in-service usage of floating equipment used in the State pilotage system, in many cases well beyond its originally intended design life.
The newest addition to the fleet, the Yankee, a 53 foot aluminum, twin screw pilot launch is stationed at the Sandy Hook pilot base in Staten Island. It is used as part of a fleet of four similar launches at the entrance of the port, and sometimes as a shuttle craft from the base to/from sea.
The fleet of four similar launches – America, Wanderer, Phantom, and Yankee allow a maintenance schedule to exist to address the substantial wear and tear on the boats throughout the year. One boat is always at sea – two others ready to go – one under maintenance.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Tumultuous, storm prone, and crowded- NY Harbor is an estuarine environment of cross currents and drowned hazards. The archipelago itself must be protected at all costs, lest an out of control cargo ship or barge stray too close to a bridge or waterfront condominium. Experts on the intricate interplay of aquatic course and geographic knowledge, the Sandy Hook Pilots remain redoubtable.
from sandyhookpilots.com
The history of the Sandy Hook Pilots begins in 1694 when the population of New York City was under 3,000. In those days, the harbors of the Northeast were the commercial arteries of the New World. It soon became apparent that the aid to vessels entering and departing the port was necessary, and the Colonial Assembly commissioned a small group of local seamen to assist the ship masters as pilots. This port would eventually become one of the greatest commercial centers of the world.
The Newtown Pentacle 