The Bridges of New York City

On each of my visits to New York City, I have made a point of getting out on the water and examining the city from a different perspective than most visitors enjoy.

This has involved joining Circle Line Cruises that either circumnavigate the whole island of Manhattan, or by joining the wonderful Hidden Harbor Tours that explore parts of  the lower New York harbor that very few people, visitors or New Yorkers, ever get to see up close. The three cruises/tours listed below are all aboard the beautiful replica 1920s style yacht, Manhattan. The tours are run by Classic Harbor Line, and depart from Pier 62, at the Chelsea Piers.

New York City Bridges, Infrastructure and Architecture tour

This weekend sees one of those on water excursions taking place under the auspices of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIANY): the New York City Bridges, Infrastructure and Architecture tour.

           

On Saturday, March 29th, 2014, the AIANY will be sailing under all 18 bridges that link Manhattan to each of the other four city boroughs. John Kriskiewicz, a professor of Architecture and City Planning, will provide informed and relevant historical details and information about each of the 18 bridges, as well as other commentary throughout the tour. To quote from the email I received:

“Step aboard the luxurious yacht Manhattan for a full round-Manhattan cruise that takes an in depth look at the engineering marvels of New York City's fantastic, historic and wildly different bridges, tunnels, infrastructure and mass transit feats!  Tour includes content on city planning, Robert Moses, housing and architecture as well! 

Being low to the water and designed for comfort and small groups, guests are sure to have excellent views and photo opportunities. There is room for all in our elegantly appointed, cushioned and climate-controlled observatory, or guests may enjoy the outer teak decks when weather permits.”

If you are unable to make it to this weekend’s tour, don’t despair, the tours will continue right through until December 28, 2014. You can view the full list of available dates and make your bookings here…

When: Saturday March 29th

$76 per person | Buy Tickets

DISCOUNT CODE: Use the online code EBLAST10 to receive a $10 discount off the price of each ticket! NOTE: This code is only good for the AIANY bridges tour this weekend (March 29, 2014). It does not apply to the two tours listed below.

AIANY Lower Manhattan Boat Tour

The 1920s style yacht, Manhattan.

If you can’t make it to one of the New York City Bridges, Infrastructure and Architecture tours, you might want to join one of the Lower Manhattan Architecture Tours which begin in April. Again, informed commentary is provided by members of the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) New York Chapter.

The information provided is general enough for the casual visitor, yet detailed enough for the locals, design students and professionals! Again, your craft will be the elegant 1920s style yacht, the Manhattan. Tour participant will experience a comfortable and unique tour through the Hudson and East Rivers from the climate-controlled and enclosed back-deck observatory or (weather permitting), you can promenade on the outer decks for fresh air and unobstructed views of the lower Manhattan skyline.

When: April 20-October 30, 2014.

$46 per person | Buy Tickets

           

NYC Sunset Cruise Champagne Sunset Cruise

For the romantically inclined, why not get out on the water and experience a beautiful New York City sunset. You will also have a chance to enjoy the illuminated cityscape during a comfortable and unique NYC Harbor cruise along the Hudson and East Rivers. A full bar and specialty NY State wines by the bottle are available for purchase aboard the Yacht Manhattan, and one complimentary drink is also included.

Currently, tours are scheduled to take place from March 28-May 28, 2014. I would assume that more date will be added for the summer and autumn months.

$52 per person | Buy Tickets.

Touring New York Harbor

Image courtesy of Working Harbor Committee

~ It is good to see New York City’s Working Harbor Committee (WHC) emerging from winter hibernation.

I am on the organization’s mailing list, and their latest ‘On The Hip’ e-newsletter lists a number of forthcoming activities, including the very popular Hidden [New York] Harbor Tours.

I have joined three previous Hidden Harbor Tours (two in 2010, and another in 2012), and I consider them to be some of the best ‘hidden gems’ of any visit to New York. You can read my account about one of those tours here…

Image courtesy of Working Harbor Committee

Among events scheduled from now until the end of summer, are a series of narrated tours under the theme: Beyond Sandy: Keeping the Conversation Alive, as well as more Hidden Harbor Tours. 

Beyond Sandy, is described as a series of special Hidden Harbor Tours exploring the many issues and plans arising from Super Storm Sandy, that focus on the array of global warming and sea-level rise protection alternatives being discussed by government, private institutions and citizens. Special guest speakers will discuss and pose questions such as: Are Netherlands-style sea barriers the answer? How did various neighborhoods fare and why? Fight the ocean or retreat? And How did the working harbor fare and help?

Each tour will have two guest speakers from a number of sources: the maritime industry, government agencies, private industry, think tanks and universities, as well as other noted experts. The tours are two hours in length and visit Red Hook, Sunset Park, The Verrazano Bridge, Staten Island, Bayonne and Hoboken, the lower Manhattan shoreline and many points in between.

The tours leave from Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport District (itself heavily impacted by Sandy – under 6 feet of water) at 6:30 p.m. on the large three-deck motor vessel Zephyr

There will be three different tours:

Tour 1 - High Seas on the Inner Harbor: From Wall Street to Snug Harbor This tour is from the Verrazano Bridge to Hoboken, including Brooklyn, Staten Island, New Jersey, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. See where giant sea gates are proposed.Tuesday - 21 May, 2013Tuesday - 18 June, 2013

Tour 2 - Fire, Floods and Floating Containers: East River - Hell Gate to Governors Island This tour traverses the East River from Queens to Governors Island, including the East Side of Manhattan, Newtown Creek and Brooklyn Navy Yard. See the site of the giant electric sub-station explosion.Tuesday - 28 May, 2013Tuesday - 25 June, 2013

Tour 3 – Protecting Our Ports: From Red Hook to Newark Bay.This tour traverses Kill van Kull to Newark Bay, including container terminals, oil docks, tug yards, and rail yards. Learn how close we came to a goods delivery crisis.Tuesday - 4 June, 2013

Purchase tickets here…

North River Tour on June 11

Image courtesy of WHC. Inset: Bill Miller.

Hosted by Bill Miller, this tour will begin by passing around the southern tip of Manhattan and the large ferry terminals to Staten Island and Governors Island.

It will also travel north up along the west side of Manhattan passing the Battery and Castle Clinton, then most of Hudson River Park, including historic ships, ferry terminals, fireboat terminals, historic Pier 57, Chelsea Piers, excursion boats, the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum and finally the passenger ship terminals.

The tour will then cross over to the New Jersey side passing the historic Hoboken waterfront, scene of "On The Waterfront", another active shipyard, Morris Canal entrance and finally, as all tours do, it will visit the Statue of Liberty before returning to Pier 16.

The tour departs from Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport District at 6:30 p.m. on the large three-deck motor vessel Zephyr

TICKETS:

Adults: $39.00 | Children (3-12 yrs): $25.00 | Seniors: $32.00

WHC, South Street Seaport and THIRTEEN Members: $32.00

Purchase tickets here… 

Here is a short video I put together after my 2012 Hidden Harbor Tour:

I would dearly love to join one of the above Hidden Harbor Tours, but sadly, I won’t be visiting New York City this year. However, if I visit again in 2014 as I hope to do, a fourth tour will be definitely part of my trip.

Additional Hidden Harbor Tours including Port Newark/Port Elizabeth and Brooklyn are being planned for July, August and September. If you think these unique tours might appeal to you, I highly recommend you signup for ‘On The Hip’, the official e-newsletter of the Working Harbor Committee, and bookmark the organization’s blog for ongoing news and information.

Newtown Creek Tour

Newtown Creek barges © Bernie Ente

The recent Circumnavigate Staten Island tour was completely sold out, and the next Working Harbor tour is sure to do the same, if only because the two hour tour of Brooklyn’s Newtown Creek is an incredible bargain at just $10.

The good news gets better because not one, but two tours of Newtown Creek are being conducted on the same day, so you have two chances of securing a place on these popular tours. Here are the details:

When: Sunday, 23 October, 2011

What: Two Cruises – 10:00 am to 12:00 noon; and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Where: Departs from Pier 17, South Street Seaport at the foot of Fulton Street, Downtown Manhattan 

Getting There

Take the A C J Z 2 3 4 or 5 Train to Fulton Street and walk east to Pier 17

Souvenir Tour Brochure with historical information and vintage maps.

The cruise takes place rain or shine. 

Purchase tickets here... 

The Newtown Creek tour is organised by the Working Harbor Committee and the Newtown Creek Alliance. 

The low $10 price is made possible by funding from the NewYork City Environmental Fund (NYCEF) for Newtown Creek, which in turn is part of the Hudson River Foundation. 

To stay informed about upcoming Hidden Harbor Tours bookmark the Working Harbor website…

Circumnavigate Staten Island

Top Left: Graveyard of Ships © Mitch Waxman
Bottom left: Staten Island Ferry With Statue of Liberty, and Right: Light house © Bernie Ente

The next New York City Hidden Harbor Tour is looming on the horizon, and will involve a Circumnavigation of Staten Island and look at six New York harbor lighthouses.

The tour takes place Sunday, 16 October, 2011

This tour will feature 6 lighthouses as well as the following points of interest:

• St George Terminal
• Kill Van Kull
• Arthur Kill
• Tottenville
• Stapleton - Fireboat Firefighter II
• And the graveyard of ships

The graveyard of ships (Witte Marine Scrap yard) is located in Rossville. It was once one of the largest marine scrap yards on the East Coast. It is now officially known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Processing Facility.

Opened in 1964 by J. Arnold Witte, Sr., the scrap yard is known for its large collection of old tugs, ferries, car floats, and more. These ships would come there quicker then Witte could disassemble them. This resulted in many boats and ships slowly rotting and sinking in the Arthur Kill.

There are quite a few noteworthy vessels here, including the New York City Fire Department fire boat Abram S. Hewitt. This graveyard of ships is a very popular point of interest on the Circumnavigation of Staten Island Tour.

Details

Date: Sunday, 16 October, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on board the NY Water Taxi
Departs from The Battery Slip 6
(Water Taxi Stop in front of Castle Clinton)

Getting There

Subway: 1 to South Ferry, R/W to Whitehall St. or 4/5 to Bowling Green
Tickets: $60/$50 for WHC members and seniors

More Information

Working Harbor Committee…

Information on all Hidden Harbor Tours, and Tickets...

NYC Hidden Harbor Tour, September 2011

I’ve written before about my voyage on the wonderful Hidden Harbor Tours that operate on the New York harbor, so I won’t repeat myself here.

I just want to let you know that the last sunset Hidden Harbor tour is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 27, and if you are looking for one of those unique experiences that most visitors to New York City miss out on, then you should seriously consider joining this tour. Here are the details:

Sunset Hidden Harbor Brooklyn Waterfront Tour

Tuesday, 27 September

Departs from Pier 16 at 5:30 pm

Image: Brooklyn Bridge with work boat © Bernie Ente | Inset: Dan Wiley

Special Guest Speaker: Dan Wiley

Dan Wiley is a Community Coordinator for Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez in southwest Brooklyn, NY, and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University in the urban design studio.

Working in the Congressional office since 2000, he has coordinated planning projects and initiatives spanning waterfront communities from the Brooklyn Navy Yard and downtown Brooklyn southwest to Red Hook, Gowanus and Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

He also served (1993-1999) as an Education Coordinator at Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment. He holds an MA degree in Urban Geography from Hunter College, CUNY (2007), a BFA degree from Cooper Union (1987) and was a fellow at the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program (1988). He serves on the board of Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP). His work can be found in If You Lived Here: The City in Art, Theory, and Social Activism, Seattle: Bay Press, 1991.

For Information on all Hidden Harbor Tours, and to purchase tickets, Click Here...

Hidden Harbor Tours are organised and run by the Working Harbor Committee… 

Newark Bay, Hidden Harbor Tour

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It is with a real sense of déjà vu that I write this today, because it is almost exactly a year ago that I took part in one of the New York Working Harbor Committee’s ‘Hidden Harbor’ tours along the Brooklyn waterfront. I wrote about this trip in a previous post so I won’t repeat myself too much here.

With regard to New York City’s harbor, the Working Harbor Committee (WHC) exists to “…strengthen awareness of the working harbor's history and vitality today, and its opportunities for the future, by:
· Involving people in learning how the harbor works and what it does;
· Educating people in the rich and challenging history of the harbor;
· Making people aware of the need to build and sustain the working harbor.”
(Source: Working Harbor Committee…)

To this end, the WHC arranges a series of tours, dubbed ‘Hidden Harbor Tours’ throughout the warmer months of the year – typically from May to October. Tours always have guest speakers and commentary from knowledgeable experts who have worked extensively on New York harbor, all of whom are able to shed extra insights into the history and hidden secrets of the areas you cruise through.

As I am on the WHC’s mailing list, I get regular monthly updates and reminders about upcoming tours and events. Reminders that only serve to make me miss New York City and its magnificent harbor even more, now that I am ten thousand miles away in Australia. Even more so, as I shiver through a freezing Adelaide winter, and think about the heat and humidity of a New York summer.

Although the next Hidden Harbor Tour is tomorrow (July 12), and therefore almost certainly too late for anyone reading this to take advantage of, there are several more tours scheduled for the remainder of the year, and I thought they were worth bringing to your attention if you were going to be in New York City between now and the end of October.

Tuesday, 12 July - Newark Bay Tour
Special Guest Speaker: Lucy Ambrosino-Marchak, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Lucy Ambrosino is the Manager of Outreach for the Port Commerce Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she has been since 1990.

Departs from Pier 16 at 6:15pm (at the end of Fulton Street, South Street Seaport).

This tour passes by the Red Hook Container Terminal and visits Erie Basin, home of Hughes Brothers Barges and Reinauer Tugs before crossing the harbor toward Staten Island. It then enters Kill Van Kull, the area's busiest waterway dividing Staten Island and Bayonne, passing tug yards, oil docks and marine repair facilities. It then passes under the Bayonne Bridge and visits the giant container ports of Newark Bay, Port Newark and Port Elizabeth where the world's largest container ships tie up. On the way back, we pass by Military Ocean Terminal, the 9/11 Teardrop Memorial, the Robbin's Reef Lighthouse and another container port, ending up at sunset at the Statue of Liberty for a moment before returning to Pier 16.

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Tuesday, 26 July - Brooklyn Tour
Special Guest Speaker: Dan Wiley. Dan is a Community Coordinator to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez in southwest Brooklyn. Working in the Congressional office since 2000, he has coordinated planning projects and initiatives spanning waterfront communities from the Brooklyn Navy Yard and downtown Brooklyn southwest to Red Hook, Gowanus and Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Departs from Pier 16 at 6:15pm (at the end of Fulton Street, South Street Seaport).

This tours goes north (actually east) on the East River to the former Brooklyn Navy Yard, passing under the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. The Navy Yard has three large graving docks and an active shipyard, as well as the home port of FDNY's fireboat division. We then travel south along the Brooklyn waterfront, passing the new Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Red Hook Container Terminal, Atlantic Basin, and Erie Basin, home of Hughes Brothers Barges and Reinauer Tugs. We continue into Gowanus Bay and along the Sunset Park waterfront, home of the former large Bush Terminals. We then cross over to the Statue of Liberty at sunset for a moment before returning to Pier 16.

Click Here to book for both tours… 

Price for both tours:
Adult; $29.00
Child: $15.00
Senior: $22.00
WHC Member: $22.00 (Working Harbor Committee members)
Intrepid Member: $22.00 (Intrepid Sea*Air*Space Museum members)

There are many more tours in August, September and October, so make sure you check the full list at the Working Harbor Committee (WHC) website.

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Brooklyn Hidden Harbor Tour

Image: A view of Manhattan from out in New York Harbor

I’ve had a fascination for ships and the sea for as long as I can remember. It eventually reached its zenith in 1971 when I completed a five year apprenticeship as a shipwright with Adelaide Ship Construction. Unfortunately, as a career choice it was a case of too little too late. Towards the end of the 1960s and throughout the 1970s, Japan became the premier constructor of world shipping, and one by one the few shipyards around Australia began shutting down (and my budding career shut down with them).

However, to this day my interest in ships, boating, and a life on the ocean waves has never completely gone away, hence my nine hour outing up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain, and my participation on the Brooklyn Hidden Harbor tour organized by the New York based Working Harbor Committee.

Billed as a tour examining “Brooklyn’s Maritime Past, Present & Future”, this very popular two hour cruise took us under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges as far as Newtown Creek before returning back down the East River for an absorbing journey among Brooklyn’s many hidden inlets, disused wharves, bays and shipping terminals.

Ongoing commentary was provided by Captain John Doswell (Working Harbor Committee), Venetia Lannon (Sr, Vice President, Maritime, of the New York City Economic Development Corporation), and several other people who had an extensive working knowledge of the waterways surrounding Manhattan.

Venetia Lannon in particular, spoke often about the competing interests fighting over the development of vast swathes of Brooklyn waterfront, on what is clearly prime real estate. As you can imagine, developers are keen to get a slice of the action – and the waterfront – and would love to fill the area with expensive high rise apartments, office blocks, and projects that take full advantage of the stunning views across the East River towards Manhattan.

Image: The tall ship Peking at the South Street Seaport Museum

Our journey began at Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport Museum. This historic district was once a major shipping centre for sailing vessels to and from Europe and other parts of the world, and is well worth a visit in its own right. The museum owns a fleet of historic vessels including the tall ships Peking and Wavertree, the lightship Ambrose, as well as tug boats, schooners and exhibits in Schermerhorn Row and other buildings.

After boarding the Zephyr, we headed out into New York harbour passing under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. We were informed that beginning sometime in September, the Brooklyn Bridge will be undergoing major restoration work that is scheduled to take up to a year to complete! Pity then, the millions of tourists and visitors who will travel to see and photograph the bridge, only to find it obscured by scaffolding and canvas.

Passing under the Manhattan Bridge we cruised past Wallabout Bay were the Brooklyn Navy Yard is located. It was here at the Navy Yard that the nation's first ironclad ship, Monitor, was built and fitted with its revolutionary iron cladding at the Continental Iron Works in nearby Greenpoint, and in 1890, the ill-fated Maine was launched from the Yard's slipways.

Image: The start of something big – high rise apartments on the Brooklyn waterfront

In short order, here are just some of the tour highlights: Brooklyn Port Authority Piers (soon to become part of the new Brooklyn Bridge Park); the Fulton Ferry Landing, where Robert Fulton began the first ferry service in 1642; American Stevedoring (Brooklyn's only container port); Atlantic Basin (along with Howland Hook in Staten Island), one of only two cargo-handling docks left in the New York City; PortSide NewYork (a waterfront hub in Atlantic Basin with visiting historic vessels, charter and excursion boats, and a rest area for workboats); Erie Basin, so named as it was the southern terminus of the barge trade traffic that extended up the Hudson River through the Erie canal and west to the Great Lakes.

I think it was Venetia Lannon who pointed out that it was still possible to take a small craft up the Hudson River and along the Erie Canal to the Great Lakes, and from there enter the Mississippi River near Chicago, travel down the Mississippi exiting in Louisiana, before finally travelling up the east coast back to New York City. I’m not sure if anyone has attempted this trip but it would make a fascinating journey – and documentary.

On we cruised to Gowanus Bay, passing more prime real estate with great views of lower Manhattan and Governor’s Island. Out we went into the New York harbor anchorage and main channel where ships from all over the world as well as local barges can be seen anchored. This is the main shipping channel that begins in the Atlantic, passes under the Verrazano Bridge and continues north up the Hudson River as well as Brooklyn on the east and Staten Island on the west.

Image: Ships and barges at anchorage in New York harbor’s main shipping channel

We passed Robbins Reef Lighthouse, whose most famous Keeper was widow Kate Walker. From 1886 to 1919, she kept the light burning and raised two children, rowing them to school on Staten Island every day. Finally, we paused briefly just off the Statue of Liberty before return once again to Pier 16 and the South Street Seaport Museum, thus completing a fantastic look at parts of the Brooklyn waterfront rarely examined up close by visitors or locals.

I’ve already booked for the Working Harbor of New York and New Jersey tour, featuring the giant container ports in Newark Bay. This tour takes place on 17 August at 6:15 pm.

A repeat of the Brooklyn’s Maritime Past, Present & Future tour is scheduled for 14 September at 6:00 pm. Tickets for both tours are on sale now, as are tickets for other tours organized by the Working Harbor Committee.

A couple of notes about these boat tours:

• The tour vessel is the Zephyr, a large, luxurious excursion vessel
• The Zephyr is wheelchair accessible on the first deck, including heads (bathrooms)
• Tour price ($29.00, concessions available) includes 1 free domestic beer, wine or soft drink
• Hot dogs, pretzels, chips and nachos available for purchase
• Parking lots and metered parking is available at the Seaport
• Narration is generally by Capt. John Doswell and guests from the maritime industry

Since the Zephyr has at least two decks that are entirely enclosed and safe from the elements, it is my understanding that tours take place, rain, hail or shine!

Image: American Stevedoring (Brooklyn's only container port)

LINKS:

Click here to see a map of the Newark Hidden Harbor tour...