Answer to yesterday’s TugsterTeaser:  that BIG tall ship is NOT Peking, which didn’t arrive in the sixth boro until late 1975. Answer is Moshulu, mentioned in the wikipedia site, although if you look at the Moshulu site, it appears she went directly from Finland to Philadelphia.  Does anyone remember how long she stayed at South Street Seaport?

Background below: Outerbridge, named for Eugenius H. Outerbridge, first chairman of the Port Authority of New York.  Foreground:  That’s for you to ponder a bit.  Info later.

What unifies the fotos in this post is the background . ..  all show a hint of Outerbridge.   Inspiration here comes from Hokusai and his 36 views of Mt Fuji, one print of which–Great Wave–everyone knows, just about.

Foreground:  Cable Queen.  What is her story, anyone?  For as long as I’ve been watching, she’s been moored just north of the Moran yard on KVK.

Twin props, shallow draft.  Did she get to the yard under her own power?

And the floating clubhouse aka the honorable William Wall (rope maker, US Representative, Williamsburg politician mid-nineteeth century, and who knows what else) also no longer floats for the season.

Elka Nikolas, Croatia-built,  heads for sea.

The elegant Little Bear awaits in the bridge’s shadow earlier in the fall.

and a Coast Guard 40′ comes back to life.

ATB Pati R Moran heads north on the Arthur Kill under the bridge.

Foreground:  Rae (ex-Miss Bonnie) waits her turn.  The blue tug is Ron D. Garner, and the bridge, background.

Scrapped vessels, now disintegrated, await a rise in scrap ferrous metal prices.

Which leads back to this foto, showing the Outerbridge in the background.  The year is 1964, and this is one of several thousand Liberty ships, and  she’s waiting here to be

scrapped.  Anyone know the name?  I don’t but I’d love to.  Foto comes from the Bob McClaren collection via Allen Baker.

All other fotos by Will Van Dorp.  If I wanted to mirror Hokusai’s 36 views, I guess I need 26 more shots.  Well, another time, different angles.  Or better yet, if you’re on the Arthur Kill, take some unusual shots with the Outerbridge as background and please send them along.

Click here to see what google delivers in response to the search term “twinkle express.”  Well, believe it or not, a serious crew works

on board the product tanker by that name.  But can you imagine working on a vessel by that name?  Sorry, I just can’t.  But here’s its schedule and its fotos.

Who comes up with these names?  And I wonder what gets “expressed” into the port as “twinkle.”  What if it were delayed?  Would there be VHF transmissions for bowsprite to eavesdrop on as follows:  ”Twinkle Express, Twinkle Express, this is Warehouse 7.  Do you copy?  All bins are empty.  Do you hear the echo?   We need twinkle ASAP.  Repeat . . . twinkle ASAP, shortage is dire!  Without your delivery, eyes will appear dimmer.  So will the sky.  We need you, Twinkle Express.  Do you copy?”    And Bowsprite would wonder if she were sleep-deprived after hearing that transmission.

On a different note, if you recall some name abridging I followed last spring with Seoul Express,  I guess this orange vessel then would be TEX.  TEX or Twinkle . . . what should the vessel be called?

Unrelated:  Name the tall ship in the foto below  taken in mid-October 1972 at South Street Seaport.  The tall ship was arriving here from a European port of call.  Answer tomorrow.  By the way, the tug is Carol Moran.  Carol Moran was reefed in the late 1980s;  the tall ship is still afloat.  What is the tall ship’s name?

Last foto by Steve Lang.  All others by Will Van Dorp.

DEMAND FOR PAYMENT OF LOSS WAGES & COMPENSATION

TO: __Vail Resorts Keystone___________ FROM: _LOUIS SMITH ID# 116826

(COMPANY NAME)                                                                                             (EMPLOYEE)

Vail Resorts. Corporate Offices

(OWNERS – OFFICERS) (STREET ADDRESS)

390 Interlocken Crescent

(STREET ADDRESS) (CITY, STATE, ZIP)

Broomfield, Colorado 80021

CHECK THE BOX(ES) BELOW THAT APPLY:

X Termination of employment – wages and compensation due

When termination by an employer occurs, wages and compensation are due and payable IMMEDIATELY unless one of the following exceptions is met:

1. If the employer’s accounting unit, responsible for payroll checks is not regularly scheduled to be operational. Wages are due and payable no later than six hours after the start of the employer’s accounting unit’s next regular workday.

2. If the employer’s accounting unit is located off the work site, the employer shall deliver the check for wages due no later than twenty-four hours after the start of the accounting unit’s next regular workday.

When the employee quits or resigns, wages and compensation are due and payable upon the next regular payday

I hereby make a formal demand of payment of wages and compensation due me in accordance with Title 8, Article 4 of Colorado Revised Statutes, as amended. Refusal to pay me or my designated agent may subject you to a significant penalty that may meet or exceed 125% of the amount owed, or up to 10 days of compensation, whichever is greater, pursuant to 8-4-109, C.R.S..

􀀀 Non-payment of wages and compensation (also vacation, commission, bonuses, etc.)

All wages and compensation shall be due and payable on regular paydays no later than ten days following the close of each pay period unless the employer and the employee mutually agree on an alternative period.

I hereby make a formal demand for payment of wages and compensation due me in accordance with Title 8, Article 4 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, as amended. Refusal to pay me or my designated agent in accordance with the law may subject you to penalties of 50 dollars per day commencing from the date that such wages first became due and payable.

December 4, 2009

Bryan Peterson

Vail Resorts

390 Interlocken Crescent

Broomfield, CO  80021

Mr. Bryan Peterson,

My job ended on November 19, 2009 when HR at Keystone told me that I had been black listed by The Grand Teton Lodge Company.  My 13 hours of training was paid and my rent and deposit was returned at the end of the day on November 20, 2009.  More than 15 days have passed since then and you still owe me money for loss wages and expense to travel to Keystone.  I’ve already sent you copies of my travel expenses and loss of wages from Belk of Hattiesburg.  Since the total amount your company owes me for travel expenses is under $7000.00 I will have the right to sue Vail in Small Claims court in the state of Colorado.  I will again send of copies of my total loss of wages at Belk plus copies of my hotel and air expenses.

If you do not pay this in full, you may become liable for payment of all costs and attorney’s fees if I have to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit to get what Vail Resorts owe me.  You may also be liable for payment of additional money as a penalty, as well as legal interest.

If you believe that Vail Resorts does not owe me for my full expenses as I have stated, but only a part of it, the law requires you to pay me immediately the amount you agree you owe me.  You should also tell me the reason why you are not paying the full amount.

Sincerely,

Louis J Smith

Louis smith_1@msn.com

(601) 620-9654

Judging by the boat color and name, I’d like to meet the owner.  And if in the course of a morning’s work, I crossed paths with this boat, I’d suggest we take a break, tie up, and drink something hot.  Dog & I in Gloucester harbor.

Bugs-r-us . . . a perfect name for a lobster boat, this one just north of New Hampshire’s Hampton River.

Rick over at Old Salt Blog gave clear instructions on changing a vessel’s name; I trust this name change happened with utmost respect for Poseidon’s rules.

Thomas Hoppe (His Chinese junk site is here.) sent along the following translation of the name of the gray tanker’s bow:  Changhang means steady shipping or long-distance shipping and is the name of the shipping company or charterer.  Then follows tansuo as second part of the ships name, that means to probe into, investigate, study.  So the whole name means  ”Investigation, Probing into (of the)  Changhang (Company).”  Hmmm.  Margaret Moran just attends to business.

I enjoy seeing foreign language script on vessels, as is the case with Jag Prerana of Great Eastern Shipping.  And Miriam Moran just attends to business.

Anyone else see the eyes conveyed by the portside hawses?    Mysterious.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Unrelated:  December 5 is Sinterklaas Dag.  Check your shoes in the morning.

Where I’m steering  here most corresponds to the second post in this series, Coexistence 2.  On an ideal day, all traffic gets along, sorts itself out.  Big steel and small steel keep clear of one another, again

and again, no matter what the direction or

cargo or time of hitch or

commercial alliance or lack thereof, or

speed for whatever the purpose . . . understandings get articulated, negotiated, and agreed upon.

But then without warning and from out of nowhere, the wild jumps

in.  The beast, driven by terror of the predator and the mindless urge to mate, dives in

as members of its species have for millenia.  Some have always made it, wild and unfettered.  But now the environment has

changed;  rules and conditions altered.   And intervention happens or

doesn’t.

Many thanks to Bill Bensen for the three fotos of the deer.  For the record, Bill took these fotos about three weeks ago although it may be the same buck that jumped in this week.  For more of Bill’s fotos of animals of the harbor, click here.

Other fotos by Will Van Dorp.  Info on the vessels in the fotos:  Foto 1: Bro Albert is a Maersk product tanker with an unidentified McAllister tug in the distance.  Foto 2:  Marie J. Turecamo and Kimberly Turecamo pirouette parcel tanker Stolt Vanguard out to sea.  Foto 3:  from near to far, Taft Beach, Captain D, and ATB Pati R. Moran moves the barge Charleston with assist from an unidentified Moran tug.  Foto 4:  near to far is Davis Sea and Java Sea.

Related:  I included the tug Dolphin above as an attempt to broaden the term, given  Bowsprite’s recent treat (treatise?) on inanimate harbor “animal” life.

It’s been over a half year since I played voyeur at a docking, so I was happy when I got to watch Minerva Eleonora sally in recently, following Mary Gellatly. Note Laura K. to port and Doris Moran to starboard.

Once Laura K. controls most forward momentum, Doris cuts around the stern

and makes to.

Shore crew catching lines await behind some unambiguously inhospitable signage

When signals are clear, Laura K. puts her 5100 hp into pushing,

shoving Eleonora toward the dock,

with utmost control, pinning the tanker.  Note Laura K. prop froth extending most of the way across the KVK.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

This is an exercise in non-random fotos with word associations and any additional required info.  So, here, left to right move Margaret Moran, Admiral’s Launch, and Big Toot (the bright red one).  Big Toot?  Big anything?  Over-compensation.  Unconvincingly so.

Penn No. 4 foreground and USS New Jersey background.  If I’d snapped the foto a second earlier, there might be the illusion of the world’s first tug with six Mark 7 guns.   Signaling devices?    This foto is dedicated to she who’s drawn to such shades of gray.

Foto thanks to Allen Baker.  Atlantic Coast and McCormack Boys, Thanksgiving Day 2009.  Dredging:  unstuffing the belly of the harbor, doing the orukter.

Tasman Sea.  I love the eye at the waterline.

Amy C. McAllister.  I was going to say “tireless” but change that to indefatigable.

Buchanan 1 passing Coho.  Rusty and gray.

A slightly different shot of Grouper (ex-steamer tug Green Bay (see youtube clip below), still for sale. Patience and

fortitude.  According to Jeff’s comment, one of her captains is still alive and getting better at driving tugs at the young age of 89.  Could you have him write a comment or at least send along a foto of the unflagging captain, please.

All fotos but Allen’s by Will Van Dorp.

Credit for this foto connundrum goes to Joel Milton, whose site Towmasters has long been on my blogroll.  Same for the next two.  I notice the same fotos appear on gCaptain.  Thanks to Joel, the sun and UASC Shwaikh for lining up and

channeling something!  I’m stunned.

As large as the Staten Island ferry is, it looks tiny beside Shwaikh, which itself would  seem small beside the likes of Emma Maersk.  These fotos illustrate collaboration, one of the joys of this blog;  Joel passed these shots in the sixth boro onto to me, and I share them.

A gull swooped in  while I lined up this shot of Marie J. Turecamo (ex-Traveller, 1968).  I like what serendipity added as  Marie J. headed eastbound for

following Laura K. on its next assignment, passing MSC Turchia, an interesting name . . . the Italian spelling for Turkey, which

seems just right somehow, three days before Black Friday.  That’s Margaret Moran (1979) assisting.

To paraphrase a saying formerly overused, this is the last post in this run;  in a few days I’ll write the first post in the rest of the life of this blog.

Last three fotos by Will Van Dorp.  Happy Thanksgiving all.  And thanks for reading the blog.

After thought completely related:  As I drove  away from the KVK yesterday, I hit a traffic jam right in front of the municipal buildings & courthouses on Richmond Terrace:  crowds were carrying frozen turkeys away from an open trailer parked there.  And this made me want to mention my all-time favorite turkey experience:  garbage can turkey.  Check it out here.

No matter what the posts are this week, the backdrop is that around this time  three years ago I started this blog.  Now nine hundred fiftysomething (!)  posts later, the greatest gratification for me is the  sense of community I’ve gotten from my work.  I feel it!  Thanks to all who’ve read, commented, contributed info and/or fotos, and lurked.  If you’ve only read and lurked, great although I’d love to hear from you too.

Recent traffic has been heavy on Grouper, a 1914 tug that languishes upstate along the part of the Erie Canal where I grew up.  Click here for the details.  Anyone need a project for a mere $26,000?  I took the pic of Grouper in early November 2009, less than three weeks ago.

Fire Fighter, to date FDNY’s unit with the greatest gpm output,  cuts an impressive profile as she cruises Gravesend Bay.

LORO Baltic Mercur has an intriguing silhouette.

An unidentified tanker disappears out the Ambrose, way beyond the bow of barge Charleston.

Uh . .  Brendan (3900 hp), who are you trying to kid?  You’re no stand-in for Pati R, (5100 hp), at least from a “see-over” perspective even with your telescoping house.

And what you do NOT see in the offing of the sixth boro, large fishing vessels like this one, a midwater trawler like Challenger.  This foto was taken off the east end of Cape Ann.

A front page story in today’s NYTimes links Challenger and Brendan Turecamo, in a manner of speaking:  a guy catching a 157-pound bluefin from a kayak that weighs less than 30 pounds,  human-powered although it had to be registered as a motor vessel for him to get a tuna license,  Check it out; tuna have impressive bollard pull.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Here’s a herring song to hold you over til my fishing post:   version a and version b.  I prefer b.

Note:  Although I like assembling/looking at a random set of fotos, I’m aware that each one tells at least one good story . . .  only problem is that I don’t know the story, the very one that in fact I should.  These common unknowns overlay the pictures with a sense of mystery.  Maybe seeking the mysterious and exotic is why I keep doing this blog.  Of course I also do it because it completes me.

Tras quince años de historia los hermanos Morán (Miguel y José Luis) abandonarán definitivamente el festival más importante del verano en España: el FIB Heineken. En su lugar será el empresario irlandés Vince Power (de VPMG) el encargado de continuar dando vida a un festival que ha revolucionado el panorama de la música en el periodo estival.

Los hermanos Morán crearon en 1994 el festival soñando “con la idea de crear un espacio perfecto para celebrar un encuentro internacional de jóvenes a los que les gustara la música”. Gran culpa la tuvo la sala Maravillas del barrio de Malasaña que hoy casi se ha convertido en una leyenda.

Buscaban “un lugar especial en el que vivir una experiencia única, enriquecedora e inolvidable, en la que los asistentes pudieran compartir vivencias, intereses y aficiones y se convirtiera en el soporte emocional que permitiera a los grupos ofrecer conciertos especiales, irrepetibles”, según explican en la web del festival.

Esto parece ser que no va a cambiar, puesto que Vince Powers se comprometió en la anterior edición a no efectuar cambios y seguir en la misma línea.

Sin embargo, hace relativamente poco tiempo vendieron el accionariado al conglomerado de Powers que ya tenía experiencia en este ámbito gracias al festival Reading, uno de los más destacados del Reino Unido. Así que solo era cuestión de tiempo que el FIB cambiara definitivamente de dueño.

El FIB Heineken ha vivido una gran evolución respecto al público. Fue creciendo y creciendo hasta llamar la atención más allá de nuestras fronteras y ya en la pasada edición más de la mitad de los asistentes fueron extranjeros.

De momento ya están a la venta los primeros abonos para el festival que se celebrará los días 15, 16, 17 y 18 de julio en el Recinto de conciertos de Benicàssim. De momento hay un abono con oferta especial que cuesta 170 euros, el mismo precio del año pasado.

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Back home in the sixth boro!  I would have liked to stay longer in New England, wanted to see much more of the places around the Merrimack where  I spent almost 15 years, but . . . nose away from the perfumes of fish and brine, eyes away from of  beautiful colors of the salt marsh and onto the bright hues and hieroglyphics of large ships’ hull.  (Hmm . . . has Bowsprite been doodling art shapes on this hull?)

Here my new language is familiar, like . . . uh .  .

well . . . Amy C McAllister to starboard escorting

(exactly . .  it was on the tip of my tongue) Sealand Michigan out to sea while

Marjorie B. McAllister shadows to port.

Sealand Michigan, full frontally resembles a seabird, not unlike

the one that glides alongbehind as she passes Romer Shoal Light.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Two unrelated notes:  I have many more fotos from the Trip to Gloucester and beyond to post in days to come.

Sealand . . . besides being the name of the original container company established in 1960 by Malcolm McClean, also just happens to be the name of a micro-nation in the North Sea.  See here and here.

And, if you need an antidote to the blues, go see the movie called Pirate Radio. Here’s a trailer with some good upbeat music.  There once was a Dutch pirate radio on Veronica here and another on Silvretta here.  And many many more.

I was employed with GTLC from April 2009 until October 2009 in the Retail department.  The Grand Teton Lodge Company is owned by Vail Resorts of Broomfield, Co.   I was a victim of Sexual Harassment by another male who worked as a Night Front Desk manager at GTLC. The Sexual Harassment went on from June until Sept.  At first I held back from reported it because of the fear of retaliation from GTLC. This manager Harassed me while I was at work and even when I was off work.  Just weeks before the end of my contact with GTLC I reported it to JIM the health and safety manager at GTLC but nothing was done.  The harasser got so rejected from me not giving in and having sex with him that he went to management to try to blame me for harassment.  I had sent the harasser an email and told him I was going to report it to Bob O’Neill if you didn’t stop the sexual harassment.  Well, before I could get the nerve to have a face to face meeting with Bob O’Neill he copied a few emails I has sent him and changed the text content of them and tried to turn the guilt towards me.  After Denis went to management,  Bob O’Neill Hr Dir of GTLC was going to terminate my employment but after I had a long talk with a Ranger Bob changed his mind.

I had a job offer with Keystone Ski Resort which is also owned by Vail Resorts.  When I spent over 1,000 for air and employee housing  just to get started to work.  After I went though my second day of training I received a call from Keystone HR.  I was told by a manager at Keystone HR that GTLC had blacked listed me after I ended my employment there.  I was just lost for words when I learned I had to leave within four hours.  I called Corp HR in Broomfield, Co and was open and told an HR manager the true full story of what happen over the summer.  But after telling her about the sexual Harassment she still said I had to leave Keystone.

I had to leave after 4 days when I got to Keystone. They did pay for hours work and refunded housing.  But I am still without of work.  I have since contacted a lawyer and he said I had a very good case against Vail on Sex, Gender, Age and Harassment.

The aftermath worse than the harassment

For many who have been sexually harassed, the aftermath can be more stressful and/or damaging then the original harassment itself.  The combination of retaliation, backlash, and victim blaming can turn even a mild transgression into a major political event within an institution.  While there are usually policies in place which are supposed to protect the identity of those involved, particularly in academic institutions, most often confidentiality is not respected, or the harsher or colleagues of the harasser work to punish the victim for resisting or speaking out.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination, in the United States, that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

.

Sexual harassment occurs when one employee makes continued, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, to another employee, against his or her wishes.

According to a current issues update from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment occurs, “when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.”

Examples of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of situations. These are examples of sexual harassment, not intended to be all inclusive.

• Unwanted jokes, gestures, offensive words on clothing, and unwelcome comments and repartee.
• Touching and any other bodily contact such as scratching or patting a coworker’s back, grabbing an employee around the waiste, or interfering with an employee’s ability to move.
• Repeated requests for dates that are turned down or unwanted flirting.
• Transmitting or posting emails or pictures of a sexual or other harassment-related nature.
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or posters.
• Playing sexually suggestive music.

When an employee complains to a supervisor, another employee, or the Human Resources office, about sexual harassment, an immediate investigation of the charge should occur. Supervisors should immediately involve Human Resources staff. Employees need to understand that they have an obligation to report sexual harassment concerns to their supervisor or the Human Resources office.

Policies to Adopt to Prevent and Address Sexual Harassment

Your policy handbook needs a:

• sexual harassment policy,
• general harassment policy,
• policy about how sexual harassment investigations are conducted in your company, and
• policy that forbids an employee in a supervisory role from dating a reporting employee and that details the steps required should a relationship form.

I’m not a fan of non-fraternization policies. I think the workplace is one of the logical locations for people to meet and fall in love, as long as the employees engaged in the relationship follow common sense guidelines. But, dating your reporting staff is never appropriate. After creating these policies, you need to train all employees about these policies.

The Role of Managers in Harassment Prevention and Investigation

Managers and supervisors are the front line when it comes to managing employee performance and needs from work. First, and most importantly, you do not want a workplace culture that allows any form of harassment to occur. Out of your commitment to your employees and your company, harassment, in any form, is never to be tolerated.

In harassment, as well as in other law suit-engaging topics, as an employer, demonstrating that you took appropriate steps is crucial. In fact, demonstrating that you took immediate action and that the consequences for the perpetrator were severe, is also critical. And, the front line leader is usually the person initiating and following through on those steps, so they have to feel confident about what they are doing. Any form of harassment can create a hostile work environment including sexual harassment and how it is addressed. The court’s definition of what constitutes a hostile work environment has recently expanded to coworkers who are caught up in the situation, too.

As you think about sexual harassment and other forms of harassment in your work place, keep these facts in mind.

• The employee harassing another employee can be an individual of the same sex. Sexual harassment does not imply that the perpetrator is of the opposite sex.
• The harasser can be the employee’s supervisor, manager, customer, coworker, supplier, peer, or vendor. Any individual who is connected to the employee’s work environment, can be accused of sexual harassment.
• The victim of sexual harassment is not just the employee who is the target of the harassment. Other employees who observe or learn about the sexual harassment can also be the victims and institute charges. Anyone who is affected by the conduct can potentially complain of sexual harassment. As an example, if a supervisor is engaged in a sexual relationship with a reporting staff member, other staff can claim harassment if they believe the supervisor treated his or her lover differently than they were treated.
• In the organization’s sexual harassment policy, advise the potential victims that, if they experience harassment, they should tell the perpetrator to stop, that the advances or other unwanted behaviors are unwelcome.
• Sexual harassment can occur even when the complainant cannot demonstrate any adverse affect on his or her employment including transfers, discharge, salary decreases, and so on.
• When an individual experiences sexual harassment, they should use the complaint system and recommended procedures as spelled out in the sexual harassment policy of their employer. The investigation should be conducted as spelled out in the handbook.
• The employer has the responsibility to take each complaint of sexual harassment seriously and investigate. The investigation should follow these steps listed in How to Address Sexual Harassment Charges.
• Following the investigation of the harassment complaint, no retaliation is permitted, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. The employer must, in no way, treat the employee who filed the complaint differently than other employees are treated nor change his or her prior-to-the-complaint treatment. If it is determined that the employee lied, disciplinary action is necessary, however.

I will have more on my sexual harassment case on a later date…

Victim of Harassment

The Piscataqua is mighty . .  in its current despite its 12-mile length.  I know from kayaking experience how swift the currents flow as they shuttle between the Gulf of Maine and Great Bay, once a place of gundalows bearing loads of salt hay.  If you open no links but one in this post, make it this one on salt marsh hay just north of Cape Ann.  Today the Piscataqua still carries cargo, from and to all watery areas of the planet.  And to ensure that shipping happens without incident, a small fleet

of Moran tugs stands by:  Carly A. Turecamo, Mary M. Coppedge, and Eugenie Moran.

Anyone notice what Carly has in common with, among others, the sixth boro’s Ellen McAllister?

Training wheels . . .  aka bucket fenders; I call them armor.

Currently offloading at the Granite State Minerals‘ salt pier:  Bosphorus Queen (Click on video to see her approach the pier) .

Salt, I had not imagined it could look

so much

like sand.

We wanted to go taste it, but DHS kept us out.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp. 

Attempt at humor:  what might be an appropriate name for a lightship?  Phosphorus Queen. 

Research question:  Many municipalities, neighborhoods, and homes mark holidays in the dark season December with lights in prominent places.   What–if any–sense of these non-navigation lights decorate the sixth boro?  Other harbors?  What might be a positive addition?  I’m not talking religion.  I’m just fishing for ideas here.   Check out what Gloucester and Rockland (ME) do here.

Vail Corp. Settles Gender and Religious Discrimination Lawsuit for $80,000

Hay… RIP

No hay mucho más que añadir a la noticia que Muzikalia-medio afín al Fesitval- ha publicado esta mañana: José Luis y Miguel Morán, fundadores del Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, abandonan la dirección del evento tras 15 años al frente del mismo. La marca ha sido vendida al 100% al nuevo propietario, Vince Power que desde ya, se convierte en el único propietario de FIB Heinneken” Adiós muy buenas. Se acabó.

No estamos hechos todo unos veteranos que íbamos cuando los ingleses eran un 10% del público, pero en las 4 ediciones que hemos podido disfrutar-a excepción de la desastrosa última de 2009- nuestro mayor recuerdo y lo que nos empujaba cada año a ir, era el ambiente, la atmosfera FIB; esa que se respiraba en las carpas a las 18h con 100 personas viendo a grupejos o todo un verde hasta la bandera mudo ante Cohen. Eramos muy fibers, muy fans del festival. Y este año, en cierta medida, eso ya se había perdido. El FIB quedaba tocado. Ahora está hundido del todo. Sólo hay que recordar el punto de vista de ese personage llamado Vince Power. Poco feedback había entre la organización y el público-sin foro y con escuetas newsletter-ahora ya quizá pasaremos a enterarnos por el Twitter de Lilly Allen que novedades hay. Una pena. Empieza una nueva era del FIB. Quiniela para los confirmaciones de diciembre: Julian Casablancas, Muse, Kings of Leon y si finalmente se juntan, The Libertines.

is actually a euphemism for “catching up,” which is all that’s on my plate today.  Like a month ago, I intended to put up a link to a west coast tugboat blog.  So here it is:  fremonttugboat.

Otherwise, this post comes from scrolling back through fotos I’ve taken (and not used, I think) since late spring 2009.  Try it yourself:  Put up your number of images (your fotos, else’s, your drawings, else’s) and comment on their place in your life.  Go back your chosen length of time, et voila, you have your very own retrospective!

Communication:  nothing fancy here as the deck keeps eye on work and skipper while the skipper pokes head out the window to see and hear.  Makes for clear communication, without which we in any endeavor  face peril.

Community:  it takes a strong bond between several rivertowns and watersheds to build a boat.  If I squint, I see this motely corps of volunteers literally carrying Onrust to the water on their shoulders.    Ok, I squint hard.

Comraderie:  Harold and a thousand other folks have acted as comrades in my life, and I am grateful to you all.  Gracias y merci buckets!

Contentment:  or “peace” if you will.  What matters it that this man is sitting where he finds it;  it matters not that he’s across from a huge oil depot and a dredged waterway allowing ingress and egress for dozens of billions of dollars or ducats of goods each year.  Here he is content.  Like someone I know who spent weeks living beside refinery and tolerating it by imagining the hiss and roar emanated from a pristine jungle waterfall.

Charm:  the Hudson River Valley happens to be a place of profound beauty and it mesmerizes me.  But the eye of the beholder generates a portion of that charm.  Open eyes will find it anywhere and in everything.  A resident of this Valley published THAT BOOK on this date in 1851 . Know which one?  Answer at end.

Curiosity:  the sixth boro is a complex place geographically, historically, … you or I could continue this list.  Here, like anywhere, it seems the more you notice, the less time remains to wonder about all the new things.  What is this cove called over just north of Fresh Kills?  Writing on vessels from foreground to back say RTC1, Crow, Relentless, and Cedar Marina.  Does a road lead here?

More curiosity:  What is this vessel that traversed to the north in front of Bowsprite’s cliff this summer?  What cargo did it transport?  What time warp did it emerge from?

Craziness: since writing about faces as prompted by the Robert brothers tome, I’ve had a blast with this.  This one . . . an orange boar (not bore) with tusks in place of dolly partons.  May some craziness–and a sense of humor about it– be evident everywhere.

Constancy:  1965  Near the St. Lawrence Seaway my father took this foto of a 13-year-old who became tugster.  I was already out tracking down info for the yet-to-be blog back then, way before blogs, digital cameras, computers of the ilk we know.  Some stuff doesn’t change.  Shouldn’t disappear.

It’s unrealistic to stop after a half dozen fotos, but . . . discipline is imposed.

My last post fer a while . . .gone fishing for something.  See you in a few with new tales.  Sindbad calls us to muster.   I tried unsuccessfully to find a Gordon Bok video-version of this, but this and this . . . a nice  innocent feel too.

All fotos, except the ones by bowsprite and my father, by Will Van Dorp.

Moby Dick. Thanks, Herman.  And apropos of nothing in particular except nature, see this video.

. . . actually I wanted to call this “Ida don’t exist,” at least not as a hurricane, as remnant winds tore through the sixth boro in the past 24 hours . . .  I’d guess we saw barely a moderate gale, force 6 to 7?  Dangerous enough, and from the breakers I spotted looking southeast from the high point on the VZ Bridge, seas to take seriously out in the Ambrose Channel and beyond.

But sludge still needs shifting,

ships with prophetic names have to be sent packing,

Mount Salt requires tending,

chemicals transfusions must flow,

contents of many  hundreds of containers cannot be done without.  Bruce A. McAllister escorts.

Danaos Maersk Messologi’s bow watch stands his station, as

only 18 or so hours are allotted to the task.

Robert IV (1975) also has work to do, and so do I.  Ida has mostly blown herself out and that has

all the difference.  Now Odin . . . the ultimate “house” to avoid windage!

And speaking of windage and waves, check this out:  barge La Princesa broke free from Sentry off Virginia Beach while bound from Puerto Rico for Philadelphia area.  Another job for Titan?   Slideshow thanks to Harold and YouTube thanks to Joel.

I’m off gallivanting soon, following Ida downeast, from a distance.  ”If the sun were shining, I’d'a gone today.”

Here’s to three-word sentences:  Ida don’t exist.  Ha!  like “diamonds are forever.” Yeah right.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

EA 17 begins a series of exchanges between Tushratta of Mittani and Pharaoh over renewed relations, to be solidified by a marriage between the two.  The tone of Tushratta is more flattering than the other correspondents thus far, suggesting that Mittani is particularly desireous of an alliance between the two kingdoms.

EA 17: Tuisheratta, king of Mittani, writes to Pharaoh, relating to him how he had deposed a usurper (his guardian?) who had isolated him from supporters.  With the slayers of Artashumara now dead, Tuisheratta is looking to renew friendly relations with Egypt, especially since his sister is part of Pharaoh’s harem and Pharaoh supported his father.  Gift enclosed.

(EA 18 to fragmentary to understand).

EA 19: Tushratta, king of Mittani, writes a lengthy letter to Pharaoh, praising him and his house for support previously rendered to Mittani, as well as for the gift of gold that has been sent.  Tushratta asks for more gold as part of their mutual love for each other.  Greeting gift enclosed.

EA 20: Tushratta, king of Mittani, writes a lengthy letter to Pharaoh regarding the dowry for the woman (Tushratta’s daughter) betrothed to Pharaoh.  Tushratta says that he has done all Pharaoh had asked and looks forward to their pending alliance, and notes that he has detained Pharaoh’s messenger because he is ostensibly pulling together a great gift for Pharaoh.  That said, he was publicly humiliated when he threw a big festive gathering to open the gift from Pharaoh, only to view the paltry amount that he actually received.  The guests openly questioned how much Pharaoh actually loved Tushratta based on how small the gift was.  Greeting gift enclosed.

EA 21: Tushratta, king of Mittani, writes to Pharaoh, pledging his daughter to Pharaoh in marriage.  All is well with Pharaoh’s emissaries.  Greeting gift enclosed.

EA 22: Lengthy inventory of the wedding gifts Tushratta, king of Mittani, has given to Pharaoh with regard to Pharaoh’s marriage to Tushratta’s daughter.

EA 23: Tushratta, king of Mittani, writes to Pharaoh sending him a statute of Shaushka, goddess of Ninevah (“she wants to visit Egypt and return.”).

EA 15 and 16 are letters from Assyria opening relations with Egypt.

EA 15: Greeting letter from Asshurubal, king of Assyria, to Pharaoh.  Asshurubal acknowledges that Egypt and Assyria have not had relations, but says that he is sending a messenger to assess Egypt, with greeting gift accompanying.  He requests that Pharaoh receive the messenger and not delay his return to Assyria.

EA 16: Asshuruballit, king of Assyria, writes to Pharaoh.  He was glad to receive Pharaoh’s messengers, but thought the greeting gift was stingy and not at the level of other kings.  He says that Pharaoh has given others much gold and if Pharaoh is going to be this stingy it will not even cover the efforts of the messengers. [Note the consciousness of rank, status, and honor.]

EA 6-7: This is an offer of friendship to Pharaoh from Burra Buriyash, king of Karaduniyash (in Babylon) upon the transfer of power from father to son [Note:  continuity of covenant relations does not require new covenant ceremony].  Burra Buriyash was upset that Pharaoh did not express concern or condolences when Pharaoh was ill, but his displeasure was ameliorated when he learned that Egypt was located far from his country and envoys could not get the message back quickly.  Discussion over gift giving [Gifts are freely offered and reciprocity is expected.  This seems to be significant in maintaining relations.]

EA 8: Burra Buriyash, king of Karaduniyash, writes to Pharaoh in which merchants from his kingdom were passing through Canaan and were killed and robbed.  On the basis of their treaty of friendship, Burra Buriyash is requesting from Pharaoh that the perpetrators be arrested, tried, and punished (executed) and that restitution be made for the merchants’ losses.  He makes arguments as to why this is in Pharoah’s interest as well. [The justification for appealing to Pharaoh is that Canaan was part of Pharoah's suzerainty.  Gifts are given as a sign of sincerity and as a confidence-building measure.]

EA 9: Burra Buriyash, king of Karaduniyash, writes to Pharaoh asking for much gold because he is working on his temple.  Burra criticizes Pharaoh for being stingy (not providing even half as much as what Pharaoh’s ancestor provided to Burra’s ancestor).  Burra also requests that Pharaoh return some Assyrian vassals who were not authorized to go there.  Burra provides a greeting gift.

EA 10: Burra Buriyash, king of Karaduniyash, complaints over the meager gifts he has received from Pharaoh, acknowledging that he has been stingy as well in response.

EA 11: Burra Buriyash, king of Karaduniyash, writes to Pharaoh about the daughter he has betrothed to Pharaoh upon the death of Pharaoh’s mother.  Burra is concerned that the escorting retinue is way too small and would bring dishonor to Burra in the eyes of other kings.  He requests that Pharaoh send a larger retinue quickly.  A gift is enclosed, but Burra expects a sizable gift from Pharaoh.  He cannot send a larger gift because he is still working on his palace.

EA 12-14: The first of these is a letter from princess (probably the one betrothed) to Pharaoh prostrating herself to Pharaoh.  The second two documents are the dowry inventory from Babylon.

Loretta B Moran is not yet ready for a christening, but the shell leaves little to the imagination.  Stuart Pate took these a few weeks back at the Washburn Doughty & Associates yard up in East Boothbay, Maine.

Looking at these newbuilds prompts some questions:  How many tugboats* are there in the world?  How many in the US?  What is the average age of the US fleet?  What is the only country counting MORE tugboats than the US?  Answers at end of post.  (* counting only “seagoing” and greater than 100 gross tons.)  I guess this is a miniTugsterteaser, since you get the answers by the end of the post.  The tug in the water might be Catherine C. Moran.

I’m guessing the other tug-in-progress here is Lizzie B. Moran.

Thanks, Stuart.  Stuart’s fotos were previously  featured here and here.  I love the primer colors!

The numbers are :  13,473, 1489, and 33 years average age.  Country is Indonesia, a nation of 230 million people scatttered over more than 17,000 islands.  The source is Marcon International.

And a followup question:  ever hear of Rufus W King?  According to this article in 1828 it was the first tugboat in the sixth boro . . . possibly anywhere.

As a prelude to evaluating Robertson’s books (and other writings by covenant theologians), it is probably best to start by looking at ancient Near Eastern diplomacy.  The best primary source information on this can be found in William Moran’s The Amarna Documents, and Gary Beckman’s Hittite Diplomatic Texts.

Amarna docs EA 1-5. Discussions of marriage between Kadashman-Enlil and the King of Egypt.   Kadashman-Enlil is a Babylonian king (est. r. 1364-1350) claims to have sent his daughter to Pharaoh to cement political alliances.  Pharaoh had conveyed through emissaries that he denied seeing her and said the envoys conducted themselves poorly.  Kadashman-Enlil refutes the claim that he is being stingy about paying dowry, and offers gifts to demonstrate good will.  [The attitude of Kadashman-Enlil in the exchange reflects a desire to strengthen the relationship with Pharaoh.  This begs the question as to his motivations. Part of it, certainly, is to get more favor, blessings, gifts from Pharaoh, as well as enhance his own reputation among his people and in contrast to neighboring kings.]

Weeks’ Elizabeth has sharp chines.

A hint of Dr Jekyl/Mr Hyde in United Banner.

Susan Miller with spud barge, almost full frontal.  Completely full frontal of anonymous gull.

Oxygen . . .  Don’t those anchor flukes look a bit like . . .  eyelashes?  What was that odd eyelash conversation I had recently?  Kimberly Turecamo to starboard and Laura K Moran to port.

Adriatic Sea emphasizes the vertical; bow wave defines the horizontal.

John B. Caddell with very little freeboard.

Linda Moran: difficult to anthropomorphize once I see the stacks as horns, unless the stalk plus upper wheelhouse plus mast is perceived as unusual headgear.

Newtown Creek moves in with goal posts.

What would Rosemary McAllister look like with a Cornell-esque pudding?

KT Venture is the first bulker I’ve seen offload salt directly at the Atlantic Salt dock, site of the late August Salt Festival.  More KT Venture soon.

Katherine Walker approaches, with a buoy in each cheek.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.