Ex-USCG Lighthouse Tender Lilac Turns 85 with Free Birthday Cake!

We recently posted about the tanker Mary A. Whalen‘s 80th birthday. The historic lighthouse tender Lilac is also celebrating her 85th birthday.  2018 Season Opening — 85th Birthday with Cake  The ex-USCG Cutter Lilac, originally built for the U.S. Lighthouse Service, was launched on May … Continue reading

Update: PortSide New York’s Norwegian Night of History & Bluegrass Now Free

We recently posted about PortSide NewYork’s Norwegian Water Stories & a Night of Bluegrass, an event being held tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, 2015 from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM at Atelier Roquette, 63 Commerce Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY 11231.  The event … Continue reading

PortSide NewYork’s Norwegian Water Stories & a Night of Bluegrass

This is one of those great “only in New York” events. Next Thursday, PortSide NewYork and the historic tanker Mary A. Whalen are hosting the NYC premier of the Norwegian bluegrass band, the Paradise Mountain Boys, as well as a multimedia presentation of Norwegian WaterStories. … Continue reading

PortSide NewYork Fundraiser — Resiliency is our Hook, October 28, 2014

PortSide NewYork is hosting a Fundraiser — Resiliency is our Hook, on October 28, 2014.  There will be smoky BBQ and sizzling Dixieland Jazz by the Red Hook Ramblers.  Good food, good music and good times for a good cause. PortSide … Continue reading

PortSide’s “Heavy Metal” Fundraising Sale!

PortSide New York, the organization behind the historic tanker Mary A. Whalen,  is having an amazing marine hardware fundraising sale.  From their press release: If you think a full-sized bollard makes the perfect doorstop, or that a collection of shackles … Continue reading

Hoboken’s Loss is Brooklyn’s Gain as Historic Ferry Yankee Crosses New York Harbor to Red Hook

About two years, ago we posted about two historic vessels in New York harbor, the ferry Yankee and the tanker Mary Whalen.  In the space of two days, two different real estate and design publications featured articles about the grand … Continue reading

Musings on National Maritime Day – the Wisdom of Pogo

Today, in the United States, is National Maritime Day. There is a presidential proclamation and everything.  The day, May 22nd, was chosen because that was the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia in 1818 on the first … Continue reading

Congratulations to PortSide NewYork – Winner of the White House “Champions of Change” Award !

Our hearty congratulations to PortSide NewYork, which today was awarded a White House Champions of Change award in recognition for the wonderful work done by the non-profit organization to assist their neighbors in Red Hook, a Brooklyn community absolutely devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The … Continue reading

The Seven Deadly Seas and Dead Upon a Wind – Pirate Burlesque Returns to New York on the Barquentine Gazela

On Wednesday, Philadelphia’s tall ship, the 112+ year old barquentine Gazela, will be among the seventeen tall ships in the “Parade of Sail” on the Hudson River. Once again, however, the Gazela will bringing more than just history and grace … Continue reading

Post Irene Wrap-up: How the Ships & Boats Coped with the Storm

Hurricane Irene has swept past, not as bad as she could have been, but bad enough, nevertheless.  Downgraded to a tropical storm by 9AM this morning, she still caused significant flooding on the East coast, hitting  Philadelphia  particularly hard. The city, situated between the Delaware … Continue reading

Historic Ships Getting Trendy in the Big Apple?

Two articles within two days are making me wonder if re-purposed historic vessels might be becoming  trendy in design circles around New York City.   Curbed, a New York real estate blog featured the 1907 Yankee Ferry in “Hudson River’s Coolest, Oldest Floating Home”  – “Taking … Continue reading

Portside New York – Big BlueBQ July 3rd

Portside New York is a maritime hub and cultural space whose centerpiece is the historic coastal tanker Mary Whalen.   Portside is based this summer on pier 11 in the Atlantic Basin, Red Hook, Brooklyn. On Saturday, July 3rd, Portside is hosting  the Big … Continue reading

Donald Scott Sutherland – Chronicler of New York Harbor

Don Sutherland, marine photographer and writer, died on May 24 of cancer.  In the words of Carolina Salguero, Director, PortSide NewYork,  “Don covered the working waterfront in this port like no other with an adoring eye, passionate voice and sharp … Continue reading