SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2006
~ THE STEAMSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, INC. ~
~ LONG ISLAND CHAPTER ~
On Saturday, September 30, 2006 a large group of maritime enthusiasts embarked on a New York City Water Taxi for a harbor cruise around the Port of New York. The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. - Long Island Chapter sponsored the event and members of that chapter were joined by friends from the World Ship Society - Port of New York Branch. A total of six cruise ships were in the port on that Saturday and they were docked at three different locations. Zenith was the first to sail from Bayonne, NJ and she was well on her way beyond the bridge, enroute to Bermuda, before we saw her. Carnival Victory departed from the New York Cruise Terminal enroute to New England and Canada. We sailed alongside of her as we headed down the North River. Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Dawn followed, the first heading for the Caribbean with the Dawn enroute to New England and Canada. Crown Princess departed from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal for a cruise to Bermuda and Caribbean ports. As there were a number of Port of New York Branch members on board we circled Crown Princess at close range. Queen Mary 2 was berthed at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey for the first time. She did not sail as scheduled at 5 PM and our water taxi attempted to get a closer view of her at the berth until we were chased off by a US Coast Guard cutter. We later learned that Queen Mary 2 waited for 150 passengers who were late arrivals. She sailed at 7:30 PM.
Although the weather was somewhat overcast it was a day of great ship sightings in the Port of New York.
The following are some images of the day.
Three cruise ships (l to r) are Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Dawn and Carnival Victory.
The three ships are berthed at the New York Cruise Terminal on Mahattan's West Side.
The 101,672 grt Carnival Victory passing the downtown Manhattan skyline.
The new Crown Princess sailed from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at Red Hook.
Norwegian Dawn departing New York as seen in the Upper Bay.
Due to congestion in the port that day Queen Mary 2 docked at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal, Bayonne New Jersey for the first time.
This image shows a US Coast Guard cutter speeding toward our Water Taxi as we apparently strayed a bit too close to the QM2.
(Text and images by John McFarlane.)
(The digital images are "snaps" from a digital video of the event.)
The following three photographs were taken on the same day by Branch Member Tee Adams from the Staten Island shoreline.
Zenith sailing from the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ.
She was the first cruise ship to depart that day.
NY Water Taxi off Staten Island with SSHSA-LI and WSS-PONY members on board.
Queen Mary 2 docked at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ.
A close-up view of Queen Mary 2 docked at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ.
(Photograph Howard Paulman)