This set of Staten Island Ferry photographs was taken on February 6, 1978, during a storm in the particularly harsh winter of 1977-1978, and on April 6, 1982, the date of the largest April blizzard in the city’s history. The ferries depicted are either the now retired trio of steamboats of 1950-1951 or the three1965-built diesel units, currently the oldest in the eight-ferry fleet. The sequence presents a crossing, taken during several round trips, from Whitehall Street, Manhattan to St. George, Staten Island. When the visibility is extremely poor, as it was on these occasions, the 22-minute crossing through the busy Upper Bay can take twice as long. Besides the captain and the assistant captain, deck hands and the mate act as additional lookouts in the pilot house and on the bow of the vehicle deck, the most forward portion of the ferry.

 

The Staten Island Ferry, under ownership by The City of New York since 1905, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and three brand-new ferries will enter service during 2005. The first, the Guy V. Molinari, has already arrived and is due to enter service very soon. This website will feature photo essays and reports leading up to the October 25th celebration.

 


A diesel ferry in her Whitehall St. slip.


An arriving diesel ferry.


No takers on the outdoor promenade deck today.


Some ferry riders will sit outside in any weather.


Snow removal is an endless task on a moving ferry.


Shoveling the Saloon Deck.


A deckhand working outside the gates on the vehicle deck.


A diesel ferry approaches the slip at an oblique angle.


A diesel ferry approaches it's St. George slip.


Shoveling the Saloon Deck at St. George.


A diesel ferry in a layup berth at St. George.


A steam ferry dating from 1950-51.