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Get out of the rain
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole arrived in New York Friday with a steady drenching rain, but not much wind. There was a modest shift to the sheltered waters of the North River, with Dean Reinauer and Timothy Reinauer coming up from the Lower Bay and anchoring off the Upper West Side, and Genesis Victory returning from a delivery at the United Riverhead terminal and heading up to the Yonkers anchorages, joining Jordan Rose there.
Buchanan12 headed north with empty hoppers returning to Tilcon Clinton Point before the weather arrived 
Stephen Reinauer heading for a calmer anchorage Friday morning 
Dean Reinauer at anchor off 79th Street 
Genesis Victory returning from Riverhead and heading for Yonkers anchorage 
Kristy Ann Reinauer was heading for Albany with a cargo 
With dredging complete, DonJon tugs were servicing the DSNY Pier 99 paper recycling facility again 
A Coast Guard Jayhawk, perhaps the same one that did the rescue demo Thursday, flew down from Cape Cod, circled over Pier 86 and the Statue -
Search and Rescue
The Coast Guard demonstrated the service’s search and rescue capabilities on Pier 86 Thursday, ahead of Friday’s Veterans Day parade at which the Coast Guard will be the “featured service.” The Coast Guard brought in a Jayhawk MH60 helicopter, the Coast Guard version of the Blackhawk, and dropped a rescue swimmer in the water who was then winched up.
A rescue swimmer is retrieved from the River 
The Jayhawk hovers, with a 35’ NYPD launch in the foreground, and the DEP’s North River tanker and a ferry passing 
Icebreaking tug Sturgeon Bay was tied up out of sight at Pier 88 during the demo Meanwhile, observed commercial traffic was dominated by Reinauer ATBs. The Josephine came through early with a cargo for Albany. Kristy Ann was coming the other direction with a light barge while Nicole Reinauer returned from Boston light as well, briefly anchored in the River and then headed for the Reinauer dock on the North Shore of Staten Island. Meanwhile, Kirby’s Lincoln Sea with its plus-sized barge remained anchored off 96th Street.
Josephine Reinauer heading for Albany with a cargo Thursday morning 
Kristy Ann Reinauer heading the other way light 
Nicole Leigh returning from making a delivery in Boston 
Kirby’s Lincoln Sea anchored south of the bridge 
Boats from the Billion Oyster Project had students from the Harbor School at Pier 85. Students later visited the Coast Guard cutter at Pier 86 -
Parade of Ships
The Coast Guard will be the “featured service” at Friday’s New York City Veterans Day. In recognition of this, USCG organized a small parade of ships, entering the Harbor this morning and proceeding up to the passenger ship terminal. The flagship was the Cape May-based 154’ fast response cutter Lawrence Lawson, which docked at the end of Pier 86, the Intrepid Museum pier. The Navy also participated though, with the much larger Amphibious Transport Dock USS Arlington docking on the south side of Pier 88. Local icebreaking tug Penobscot Bay rounded out the parade, and the FDNY’s Three Forty Three boat also joined in. The Coast Guard will host a search-and-rescue demonstration with a Jayhawk helicopter at Pier 86 Thursday.
USS Arlington pulls in to Pier 88, with DonJon’s Sarah Ann photo-bombing. 
Penobscot Bay and the FDNY Three Forty Three boat watch her dock 
Cutter Lawrence Lawson tied up on the end of Pier 86 
Coast Guards adjust the fenders between the cutter and the dock 
USS Arlington at the south side of Pier 86 
The Navy keeps a machine gun mounted and manned on the stern of the Arlington while in port 
Marines checked their phones on the Arlington 
Sailors and Marines on the helicopter deck 
NYPD kept an eye on the ships and the cruise ship on the other side of Pier 88 Meanwhile, commercial life on the River went on as usual. The morning began with three tanker barges anchored with tugs in the river. But Adeline Marie and Kristin Poling left before the Navy arrived, leaving only Lincoln Sea with her very large barge anchored south of the bridge. Kimberly Poling came through with a cargo headed for Albany.
Kimberly Poling heading for Albany 
Adeline Marie made smoke as she got underway against the flood tide 
Kristin Poling headed for the Bayway terminal for a new cargo 
Lincoln Sea at anchor off 96th Street, getting passed by the Army Corps Hayward 
Jet Moran arrived to assist the cruise ship Insignia’s departure 
The dredging team at Pier 99 finished up work with some debris cleanup 
Douglas J arrived to collect the Delaware Bay dredger 
And seemed to be heading back to Newark headquarters 
Everly Mist, formerly known as Evening Mist, headed for the Haugland Group’s Tomkins Cove port in Haverstraw Bay -
Moderating
Monday verged on outright summer, but by Tuesday the northeast was easing back into autumn, and a tropical storm is predicted to arrive this weekend. Saint Emilion left its North River anchorage, headed for the Arthur Kill and was in the Upper Bay by evening. Kimberly Poling was at anchor Tuesday morning, and was joined during the day by the Adeline Marie. DonJon’s low-slung canal capable tug J. Arnold Witte joined the dredging team at Pier 99, with canal season now ended for the winter.
J. Arnold Witte stemming the flood off Pier i Tuesday morning with a deck barge 
The rest of the dredging team off Pier i Tuesday morning 
Thomas Dann left its sugar barge at Yonkers and ran errands in the harbor before heading back up there Monday. 
Mary Turecamo was also running light heading north to Albany Monday, less than 24 hours after her Sunday trip up as far as Kingston 
Kristin Poling at anchor off the Upper West Side Tuesday after returning from a delivery in Providence 
The cruise ship Insignia was tied up at Pier 88 Tuesday, in transit from Montreal to Miami where she will operate in December 
A Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter made a low run up the river Tuesday 
J24 sailboats were enjoying pleasant conditions Tuesday 
A double-crested cormorant was too cool to acknowledge the Canada geese on Pier 96 Tuesday -
In transit
Helping to transit a J80 sailboat from Inwood to winter quarters in Verplanck provided a great opportunity to observe the Hudson north of the section known as the North River. We covered the 25 nautical miles in about 5.5 hours thanks to favorable southerly winds and a flood tide. Commercial traffic was light along the way, but the fall colors were glorious.
Thomas Dann was tied up at the Yonkers sugar refinery with the Somerset barge after bringing raw sugar up from Florida 
The Hudson River Pilots are based in Yonkers and guide ships from here up to Hyde Park New York where a North Hudson pilot takes over for the rest of the trip up to Albany. South of here, the Sandy Hook pilots are in charge. 
Privately-owned liftboat Legs III at its home base near the Yonkers Corinthian Yacht Club 
Navigator passed under the Mario Cuomo Bridge coming from Buckeye Rensselaer en route directly to New Haven so presumably with a partially loaded barge. Mary Turecamo was running light up to Kingston on unknown business 
Retired FDNY fireboat McKean remains anchored in Haverstraw, so which retired fireboat did we see at Pier 25 last week? 
A Circle Line boat heading for Bear Mountain, passing a J80 sailboat 
A J80 running with a spinnaker past Hook Mountain 
The mighty Palisades 
Amtrak Empire Service heading north 
CSX auto racks approaching Haverstraw en route to the North Jersey yards -
Too much of a good thing?
Conditions began to move into the “a little too good” category on Saturday, with temperatures creeping up into the 70s. Recreational boaters lucky enough not to have taken their boats out for the winter yet were enjoying things, and the commercial crews were probably also content not to be freezing.
J24 sailboats got another weekend of sailing in, running up river against the ebb with a southerly wind A powerboat owner makes the most of the weather 
A short-sleeved paddle boarder with a kayak companion passed the Army Corp’s Hayward, with the towers of Journal Square and the Weehawken UBS building in the background 
A closer look at the Hayward 
CMT’s Mister Jim brought a load of large stones south from Coeymans, heading for Jersey City and then Staten Island 
Buchanan12 was on its usual crushed dolomite delivery run 
Stephen Reinauer, one of the older ATBs in the Reinauer fleet (though not as old as Dace) brought a cargo north, heading for Albany 
Haugland Group’s Everly Mist brought a hopper down from the company’s Tomkins Cove port. This seems to be the same tug which was formerly known as Evening Mist. 
Norwegian Joy made a Saturday afternoon departure, continuing runs to Bermuda through November before transiting to the West Cost in December 
Inbound LaGuardia traffic was using the Hudson River approach Sunday ©2024 Daniel Katzive Uncategorized -
Free parking
The glorious days continue, with early Friday fog lifting by midday and giving way to conditions that felt more like spring than autumn. The anchorages have been busy, with Patrice McCalister and a Poling-Cutler tug at rest Thursday with empty barges on the hip, and Saint Emilion and Evelyn Cutler in residence on Friday. Saint Emilion returned to the North River after visiting the Caddell boatyard earlier in the week and does not seemed to have resumed work after getting back in the water from its period on the blocks.
Probably the Kimberly Poling at anchor Thursday morning Patrice McAllister was further north before heading for Philly 
Saint Emilion at anchor off Edgewater Friday 
Kristy Ann was heading north with a cargo Thursday 
Norwegian Sun was at Pier 88 Thursday, stopping in New York en route to Lisbon from Miami 
CMT’s Daisy Mae was heading north with a load of sand, passing Weehawken 
Dredging continues south of Pier 99 
Copper Mountain, which brought a cargo up from the Gulf last week, appears to be doing local work now, coming down from Albany with a light barge -
Is this November?
UPDATED ON NOVEMBER 6: The fireboat John McKean remains in Haverstraw, so it is unclear which fireboat is now tied up at Pier 25. To be investigated further.
Temperatures have remained surprisingly warm as we move into November, which may provide some welcome relief to stressed distillate markets. Mid-week North River traffic seemed light, though there was plenty of activity elsewhere in the harbor. Two small cruise ships arrived at the Manhattan terminal with sunrise, with the Silver Whisper docking at Pier 90 and the unusual Viking Ocean Explorer on the south side of Pier 88. The Whisper was on its way from Quebec City down to the Carribean and ultimately heading for Chile and New Zealand over the northern hemisphere winter. Ocean Explorer arrived from Newport but it is not clear where she is heading next.
Silver Whisper arrives at Pier 90 
Vane Brothers’ Charles Hughes brought a refueling barge alongside 
The smaller Ocean Explorer was refueled by a self-propelled bunkering tanker Rolf William 
Over on the East River, a similar looking tanker was alongside the container ship AS Petra as it unloaded at Red Hook Terminal 
Further up the East River, sand was being unloaded at the New York Sand and Stone dock in the Navy Yard 
William F. Fallon exited the East River and headed for Bayonne 
Followed by a Poling-Cutler tug and tanker barge Back on the North River, the retired and privately owned fireboat John D. McKean appears to be tied up at Pier 25, though this is a bit of a stealth residence as the name does not appear on the bow and the McKean’s web site still says it is up in Haverstraw, wherewe saw her in April. It is possible this is a different boat. In any event, the McKean should not be confused with the morefamous retired fireboat John J. Harveywhich resides at Pier 66.An unidentified former fireboat is tied up at Pier 24, not be confused with the more famous retired fireboat John J. Harvey which resides at Pier 66.
A retired fireboat, presumably the John J. McKean, at Pier 25 
Dredging continues at the DSNY facility on Pier 99 
A pair of F/A-18s flew low up the Hudson to West Point and back ©2024 Daniel Katzive Uncategorized -
Closing out a warm October
Halloween and All Saints Day have come and gone, and still temperatures continue to peak in the 60s. River traffic has been fairly typical, though we continue to watch for signs that the extreme levels of disruption in the northeast diesel markets is affecting tanker patterns. The cruise terminal continues to see departures of final sails of the season, with the Disney Magic heading south for the winter Monday. The ATB Beatrice anchored off 72nd Street departed, picked up a new cargo in Port Reading NJ, and headed for New Haven. The Saint Emilion remained at anchor for a third day though, seemingly having exchanged her recent boat yard perch for a new parking spot afloat.
One somewhat unusual move observed was the ATB Jeffrey S, formerly known as the Ellen S. Bouchard, heading upriver to the Albany Buckeye Terminal with what looked like a light barge and coming directly from Bridgeport. Light barges do not normally move upriver, though it is possible that the barge remained partially loaded after making a delivery in Bridgeport and will more fully unload in Albany. Another possibility is that the barge will load a cargo in Albany, perhaps ethanol or a refined oil product arriving by rail from somewhere else. Unusual traffic should be expected given the severe strains in the diesel market but, again, this could just reflect normal random variability rather than the current unusual market circumstances.
Jeffrey S., the former Ellen S. Bouchard, en route from Bridgeport to Albany with what looked like a light or partially loaded barge Disney Magic headed out on a its last run of the season from NYC on Monday, now heading for Bermuda and Puerto Rico, and then on to her winter cruising base in Galveston. The Moran tug which helped her leave is on her port, as is a J24 sailboat staying out of the way. 
A Vane Brothers bunkering barge left after refueling Magic, with its port fenders still in place and the crane it uses to feed the fuel line still elevated. 
After a couple of days off, the DonJon dredging crew was back at work Tuesday morning south of Pier 99. 
The small pusher tug Durham was running light up to Peekskill Tuesday morning. 
Dann Marine’s Treasure Coast had a light cement barge on the hip heading back to Lafarge’s Ravenna plant from the company’s cement depot in Flushing -
Last Sunday in October
The last Sunday in October brought clear skies, mild temperatures and light winds. River traffic was fairly typical, though there were a fair number of sailboats and pleasure craft heading north, likely to winter quarters as November approaches.
Centerline’s Beatrice remained anchored off 72nd Street for a second day 
As did Saint Emilion further north 
The DonJon dredge had Sunday off and was parked near Pier 99 CMT’s Helen with a load of what might be asphalt millings heading south, with Riverside Park in the background 
Buchanan’s Mister T had empty hoppers on the wire to be exchanged in Haverstraw Bay 
Kimberly Poling came through with a light barge just before sunset 
Norwegian Breakaway at Pier 88 on Sunday 
And later heading out on her last New England/Nova Scotia cruise before heading for the Caribbean in November, passing La Barca dinner boat at Pier 81 ©2024 Daniel Katzive Uncategorized
Observations on the Hudson River as it passes through New York City. The section of the Hudson which passes through New York is historically known as the North River, called this by the Dutch to distinguish it from the Delaware River, which they knew as the South River. This stretch of the Hudson is still often referred to as the North River by local mariners today. All photos copyright Daniel Katzive unless otherwise attributed. For more frequent updates, please follow northriverblog on Facebook or Instagram.
North River Notes 