Re: [Paddlewise] More on NY harbor

I'd be delighted to sign on to a letter to the Times correcting the
statement of the ferries' person who said that they stay mid-channel.  Jim
Wetteroth commented on this when we were discussing the waterway meeting
where the commercial people were talking about limiting kayaking.  The
ferrries do not go to the middle of the channel in order to go up- and
down-river, and as Ralph says, often are within 100 yards of the NY
pierheads.  They are either running up one side or the other or diagonally
across, which, according to Jim, is against regs.  1,100 must be a misprint,
but it is sure no fun to be out there during the week during the day.  The
wakes never really abate.  If it is not just us, but the fact that the wakes
stress the piers, perhaps it is an issue the authorities would pay attention
to.

rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:

> In today's Sunday NY Times there is a short piece in The City section on
> page 7 about the wake problem created by the ferries.  Those of you who
> have paddled out of the Downtown Boathouse no doubt recognize the large
> NO WAKE sign seen in the accompanying foto; it is right at the end of
> the pier.
>
> Several things struck me about the info in the article:
>
> 1.  The New York Waterways ferries have 1,100 river crossing a day!!!
> For those not familiar with the scene.  The Hudson River is about a half
> mile wide and the area that the ferries crisscross involves just a four
> mile stretch of the river.  That's a helluva lot of traffic to contend
> with alone without counting pleasure boats, ocean liners, oil barges,
> lunch and dinner cruise ships, etc. that also run down through that
> corridor.
>
> 2.  The ferries are the worse churners of the water.  Their wake has to
> be experienced.  It is hard to believe that such relatively small boats
> can throw up such a massive wake.  Their constant crisscrossing of the
> river at that thousand plus rate of crossings makes for a tricky
> environment and to the point of the article in the Times, my number 3
> below.
>
> 3.  The ferries are damaging the piers, which are already in fragile
> condition thanks to our friendly shipworms.  A ferries' spokesperson
> quoted in the article says the ferries stay in mid river except for
> their immediate approach to the ferry slips.  But that is simply not
> true.  All you have to do is sit on Pier 25 or 26 to see just how close
> they come.  I have often seen them much closer in than the 150 feet that
> one of those concerned about the ferries is quoted as saying.  I would
> say from my educated guess and fairly experienced eye that they come in
> as close as four or five kayak lengths.  So certainly under 100 feet.  I
> have several times been caught by them along the seawall given a choice
> of whether I should stay close to the bulkhead and get slammed by their
> massive wake and the reflective waves off the bulkhead or paddle out
> river from them to avoid getting caught in such a washing machine.
>
> ralph diaz
> --
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
> PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
> Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
> "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------




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