Boarding the Clipper City early on the gorgeous morning of July 18 at South Street Seaport's Pier 17, waterfront leaders, elected officials and press representatives were the first to set sail for Governors Island. Inspired by the breeze, the sun, the views and a great sense of camaraderie, passengers turned to each other and began to talk about the health of the harbor.

Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance president Roland Lewis (right) welcomed the crowd and spoke about the MWA's mission: the transformation of the New York and New Jersey waterways to make them cleaner and more accessible, a vibrant place to play, learn and work, with great parks, great jobs and great transportation for all.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer stepped up to the microphone, flanked by Governors Island Alliance executive director Rob Pirani (in sunglasses) and State Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, and announced a $5,000 donation to the MWA for City of Water Day!



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City of Water Day visitors who disembarked at Yankee Pier, on the Brooklyn side of Governors Island, found themselves at the doorstep of the Hayward, one of the Army Corps of Engineers three Drift Collection Vessels that keep the channels of New York Harbor clear of debris.

Major Mike Ruppert, deputy commander for  the ACE New York District, greeted people and explained the three-part mission of the Corps -- debris removal, channel dredging and environmental restoration. He showed them the once-submerged pleasure boat and giant pieces of timber that the vessel's crane had plucked from the water. The Hayward in particular, he said, saves the region about $25 million each year from what could be a series of beach closings and major damage to boats.


Inland, the Corps wowed children and adults with live creatures in tanks at the Waterfront Action Fair. "We had a lot of fun at City of Water Day," said Chris Gardner, public affairs specialist for the ACE New York District. "It's always great to get a chance to show people that we do a lot more than just strictly military-related things and that we're proud to be part of the Harbor community." With colleagues besides him, Mr. Gardner told eager visitors about port improvements the Corps is involved with, including one of the most important local initiatives -- the Comprehensive Restoration Plan (CRP) for the NY/NJ Harbor, recently released by the Corps, the Port Authority and the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program.

This stuff is clean, has beneficial uses and can save the City a lot of money!

On City of Water Day, it was standing room only at the Economic Development Corp.'s compelling presentation on dredging -- and that's not just because there were no seats. Kerri Mullins and Kathy McGuckin kept visitors entertained as they explained why dredging the channels of New York Harbor is crucial to the economic and environmental health of the region. On a table before them lay samples of clean dredged material from Port Elizabeth and Rockaway Inlet, as well as copies of the EDC's recently released Maritime Support Services Location Study. Behind the women lay a mysterious pile of clean sand.







"A lot of our small marinas are sinking in the mud and they can't afford to dredge," said Ms. McGuckin. She played a major role in the creation of the city's dredged material management plan, now in its first phase. The program coordinates the use of clean dredged sand or rock, and can save the City millions of dollars. For example, sand from the bottom of Rockaway Inlet is being sent to White Island in Brooklyn for habitat restoration. Conventional fill would have cost the city close to $7 million, but dredged sand from the Rockaways cost $2.7 million and deepened the channel at the same time. The EDC's new dredge program includes an important fund for small businesses that need assistance in paying for dredging.

While dredged material is an arresting conversation topic, EDC vice president Andrew Genn wanted a surefire attention-getter. The pile of sand behind Ms. Mullins and Ms. McGuckin turned out to be the location for tugs of war. "We engaged a number of passers-by, kids and adults" for the tugs of war, said Mr. Genn, pleased with the outcome. "We also spoke to people about dredged material and showed them the samples and data sheets. All in all, I think we were successful in educating the public about the useful properties of dredged material."

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"From what I saw... all your hard work was worth the effort," said Phil Giller, former commodore of the Sebago Canoe Club. "Any waterfront education for the general public is appreciated and needed."

"What a great day we had!" exulted Meg Fellerath, one of the directors of the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative.

East River C.R.E.W. was one of four rowing associations at the Waterfront Action Fair, along with Floating the Apple, Village Community Boathouse and Rocking the Boat. East River CREW's lead coxswain Balram Yadov reported an inspiring and productive two days, connected by a camp-out on the Governors Island baseball fieilds. "Seagulls sang for us the whole night," he wrote. "Perfect end for a perfect day."

A group of children from CampInteractive concluded a week's worth of sailing and maritime studies with City of Water Day. It was "a life-changing experience for our kids," said executive director Craig Meisner.



"I commend the organizers, participants, and sponsor vessels for a professionally planned and executed event," said Stewart C. Sutherland, LCDR, USCG (Ret.), coxswain and owner of CG Aux Lady B. "If next year's event is as well planned and executed as this one, there will be little need for any but minimal Coast Guard presence."

Urban Park Ranger Kyle Jennings said the fishing outpost sponsored by the Dept. of Parks & Recreation was jumpin', as were the fish. Plenty of striped bass and flounder were in evidence, and someone caught a two-footer.

"We do live in an archipelago," pointed out teacher Adam Schwartz as he introduced a screening of the film "City of Water" to those assembled for the Land Use and Waterfront Planning Teach-In. "This film changed my teaching. It changed my life. It got me involved in waterfront issues. If it gets you involved, we'll have accomplished something."

A final thanks to all of the sponsors of the 2009 City of Water Day Festival, including

City of Water Day Featured on OurHudson.org
Join the discussion and submit your photos!

OurHudson.org is an online forum that supports the Quadricentennial Commission's call for a continuing dialogue to advance a vision for the future of the Hudson Valley in the next 100 years. This virtual discussion forum is a tool for you to communicate with others up and down the Hudson River working on water-related issues. Share your thoughts!

Over 11,000 people rowed, sailed, paddled, or took the ferry to Governors Island on City of Water Day to celebrate and enjoy New York's great resources - its Harbor and waterways.  Many communities around New York City, and in the Hudson Valley, are still cut off from their waterfronts. Does your community have adequate access to the waterfront? What can we do to reconnect these communities to the water?

Please offer your thoughts on this important topic by signing up as a member at www.ourhudson.org and responding to the discussion thread under "Join the Conversation."  Please consider joining the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Group, where you can interact directly with fellow MWA members and contribute to a regional discussion about waterfront access, as well as other key topics addressed in the Waterfront Action Agenda. And don't forget to upload your favorite City of Water Day photos on the OurHudson.org homepage.

MWA Boat Available for Your Use

Attention Alliance Partners! The Big G, a retired police boat, is available, no charge, for your use. Take funders on a tour! Throw a party! All we ask is a suggested contribution to cover the fuel usage. The Big G can hold a dozen people.

Click here to contact Captain Carter Craft for more information.

A lavishly illustrated new book about Governors Island by Ann L. Buttenweiser, well-known urban planner and waterfront historian, has just been released by Syracuse University Press.

Full of photographs, maps, illustrations and architectural plans -- some never before published -- "Governors Island, The Jewel of New York Harbor" offers a striking portrait of the island, from its first years as the site of a British fort in the 1700s, to its function as an American military outpost, to its current role as a still-evolving, grand public space.

The book (USB #978-0-8156-0936-0) may be ordered online at SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu or call 1-800-365-8929.