| High Tide 2:45am | Low Tide 9:45am | High Tide 3:35pm | Low Tide 10:37pm* |
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S P O N S O R S |
Thank you to our colleagues across the metropolitan region who are helping to make City of Water Day 2012 the best ever!
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TAKE ACTION
| Is there a plan in public review
that you should know about?
An important meeting you might want to attend? A waterfront project needing your help?
TAKE ACTION HERE!
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 get to the water!
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LEARN TO SWIMNYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation- Free classes at various city pools for toddlers (1˝-5), children (6-17), and adults (18+).LEARN TO KAYAK National Parks of New York Harbor- Kayak skills workshop in Jamaica Bay, Fridays, June 29-August 31; Mondays through Sept. 3 LEARN TO ROW Harlem River Community Rowing(Roberto Clemente State Park, Bronx) - Adult Learn to Row, $200 (also Master rowing) New York Rowing(Overpeck Lake, NJ) - Juniors and adults learn to row, every weekend in June and July. Call 212-277-8018 for prices. Row New York (Sharp Boathouse, Harlem River and Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens) - Adult Learn to Row: intensive weekend $100, three weeks $320 - Youth Summer Camp, two weeks $350 (also, Masters Rowing and Collegiate Rowing) LEARN TO SAILAtlantic Yachting- Youth sailing camp, ages 9-15, at 79th Street Boat Basin. One week: $990. - Adult learn-to-sail: two-day course: $375. Other options available. Hudson River Community Sailing- For 6th-11th graders, at Pier 66 Maritime. One week: $475. Manhattan Sailing Club- Learn-to-sail sailing for adults at North Cove (Battery Park City), Shipyard Marina (Hoboken) or Liberty Harbor (Jersey City). 2 consecutive days or 5 weekly evenings: $390. - Junior sailing camp: one week: $690. - Teen sailing camp: one week: $390. National Parks of New York Harbor- 3 sessions for $50, Jamaica Bay. For reservations, all 718-338-3799. Offshore Sailing School- Learn-to-sail for adults at Chelsea Piers, Pier 25 and Liberty Landing, NJ. 3-day or 5-day options. Call 888-454-7015 for prices. Sail NY- Learn-to-sail for adults at Weehawken, NJ. $475 |
For a map of vessels navigating the NY/NJ waterways at this moment, check marinetraffic.com.
Tide times above are for the waters of Gowanus Bay on June 28, 2012. For your waterfront's daily tides,
go to saltwatertides.com.
For information about environmental conditions (currents, water temperature, salinity, wave height, etc.) of the New York Harbor area, check the Urban Ocean Observatory at Stevens Institute's Center for Maritime Systems
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Events on the Waterfront
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June 28
June 29
North River Historic Ship Festival
June 30
North River Historic Ship Festival
12pm, Pier 25
School's Out For Summer
12pm, Bayswater Park Beach 32nd Street and Beach Channel Drive
Fishing Festival
11am, West Harlem Piers Parks
July 1
Jamaica Bay Ecology Cruise
3pm, Pier 4 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
North River Historic Ship Festival
1pm, Pier 25
July 2 8 Bridges Swim
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
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classified advertising
| Have a boat to sell?
A maritime job opening to post? Place your free water-related classified ad in WaterWire. Contact
asimko@waterfrontalliance.org  Blue Classroom is a 24' launch built in 1989 by Peterson Shipbuilders in Wisconsin. She most recently served as a police boat for the US Navy. The boat is owned by MWA Co-Founders Paul Balser and Carter Craft, and her homeport is the Shipyard Marina in Hoboken. She is ideally suited for small scale tours, photo/video photography shoots, and as an event safety and support boat. Over the winter she was re-powered at Tottenville Marina and has been recently tuned up at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. All good causes and reasonable requests will be considered! Visit our fledgling blog at http://blueclassroom.wordpress.com/ or email theblueclassroom@gmail.com for more information.
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| CONTENTS: June 28, 2012 | U.S. Coast Guard Names New Captain of the Port of NY and NJ
Welcome Capt. Gordon Loebl
Circulate a petition supporting the NY-NJ Harbor Act
Sign Up for Free Boat Tours on City of Water Day!
Registration opens tomorrow
North River Historic Ship Festival Returns to Pier 25 This Weekend
Festival kicks off with a gala party open to all tonight
Now, Two Hornblowers in the Harbor
With a bottle of bubbly, Infinity joins Hybrid
City of Water Day is Part of the River to River Festival
Month-long celebration of culture downtown
Today, June 28, outdoor pools open all around NYC
Make This the Summer You Learn How to Row, Sail or Swim
Opportunities, some free, await you throughout the region
Meet Some MWA Partners
Newslinks
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NEW CAPTAIN OF THE PORT OF NY AND NJ
| | USCG Capt. Gordon Loebl Assumes Authority
 On June 13, 2012, Capt. Gordon Loebl assumed the U.S. Coast Guard's top local position as Commander, Sector New York, and Captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey, on June 13. He took over from Capt. Linda Fagan, who had been the first woman to fill the position.
With a background in Marine Safety and Marine Inspection, Capt. Loebl began his Coast Guard career in 1989 as an apprentice Marine Inspector conducting safety inspections of commercial vessels throughout the tri-state area, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East during Operation Desert Shield. By 1997 he was serving in the Office of Investigations & Analysis where he developed enforcement regulations and polices.
From 2000 to 2004, Captain Loebl served as the Chief of Prevention at Coast Guard Activities Baltimore, a prototype command with integrated Group and Marine Safety Office functions that would eventually become the model for Sector commands. Over the past decade he has served in high level positions in Marine Safety and Marine Inspections.
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TWO WAYS TO VOLUNTEER AT CITY OF WATER DAY
| | Help the Harbor Coalition Petition at Both Locations,
Or Work With the Crowds at Liberty State Park
It's two weeks before 25,000 people show up for City of Water Day at Liberty State Park and Governors Island on Saturday, July 14, 2012, and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and the New York-New Jersey Harbor Coalition need your help. Can you help the Coalition recruit supporters for the New York-New Jersey Harbor Act on City of Water Day? Please contact Michael O'Gorman if you can circulate petitions for this proposed federal legislation. With your help, the New York-New Jersey Harbor Act will break down procedural barriers, create comprehensive and efficient oversight, and provide the critical federal investment needed to match local resources and restore our harbor to meet the economic, recreational and environmental needs of the region. The Coalition's grassroots efforts are essential to build bi-partisan congressional support for this critical legislation, which is based on other successful citizen-led efforts across the country. (You can also take action now by signing the petition to support the Harbor Act.) "Volunteering with the Harbor Coalition at City Water Day is a great way to get involved in our growing campaign to restore our harbor, America's harbor," said Roland Lewis, President and CEO of the MWA and co-chair of the Harbor Coalition. "By petitioning with the Harbor Coalition you will help focus our federal elected officials on this important shared resource, while building a grassroots network of support in our region."  The MWA also needs volunteers at Liberty State Park on City of Water Day. Volunteers will greet people, work with children's activities and assist the Dock Masters. All volunteers get lunch and a free t-shirt. For details, click here or call Paul at 212-935-9831, x105. |
GET OUT ON THE WATER! FREE BOAT RIDES ON JULY 14
| | More Than 6,000 Seats are Available
A hallmark of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance's 5th annual City of Water Day is the opportunity to board a boat and venture out into the breezy Harbor, absolutely free. This year, the program is bigger and better than ever, with more boats participating and more seats available.
Enjoying a ride on the John J. Harvey fireboat on City of Water Day in 2011.
On City of Water Day, July 14, 2012, 15 boats will offer nearly 2,000 free trips in New York-New Jersey Harbor. Three more boats will offer dockside tours. One vessel, the Miss Gateway ferry from Statue Cruises, will transport festival-goers continuously between Governors Island and Liberty State Park between 10am and 4pm.
Half of the free seats will be released for registrants on June 29. Please click here for information. On dates yet to be announced, the rest of the free boat tour seats will be released in 25% increments.
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| NORTH RIVER HISTORIC SHIP FESTIVAL |
| Free Tours! Tug & Fireboat Trips! Circus on a Showboat!
A gala party open to all tonight -- Thursday, June 28 -- launches the fourth annual North River Historic Ship Festival.  Above, the four vessels of the North River Historic Ship Festival get situated at Pier 25 in 2011. From top to bottom, the Lehigh Valley Railroad Barge #79, Tug Pegasus, lighthouse tender Lilac and fireboat John J. Harvey. Photo: Milo Hess. The festival brings four historic vessels to Hudson River Park's Pier 25 (just north of Chambers Street) and lasts through Sunday afternoon, July 1. Tonight's opening night gala, 6pm to 8:30pm, aboard the Lehigh Valley Railroad Barge No. 79 (aka Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge,) honors two champions of historic ships -- Lee Gruzen and Norman Brouwer. Tickets start at $50, and all proceeds cover fuel, crew and other costs entailed in providing free public trips and dockside tours. "It will be a great party, honoring great people, for a great cause!" said waterfront advocate Betsy Haggerty, encouraging people to attend the gala tonight.  The festival features free tours of the railroad barge, Tug Pegasus and steam-powered lighthouse tender Lilac on Friday afternoon, and of the barge and steamship on Saturday afternoon. Free 45-minute educational jaunts up and down the Hudson River are offered on Saturday afternoon on Tug Pegasus (above) and the fireboat John J. Harvey. On Saturday night, see Aquarium from Austronesia: illuminated sculptures, video and sound installations, live art programming and musical performances aboard the steamship. Free admission. On Sunday, see the Showboat Circus aboard the barge. Tickets range from $10 to $15; more information at www.waterfrontmuseum.org. For tickets to the Thursday night gala, go to www.nrhss.org/. Photo of the Pegasus by Mai Armstrong.
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HORNBLOWER INFINITY JOINS HYBRID IN HARBOR
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|  Both Feature Green TechnologyThe new Hornblower Infinity was officially welcomed to New York Harbor on June 25 when Diana Taylor, chairwoman of the Hudson River Park Trust, smashed a bottle of champagne (right) over the side of the new vessel. The large charter vessel can accommodate 1,000 passengers and features a three-story glass atrium and a deck 65 feet from the water. Like her eco-friendly sister ship Hornblower Hybrid, Hornblower Infinity features state-of-the-art green technology. Wind turbines power some of the internal systems, recycled material was used for the carpets and counter tops, and the windows are energy-efficient. Hornblower now bases its NY operations at Pier 40, which offers a stretch of dock space to accommodate the 210-foot vessel. |
| CITY OF WATER DAY PART OF RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL | | Free Fun Downtown and On the Water
The River To RiverŽ Festival is back this year from June 17 through July 15 with a densely-packed month of events spanning music, dance, film, theater, visual art, and family programs. This year, City of Water Day is part of the fun! Enjoy perfor  mances such as the Philip Glass Ensemble and Latin jazz legend Eddie Palmieri. Participate in Improv Everywhere. Catch Monday Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre in association with Tribeca Film. See behind the scenes at Trisha Brown Dance Company. Go on free boat tours around the Harbor on City of Water Day! Check RiverToRiverNYC.com for the full line-up. |
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POP-UP POOL COMES TO BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK
| | Opening in Early July
A 30-foot by 50-foot above-ground pool at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2 will open in early July. The pool will be 3.5 feet deep, with adjacent lounge chairs, picnic tables and sand beach; food and drink concessions; and showers and restrooms. Operating hours will be 10am to 5pm; the pool will be open through Labor Day, and again for the next four summers. Admission is free.
 The maximum capacity of the pool is 60 people at one time. The day will be divided into swimming sessions to accommodate as many swimmers as possible. Click here to find out about swimming lessons at Brooklyn Bridge Park and here to learn about free swimming lessons elsewhere in NYC. Click here for general information about all the outdoor pools maintained by the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation.
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| WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS |
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Bold Ideas for East River Esplanade a Feat of Imagination, Fans Say"They may be fantastical, whimsical and wildly expensive to realize, but the eight East River esplanade designs dreamed up by planners from around the world deserved to win purely on the basis of audacity alone, judges said..."DNAinfo.com, June 27, 2012 A couple that rows together goes together"Each rower must be completely focused on the considerable physical demands of the sport - knees drawn back to the chest and then extended fully on a sliding seat, over-and-over, as aching arms twist long oars tugging at the water's heft..."The Riverdale Press, June 27, 2012 New York's shores ranked 24th worst in nation for water quality, but officials say it's safe to swim"Just in time for bikini weather, New York's beach water is the grossest it's been in years..." NY Daily News, June 26, 2012 Sea Levels Rising Fast on U.S. East Coast"Sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast has accelerated much faster than in other parts of the world-roughly three to four times the global average, a new study says. Calling the heavily populated region a sea level rise hot spot, researchers warn that cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore could face a more flood-prone future..."National Geographic, June 25, 2012 Oars Fly in Rumble on the River"Amanda Kraus stood in her favorite spot on the second-floor deck of the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, which floats in a cove on the Harlem River where Dyckman Street meets the Harlem River Drive. She watched as a pair of $45,000 shells, each propelled by a gaggle of high school students, eight to a squad, rushed past. "When done right, it's poetry in motion," she said of rowing crew..."The New York Times, June 22, 2012 Jet ski riders are on notice: stay off Jamaica Bay"...Federal park officials have started cracking down on jet ski riders, enforcing a ban that's been on the books since 2001..." NY Daily News, June 20, 2012 Your Guide to a Tour of Decay"Stand on the pedestrian walkway of the Greenpoint Avenue Bridge, and you might notice a vaguely ominous red brick tower on the Queens side of the Newtown Creek, looming over the railroad tracks and asphalt plants. If Mitch Waxman is your guide, he will identify it as the derelict smokestack of Peter Van Iderstine's fat-rendering business, which first set up shop in 1855. But he won't stop there..."The New York Times, June 15, 2012
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