18D As has become a tradition, the John J. Harvey Fireboat will come back to Oyster Bay, on the 14th anniversary of 9/11. On Sept. 11, 2001, the boat’s owners asked FDNY officials for permission to assist in evacuations from Ground Zero. Meanwhile, due to many damaged water mains, fire crews were deprived of water. Officials radioed the Harvey to drop off her passengers as soon as possible and return to the disaster site to pump water, reactivating her official designation Marine 2. Alongside FDNY fireboats, Firefighter and John D. McKean, she pumped water at the site for 80 hours, until water mains were restored. The John J. Harvey served the FDNY from her launch in 1931 to her retirement in 1994. At 130 feet and 268 net tons, she is among the most powerful fireboats ever in service. She has five 600 HP diesel engines and has capacity to pump 18,000 gallons of water a minute. Her pumps are powerful—enough so that when she and the George Washington Bridge
OYSTER FESTIVAL • OCTOBER 14 - 20, 2015
UAL ANN
nd
32
Explore The Boats And Ships
were both brand new, she shot water over the bridge’s roadway. Among the marine fires at which she assisted were, the Cunard Line pier fire in 1932, the burning of the Normandie in 1942, and the ammunition ship El Estero during World War II. She was named for marine fireman John J. Harvey, killed when the Thomas Willet exploded during a fire. She retired as Marine 2. She was retired by the New York City Fire Department in 1994 and she is now owned by a small group who bought her at auction in 1999. She was placed on The National Register of Historic Places in June 2000. Her owners have been working since 1999 to raise awareness of the importance of historic vessels to the history of New York City and the United States—and they are
succeeding. With their trips up the Hudson, they are promoting interest in the waterfront for towns in New York state. They offer public access to the harbor, training in new skills, and a chance to preserve an important part of history. Cost: free. Location: West End Waterfront Pier
The Christeen Also present will be The Christeen, a 40-foot gaff rigged sloop. She is the oldest oyster sloop in America and a National Historic Landmark. She was originally built in 1883 for Captain William Smith in Glenwood Landing, for the purpose of harvesting oysters in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor. Over her 125 years, the Christeen served not only as an oyster dredge, but also as a cargo carrier and liveaboard between Connecticut, New
York and New Jersey. After surviving 16 major hurricanes, numerous Nor’easters, two sinkings and severe neglect, the Christeen was returned home to Oyster Bay in 1992. A dedicated group of volunteers worked tirelessly on the restoration of the Christeen—working alongside a fulltime shipwright and raising more than $300,000. The Christeen was completely restored and launched in 1999. Come aboard this National Historic Landmark, the oldest oyster sloop in North America, for a sail around beautiful West Harbor and Oyster Bay. View these harbors from a different viewpoint as you cut through the water under sail and look towards the shore. See wildlife, important landmarks and learn about some of the history of the home of a former president. As an added bonus, this year there will be a fun, educational activity for the whole family. With a marine educator, learn more about the marine life that call Oyster Bay home; a unique opportunity offered only through WaterFront Center’s Christeen. Tours are offered on both Saturday and Sunday, for ages 5 and older. Cost is $25 per person.
Ida May Project The Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corporation is building a replica of the historically significant Ida May oyster dredge. The original Ida May was built in Bayville by Frank M. Flower in 1925 and was one of the first powered dredges in the oyster industry. Once completed, the replica will be owned and operated by the WaterFront Center where she will take the public out on the water for recreation and marine and maritime education. The mission of the Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corp is “to preserve Oyster Bay’s maritime heritage by involving the community in traditional boatbuilding projects.” The process of completing this project is as important as the end result as it requires the work of many volunteers under the guidance of local shipwright Josh Herman. The achievement of a group of people learning new skills and working together to create a significant vessel will enhance the value of the Ida May. Since 2009, Building J, a large shed on the western waterfront, has been transformed into a boatbuilding shop. Once completed, the boat will be owned and operated by the WaterFront Center, where she will take the public out on the water for recreation and marine and maritime education. The Christeen Corp is raising capital to complete the project. Visit www.idamayproject.org.