February 21 -- Expedition to The Noble Maritime Collection at Snug Harbor, Staten Island

I named this event the "HYC's Fifth Anualish, Dead-of-Winter, Out-of-Clubhouse, Maritime-Related, Educational, Social and Dining Excursion." A wordy but accurate description -- like much of the writing in this blog I'm afraid.

 All told, sixteen folks turned out to visit the history and art museum and thirteen of them stayed for lunch at Blue Restaurant, five blocks away, overlooking the Kill van Kull. All but two who drove, came to The Battery by car, train and/or subway, and proceeded from there by ferry and bus to the Snug Harbor grounds. There were about equal numbers of Harlemites and Corinthians. I flew both burgees, as it were.
Snug Harbor was a retirement community for worn out destitute sailors established, about 180 years ago, by Robert Richard Randall. He had made his fortune as a privateer, first for the British, in the French and Indian War, and later, against the British in our Revolutionary War. Ship Captain/Owners were the entrepreneurs of their day, engaged in a high risk/high reward business; especially privateers who worked as government approved pirates! Randall made his fortune from the sea and sought to pay it back by donating the land and a huge endowment to help needy old seamen. He also provided the barge in which George Washington was ferried from New Jersey to New York City for his first inauguration.  And Alexander Hamilton, Esq., pictured here, is reputed to have drafted Randall's will. Randall is buried under a monolith inside the entrance to the grounds. Fifty yards away is a statue of him by Saint-Gaudens. The place has lovely gardens, but that is for a summer visit, when we'd rather be sailing.

Our primary docent, was Dawn, the Center's Assistant Director. She filled our heads with history. She told us of the gallant lady who, for 35 years, was the keeper of Robbins Reef  Light, which we passed on our ferry rides between the boroughs. Her organization acquired and restored the light. Dawn wants to use s/v ILENE as an anchored party boat near that light, to which the museum would bring a caterer and as many folks as we can handle, via  their work boat, used as a launch. Sounds like fun for the summer of 2017, when we will have more availability. Dawn is willing to wait until then, though I've told her that a big trawler would permit her to accommodate many more people. I have to check the depth there on the charts to make sure it can be done safely. Lots of time to work out details.

Dawn speaking to us.




There is a lot of art in the building and I liked these two showing heavy weather and its effects.

A brilliant model of the battleship USS Alabama, BB8, which was part of the Great White Fleet that Teddy "Speak softly but carry a big stick" Roosevelt sent around the world as a good will gesture and as a show of our nation's ability to project naval power. Its placarding was missing its draft, beam and length so I looked up these specification and sent them to Dawn.

Below is the only true City Island item I found in the collection: a name board from the ferry that used to take prisoners and guards between City Island and Hart Island, though, as you can see, it was then called "Hart's Island".

And here is a model of the Bremen, on which my Dad immigrated to the U.S. in the 1930's.

The excursion was particularly poignant for one of the Corinthians whose great grandfather  had lived at Snug Harbor when retired, one of as many as a thousand residents when the place was in full operation. He is buried in its cemetery. An interesting part of the exhibit is devoted to showing what life was life for The Snugs, as residents called themselves -- a life of dignity.
When every one's head was stuffed with learning, we nourished our bodies at Blue Restaurant with a delicious luncheon and then retraced our path, and our wake, back to the Battery.
Corinthians and Harlemites:

A full fun day. The weatherman cooperated nicely with temperatures in the low 50's. I even was able to turn it into a fund raiser (for the Harlem), by marking up the admission to the Noble Maritime Collection.

Harlemite Dave informed us of a lecture about the history of the Sandy Hook Pilot's Association given at the American Lighthouse Museum, close aboard the Staten Island ferry dock. The timing was such that we could have enjoyed it on our way back, but we had all already enjoyed a full day and passed it by.