Wards Island

Wards Island and sister Tenkenas at Wards Island during their brief stint as ferries
Type:
artificial reef, ferry, USA
Built:
1929 - Electric Boat Company, Groton CT USA
Specs:
( 101 x 32 ft )
Sunk:
Friday August 10, 2018 - Hempstead Artificial Reef
Depth:
GPS:
40°30.994' -73°32.955'
As built - a double-ended ferry
Twin sister Tenkenas

Wards Island and her sister Tenkenas were built to serve Wards Island, which at the time was a mental hospital. In 1937, bridges were completed connecting the island with the rest of New York City, and the almost-new ferries were no longer needed. Wards Island was cut down to a barge and equipped with a crane for use on New York's canal system. Tenkenas apparently received a similar conversion but must have gone to the breakers a long time ago, as there are no records.

I wonder why they weren't just put to use elsewhere? New York is a city of islands, and back then there were ferries running everywhere. Maybe they were too small to be economical. I suspect they were a somehow flawed design - Electric Boat's expertise is submarines, not ferry boats.

As a crane barge, somewhere upstate
the crane is offset to one side, to clear the engine
employed as a buoy tender
the beginning of scrapping

I see no evidence that the old ferry retained any self-propulsion after conversion. The props and rudders are merely there to fill the holes. On the other hand, the way the bow rudder is welded in place and ventilated is a clue that the vessel may have been able to drive itself in one direction, at least until the engine wore out. A big clumsy vessel like this in tight inland waters would be much better handled by one or two tenders, and every picture shows one in attendance.

down the river to the sea
on a barge out to the reef, with a huge hydro-electric turbine
the crane arm and deck house have been replaced

This is a better fate for the old boat than being cut up for scrap and sold to China.


Comments on Wards Island

Questions or Inquiries?

Just want to say Hello? Sign the .

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Click image to replace if unable to read.

Enter the digits from the image above, except for the last one:

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Printed from njscuba.net