Ferries

Cranford ferry reef
The Cranford

A ferry is a ship designed to transport people or vehicles across the water on a regular schedule. Ferries generally cover only short distances in protected areas and are not designed for the open sea. The distinction between a ferry and a steamer is a blurred one, though, especially in the waters around New York City, where the same company might operate a cross-river vehicle and passenger ferries, and cross-bay passenger steamers, all for the same commuter service. Some ferries even carried rail cars.


Alexander Hamilton

The Alexander Hamilton was the last of the steam-powered side-wheel riverboats of the Hudson River Day Line. Built in 1924, she ceased operations in 1971. A well-meaning group pulled the Hamilton from the mud in 1977 and moved her to a temporary berth along the east side of the Navy pier, planning to restore her as a museum. Unfortunately, at the new more-exposed location, the old vessel was sunk and reduced to scrap by a sudden storm in November of that year. The last records indicate that the wreck is still there, and you can even make out the outline on Google Earth.


Cranford reef
In life, July 1939. At this time, CRRNJ ferries were painted overall dark green. Notice how it says MEN on one side and WOMEN on the other.
Type:
artificial reef, ferry, Central Railroad of New Jersey, USA
( sometimes incorrectly identified as a barge )
Name:
All CRRNJ ferries were named for New Jersey towns - Lakewood, Bound Brook, Red Bank, Plainfield, Elizabeth, Wilkes Barre, Cranford, Somerville, Westfield, and Bound Brook
Built:
1905, Wilmington DE USA
Specs:
( 191 x 44 ft ) 1197 tons
Sponsor:
Ashley Development Corporation
Sunk:
Tuesday March 30, 1982 - Sea Girt Artificial Reef
GPS:
40°07.447' -73°56.227'
Depth:
70 ft

Hooters reef
An undignified end for the sole remaining CRRNJ ferry Elizabeth
Type:
artificial reef, ferry, Central Railroad of New Jersey, USA
Name:
All CRRNJ ferries were named for New Jersey towns - Lakewood, Bound Brook, Red Bank, Plainfield, Elizabeth, Wilkes Barre, Cranford, Somerville, Westfield, and Bound Brook
Built:
1901 Wilmington DE USA, as Lakewood
Specs:
( 200 x 44 ft ) 1016 gross tons
Sponsor:
NJ Coast 2005 Initiative
Sunk:
Wednesday August 3, 2005 - Cape May Artificial Reef
GPS:
38°50.682' -74°43.078'
Depth:
75 ft


Shipwreck Vega
Circa 1950, enroute to Staten Island
Type:
shipwreck, ferry, USA
Built:
1925 - Staten Island NY USA
Specs:
( 75 x 40 ft ) 84 tons
Sunk:
Wednesday January 11, 1961
capsized under tow in storm, no casualties
GPS:
40°11.646' -73°56.787' (AWOIS 1990)
Depth:
55 ft

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'

Zeeliner reef
Type:
artificial reef, ferry, converted WWII Navy patrol boat, USA
Built:
Specs:
( 63 ft )
Sunk:
Friday May 10, 1985 - Fire Island Artificial Reef
Depth:
75 ft
GPS:
40°35.587' -73°11.221'

Oceanography
Phoenician colonies and voyages.
Modified from The Challenger Reports (summary), 1895

Human populations through time have often flourished near the sea, partly because of the food resources that can be found there, but also because of the ease of transportation of people and cargo by boats. Observations about various organisms and environments were of course a major part of human activities since the earliest times, since the very survival of early Homo sapiens depended on this knowledge to obtain food and provide defense against dangerous plants and animals.

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