Goodbye, Bay Lander

By on February 4, 2016 9:43 pm in brooklyn bridge park, Maritime, News

For the past year and a half the small former U.S. Navy ship Bay Lander has been moored to Pier 5, Brooklyn Bridge Park. We reported her arrival here. For a year or so she was moored to the north side of the pier, but when pieces of the marina to be assembled there began to arrive, she was moved to the south side, where she was moored when your correspondent shot this photo Tuesday.

IMG_4171This morning, as I walked along the outer side of Pier 6, I saw a small tug idling near Pier 5. As I reached the north side of Pier 6, the tug approached Bay Lander.

IMG_4175When I got to Pier 5, the tug, which proved to be Vulcan III with Perth Amboy as its home port. was beginning to tow Bay Lander away from the pier.

IMG_4178Here’s another view, looking over Vulcan III’s stern to Bay Lander’s bow.

IMG_4185Shortly after the above photo was taken, the bow line was cast off, and the tug went around to Bay Lander’s stern.

IMG_4186A line was made fast from Vulcan III’s bow to Bay Lander’s stern.

IMG_4187With a push from Vulcan III, Bay Lander headed out and northward into the East River.

We’re not sure if Bay Lander’s departure is temporary or permanent.

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  • Jorale-man

    Great reporting! I wonder if the boat’s own motors work anymore or if tugboats are the normal way they transport old navy ships.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    We toured the boat back when it was moored on the northern side of Pier 5, before the installation of the marina slips. I remember them saying its motor was still operational, but I could be mis-remembering. At any rate, the use of tugs may have more to do with preservation of the motor than with its immediate ability to function.

  • Jorale-man

    Very interesting, good to know.

  • Andrew Porter

    Excellent photos, and charming story. I toured the ship during one visit to Smorgasburg; they had a table, were inviting people on board.

  • peterbrooklyn

    Thanks for this story. Please keep us posted on status if possible. Many times I would run laps around the outside of the soccer fields and there would be nobody there except me and Bay Lander.

  • Reggie

    Little known fact: Bay Lander is Brad Lander’s uncle, the younger brother of the councilman’s dad.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    (also the first cousin of Edmonton Oilers center Anton Lander: http://oilers.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8475165)

  • Scott Koen

    Update… Baylander has moved to the Brooklyn Navy Yard where a art project by Duke Riley and Creative Time called Fly by Night is being installed. Project and details available here… http://creativetime.org/projects/flybynight/

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    Thank you, Captain. I look forward to seeing those pigeons fly.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I used to work with Duke’s gallery, met him a handful of times, and studied his work at length. He’s a formidable artist; seems to never, even for a minute, cease output. Most readers might recognize his work from an in-subway art card a few years back.

    At the time the Baylander was moved he tweeted a few photos from a nearby vessel of it in transit.