BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF NEW YORK CITY’S WATERFRONT PROFILED IN “NEW YORK WATERS: PROFILES FROM THE EDGE,” PUBLISHED BY GLOBE PEQUOT PRESS IN 2007. PHOTOGRAPHS BY RANDY DUCHAINE.


FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES’ REVIEW CLICK HERE.


TO PURCHASE ON Amazon.com CLICK HERE.


 

LARRY SEAMAN, EEL FISHERMAN, JAMAICA BAY, QUEENS.


LARRY SEAMAN AND HIS SON, LARRY JR., ARE THE LAST FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL EEL FISHERMEN LEFT IN NEW YORK CITY. EEL FISHERMEN USED TO OPERATE FROM MAINE DOWN TO FLORIDA, AND IN JAMAICA BAY ALONE THERE USED TO BE HUNDREDS,


“I WOULDN’T GIVE IT UP FOR ANYTHING,” HE SAYS. “I LOVE IT OUT HERE. IT’S BEAUTIFUL. ANY TIME OF YEAR. ANY WEATHER.”


OLGA BLOOM, DIRECTOR OF BARGEMUSIC, EAST RIVER, BROOKLYN.


OLGA BLOOM HAS RUN THIS FLOATING VENUE FOR CHAMBER MUSIC MADE FROM A CONVERTED COFFEE-BEAN BARGE FOR OVER 25 YEARS, LONG BEFORE THE WATERFRONT BEGAN TO BE GENTRIFIED.


“I THINK I EXIST TO PROVE THAT THIS CAN BE DONE,” SHE SAYS.

BOB WEAVER, SHIP PROPELLER REPAIRMAN, ARTHUR KILL, STATEN ISLAND.


BOB WEAVER HAS RUN O & M PROPELLERS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, RESTORING THE VAST STEEL AND BRONZE “WHEELS,” AS THEY ARE KNOWN, OF TUG BOATS, FERRIES AND TANKERS. THE BIGGEST WHEELS WEIGH SEVERAL TONS.


“THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS PROPELLER SCHOOL,” HE SAYS. “YOU JUST GOTTA PICK IT UP.”

GERRY WEINSTEIN, STEAMBOAT PRESERVATIONIST, HUDSON RIVER.


WEINSTEIN’S 1933 FORMER COASTGUARD CUTTER, LILAC, NEEDS ABOUT 40,000 HOURS OF WORK TO RESTORE, HE ESTIMATES.


“[MINE] WAS A TOTAL WASTED YOUTH, YOU KNOW?” HE SAYS. “WHILE OTHER PEOPLE WERE DATING GIRLS, I WAS IDENTIFYING SHIPS.”


TEDDY JEFFERSON, GUERILLA SWIMMER, HUDSON RIVER.


JEFFERSON HAS BEEN SWIMMING ALL OVER NEW YORK HARBOR FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS, FROM BEHIND THE STATUE OF LIBERTY TO THE EERIE BASIN IN BROOKLYN.


“I’D RATHER SWIM HERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD,” HE SAYS.

MIKE GALLAGHER, SHIPYARD OWNER, RED HOOK, BROOKLYN.


GALLAGHER IS THE FIFTH GENERATION OF HIS FAMILY TO ENTER THE MARITIME BUSINESS. IN 2005 DECLINING BUSINESS FORCED HIM TO SELL HIS COMPANY, WHICH INCLUDED THE 1850 GRAVING DOCK HE IS PICTURED IN.


“JUST TO TURN [THE WATERFRONT] INTO PARKS IS ABSURD, HE SAYS. “

SAL POLISI, NAUTICAL WOODCARVER, SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM, MANHATTAN.


POLISI IS ONE OF THE LAST NAUTICAL CRAFTSMEN LEFT ON THE EAST COAST. HE HAS BEEN RESTORING HISTORIC SHIPS AT THE SEAPORT FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS.


“I GET PEOPLE FROM WALL STREET WANTING TO EXCHANGE JOBS!” HE SAYS.

JOHN MASON, TOUR GUIDE, CIRCLE LINE TOURS.


MASON IS THE CIRCLE LINE’S LONGEST-RUNNING GUIDE. HE STARTED CIRCUMNAVIGATING MANHATTAN IN 1962 AND HAS EARNED THE SOUBRIQUET “THE PRINCE OF GUIDES.”


‘SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IT’S EASY—YOU JUST SIT HERE AND TALK—BUT IT’S A JOB,” HE SAYS.


FOR THE FULL TEXT OF LARRY SEAMAN’S PROFILE, CLICK ON THE IMAGE.

for the full text of john mason’s profile, click on the image.