12 to 5pm, Sunday, November 10, 2024 on and in the Mary A. Whalen

Come visit the last of her kind in the USA, the coastal oil tanker Mary A. Whalen! Learn about her nationally-significant  history and our plans to #makeMARYrunagain.

Special roster of docents!

• Nobby Peers, the Principal of Whitworth Marine, will be in the engine room talking about the engine and engine room restoration!

• Paul Kennedy, train mechanic and car restoration specialist in the fidley

• Maria Nieto of #RedHookisMagic in the galley.

• PortSide’s own ED Carolina Salguero and Historian Peter Rothenberg and others.

Also, a massive give-away of used kids books and a hand full of adult books! We have 9 large IKEA bins of them, plus all books in the former free library of PortSide Park. We have boxes of books in Spanish (see slide show below) and many more than that in English. Story books, picture books, science books, history books. All must go!

Also, this is an opportunity to learn about the replanning of the port where we are located, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT), which runs from Atlantic Avenue/Pier 7 south to Red Hook's Wolcott Street. This waterfront is being replanned as a result of the City's taking it over the property from the Port Authority. This is NYC's biggest land deal in decades.  Learn more on PortSide’s blog.

Make it a double bill and check out free SecondSundays at our neighbors Pioneer Works!

Every year since hurricane Sandy, on the same day as Sandy, rain or shine, Red Hook holds the raucous, creative, family-friendly Barnacle Parade.

This year, PortSide has no float, but you can walk with us (ideally wearing a WaterStories costume) and help hand out two postcards, one with flood prep/resiliency info and one to support fundraising for our own Sandy recovery project #makeMARYrunagain.

The parade starts at 4pm alongside Coffey Park and then wends its way through Red Hook (Columbia Street to Lorraine, Lorraine to Ferris, south on Ferris to Steve’s Key Lime Pie for swingles and beer, then west on Van Dyke, north on Conover) and ends in a block party + fundraiser on Pioneer Street from Van Brunt to Imlay Street. Sine the pandemic, funds raised support Red Hook Mutual Aid.

This year’s theme is Barnacle Thunderdome, Mad Max furry road, post apocalyptic Red Hook with guitars not guns.

The sailing ship Clearwater (a Hudson River sloop) will be going on two excursions October 5. When not sailing she will be tied alongside the Mary Whalen; an added feature of PortSide’s TankerTime.

The 5:00 sail is Clearwater’s standard fee. These sails book up fast. You must go to Clearwater’s website to get your spot.

More about the Clearwater from their website “In 1966, folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger, in despair over the pollution of his beloved Hudson River, announced plans to “build a boat to save the river.” Seeger, along with many other concerned individuals, believed that a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries would bring people to the river where they could experience its beauty and be moved to preserve it.”

The sailing ship Clearwater (a Hudson River sloop) will be going on two excursions October 5. When not sailing she will be tied alongside the Mary Whalen; an added feature of PortSide’s TankerTime.

The 1 pm sail is pay-what-you can. These sails book up fast. You must go to Clearwater’s website to get your spot.

More about the Clearwater from their website “In 1966, folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger, in despair over the pollution of his beloved Hudson River, announced plans to “build a boat to save the river.” Seeger, along with many other concerned individuals, believed that a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries would bring people to the river where they could experience its beauty and be moved to preserve it.”

The sailing ship Clearwater (a Hudson River sloop) is offering a public sail at 5pm on Friday, October 4. When not sailing she will be tied alongside the Mary Whalen; an added feature of PortSide’s TankerTime.

The 5:00 sail is Clearwater’s standard fee. These sails book up fast. You must go to Clearwater’s website to get your spot.

Note: 5pm is the sail time, you need to arrive at least 15 minutes before then.

More about the Clearwater from their website “In 1966, folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger, in despair over the pollution of his beloved Hudson River, announced plans to “build a boat to save the river.” Seeger, along with many other concerned individuals, believed that a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries would bring people to the river where they could experience its beauty and be moved to preserve it.”

Mind-bending culture afloat! The New York Film/Video Council is screening “Early Abstractions,” animations by the avant-garde genius Harry Smith, between two historic ships and accompanied by live music!

Smith’s distinctive artwork will be projected on the sail of the sloop Clearwater with the audience seated on the deck of the Mary A. Whalen and paired with live music by Peter Stampfel and The Atomic Meta-Pagans. There will be deck tours of the Clearwater before the animation, then a brief Q&A and another round of music will follow the screening.

 6:15 Deck tours on the Clearwater 

7:30 Screening  

8:00 Q and A and more music

We will screen the vice-presidential debate outside on the deck of the Mary Whalen. Come join us. Capacity of 50.  Free. Deck opens at 8:30, debate starts at 9pm. If you’ve got kids, bring them. We have plenty of entertainments for them while you watch the debate. They can pop the popcorn over the firepit, use art supplies in the galley, read books or play with marine toys in the Tankerman’s cabin.

If it is raining, we have limited capacity for only 15 inside.

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Brooklyn Marine Terminal Public Workshop #1
Location: Miccio Center, 110 W 9th Street near Hamilton Avenue in Red Hook
RVSP here.

[NOTE: This meeting does not take place on the MARY A WHALEN]

The Brooklyn Marine Terminal process is the replanning the waterfront from Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn Bridge Park) south to Red Hook's Wolcott Street (almost to Valentino Park). It is transitioning from Port Authority to City property, under control of the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC). 

The replanning of such a large part of our waterfront will change our area, so PLEASE get involved in this once in a lifetime opportunity. Maritime people, PLEASE get involved to speak up for the need for working waterfront. The City is talking about adding housing and parks to this port space.

• The official website of the NYC EDC about this is here. That has the recording and presentation from the EDC's 8/12 webinar about all this. the process. Check that out to prep for 9/28. 

• PortSide's blogpost covering the process is here.

• PortSide related special sail + BBQ on Friday, 9/27, 5pm, "Docks n Dogs on the Red Hook Waterfront" RSVP here

Both events below are sold out. Sorry!

FREE, Friday, 9/27/24, 5pm departure, 7:30 return. “Docks n Dogs on the Red Hook Waterfront.” Sail on historic ship CLEARWATER and learn what was, is, and could be on Red Hook’s working waterfront. From the 1600s to the EDC Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) process now. After the sail, continue the conversation over hot dog BBQ on the MARY WHALEN with images from PortSide’s virtual museum www.redhookwaterstories.org.  The sail and BBQ are free, but you must RSVP as space is limited to 45 on the CLEARWATER, and food must be bought for the BBQ which is BYOB.

You are invited to attend both but you must sign up for each separately.

Sign up for the Clearwater Sail (Space is limited to 45!) 5pm to 7:30

Sign up for the hot dog BBQ and conversation about Red Hook WaterStories, past, present and future. 8pm to 9:30. Lots of space, toys, and books for kids, so bring them!

Supported by funding from the NYC Department of Cultural affairs via Councilmember Alexa Avilés.

Sunday, 9/22.24 at 5:30pm come with your ideas, concerns, questions to discuss the Brooklyn Marine Terminal replanning process. Or come hear and/or sing with the shape note singing on the Mary Whalen from 2-5pm, and then join the BMT community conversation.

PortSide’s summary of the BMT sitation is here.

The NYC EDC official BMT webpage is here.

The 1st public workshop about this is Saturday, 9/28/24, 11am-2pm at the Miccio Center, 110 West 9th Street in Red Hook near Hamilton Avenue.

Sunday, 9/22/24, 2-5pm Shape Note singing. Free! 

Come sing from the Sacred Harp, a traditional American tunebook of hymns, aboard the Mary Whalen at PortSide NewYork. The Sacred Harp is a book of shape-note songs, so called for their distinctive musical notation in 4 shapes. If you are curious about this vibrantly living musical tradition, the best thing you can do is come join us and sing! 

Shape note singing is an inclusive community; all are welcome and no singing experience or religious affiliation are necessary. Loaner books will be available and basics will be covered at the start of the session for beginners.

PortSide will be at Summit Academy’s Health & Wellness Fair with our Simple Machine Machine, info on our African American Maritime Heritage program, Salty Selfies props, and art activities.

Note this public event is not located on the MARY A WHALEN but at the 27 Huntington Street Playground

We will screen the presidential debate outside on the deck of the Mary Whalen. Come join us. Capacity of 50.  Free. Deck opens at 8:30, debate starts at 9pm. If you’ve got kids, bring them. We have plenty of entertainments for them while you watch the debate. They can pop the popcorn over the firepit, use art supplies in the galley, read books or play with marine toys in the Tankerman’s cabin.

If it is raining, we have limited capacity for only 15 inside.

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Sip n Paint with Studio Lieto #2
Join Red Hook artist Joan Di Lieto of Studio Lieto, at Portside for a Sip and Paint! Participants will paint the harbor from the Mary A. Whalen’s point of view. Plein air painting with the sunset and evening breeze

Bring your own beverage, we supply the paint and canvas.

Attendance is limited to 35 people.

Cost: $20 Get your ticket(s) here!
https://bit.ly/tankerSipnPaint2