QUEEN ELIZABETH em Nova Iorque, 1955

Porto de Nova Iorque, verão de 1955: o maior paquete do mundo, o QUEEN ELIZABETH, da Cunard Line, manobra para atracar ao cais 90, no final de mais uma travessia transatlântica desde Southampton. No cais 88 pode ver-se a popa do ILE DE FRANCE. No cais 97 está atracado o BERLIN, antigo GRIPSHOLM de 1925, com o cargueiro ELYSIA da Anchor Line, no cais adjacente, e o paquete FRANCONIA, da Cunard, atracado ao cais 92.

Desde criança, este tipo de fotografias dos cais de Nova Iorque, cheios de paquetes, fascinava-me. Quando lá fui pela primeira vez e me apercebi da escala real do local, fiquei algo decepcionado e passei a admirar mais o meu Tejo com os seus horizontes largos e os seus cais, nada como conhecer o mundo para apreciar de forma justa o que é nosso.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho, se descarregar imagens para uso pessoal sugere-se que contribua para a manutenção deste espaço fazendo um donativo via Paypal, sugerindo-se €1,00 por imagem retirada. Utilização comercial ou para fins lucrativos não permitida (ver coluna ao lado) / No piracy, please. If photos are downloaded for personal use we suggest that a small contribution via Paypal (€1,00 per image or more). Photos downloaded for commercial or other profit making uses are not allowed. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

Porto de Nova Iorque há 40 anos

Durante grande parte do século XX o porto de Nova Iorque era um paraíso para os amantes dos navios de passageiros. Nos tempos em que se viajava principalmente de navio, a carreira da América do Norte era a mais prestigiada de todas as linhas marítimas internacionais e o porto de Nova Iorque o destino por excelência. Tudo isso mudou na década de 1960 e vinte anos depois Miami e Port Everglades, na Florida, eram as novas capitais dos grandes navios de passageiros, enquanto Nova Iorque se mantinha como porto base de navios de cruzeiros de forma sazonal. O ROTTERDAM de 1959 era um dos navios que em 1980 marcava presença regular em Nova Iorque, com uma chegada matinal aqui registada por Bill Miller em Outubro de 1980.

O ROTTERDAM foi um dos mais bem sucedidos navios de passageiros do século XX e encontra-se preservado em Roterdão, como hotel flutuante e museu vivo.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho, se descarregar imagens para uso pessoal sugere-se que contribua para a manutenção deste espaço fazendo um donativo via Paypal, sugerindo-se €1,00 por imagem retirada. Utilização comercial ou para fins lucrativos não permitida (ver coluna ao lado) / No piracy, please. If photos are downloaded for personal use we suggest that a small contribution via Paypal (€1,00 per image or more). Photos downloaded for commercial or other profit making uses are not allowed. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN a ser desmantelado

Porta-aviões norte americano USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN fotografado pelo meu amigo Bill Miller a ser desmantelado, em Setembro de 1972, no estaleiro de desmantelamento de navios de Kearney, em New Jersey, próximo de Nova Iorque. 

Em dias de reclusão em casa de ambos os lados do Atlântico, há mais tempo para troca de fotografias. O LAKE CHAMPLAIN foi um dos 24 porta aviões da classe ESSEX construídos no final da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Ver a história deste navio aqui.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho, se descarregar imagens para uso pessoal sugere-se que contribua para a manutenção deste espaço fazendo um donativo via Paypal, sugerindo-se €1,00 por imagem retirada. Utilização comercial ou para fins lucrativos não permitida (ver coluna ao lado) / No piracy, please. If photos are downloaded for personal use we suggest that a small contribution via Paypal (€1,00 per image or more). Photos downloaded for commercial or other profit making uses are not allowed. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

New York passenger shipping 1957

The famous Port of New York passenger ship docks on the Hudson River, back in 1957 showing seven transatlantic liners: RMS BRITANNIC, Cunard White Star, the magnificent QUEEN MARY of 1936, the RMS MAURETANIA of 1939, all Cunarders,  the French Line FLANDRE, later to become Costa Line's CARLA C in 1968, followed by Greek Line's flagship OLYMPIA, the UNITED STATES and one of the American Export Line's sisters, the CONSTITUTION or INDEPENDENCE.
Quando era miúdo e via este tipo de fotografias sobre os cais de passageiros de Nova Iorque imaginava uma grandiosidade que mais tarde, quando estive no porto de Nova Iorque pela primeira vez, não encontrei. Um conjunto de navios como o da fotografia faria com que ficasse com os dedos a doerem de tanto disparar os obturadores das minhas Nikons, como me aconteceu, por exemplo, das primeiras vezes que estive no Pireu. Mas o Hudson e os seus cais, a sensação que me deram, foi que quase caberiam na nossa Doca de Alcântara. Tenho visitado muitos portos por esse mundo, mas não há muitos com a grandeza física - trabalho da natureza, ou do Criador, conforme as sensibilidades - daí a importância de não se deixar destruir mais o Porto de Lisboa face aos apetites alarves do imobiliário e da sede de poder da Câmara Municipal de Lisboa. Tem-se vindo a matar o nosso belo porto de Lisboa.

Photographed from the Bill Miller collection.Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

FRANCE and ESSO BRUSSELS

My long time friend Bill Miller has been celebrating "Over 50 Years of Travel, Travel by Ship & Travel Photography". Here it is another of Bill photographs and respective caption: "Sometimes, there were rather unusual meetings, pairings if you will, with liners in New York harbor. 

In this view, I was looking north, on a balmy June afternoon in 1973, from Stevens campus in Hoboken. Farther up river, the exquisite FRANCE was just making a 3pm departure from Pier 84 while, in the foreground, McAllister & Moran tugs were moving the fire-gutted tanker ESSO BRUSSELS into the Bethlehem Steel shipyard, which was also in Hoboken, for damage inspection & survey. Earlier, the tanker had collided with an American Export container ship, the SEA WITCH, while in the Narrows. Both ships caught fire and even scorched the Verrazano Bridge."

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

NEW YORK's ships by Bill Miller

Along the great piers of New York City, I was always fascinated by the pairings of liners -- which ships were berthed together. It was, in ways, like a great, big game of Checkers. In this view, from 1984, the Royal Viking Star is docked at the same pier as the Galileo.

The Lives of the Liners: Pier 56 at West 14th Street had been built in 1907 & hosted the world's biggest and grandest liners ... the likes of the Mauretania, Aquitania & Majestic. There were midnight sailings, festive bon voyage parties, champagne & dancing, a smartly dressed Rudolph Valentino & Gloria Swanson swathed in furs ... and those tossed streamers & throaty whistles sounding. But time passed and, by the 1960s, Pier 56 was unused, locked-up, left to decay. Only the faint sounds of those Boat Deck orchestras echoed ... and of happy passengers and well-wishers on the pier. 

When I took this photo in March 1977, that decay had deepened --- a great cavity in a mouth of gold fillings that is otherwise gorgeous Manhattan. It was not until 1993 that the 900-ft long shed was finally demolished.

When they were at berth, especially along Luxury Liner Row, Piers 84 thru 97, the liners were, and almost like the Empire State & Chrysler buildings, part of the cityscape. They too in ways were great structures. Here's the mighty France, loading at Pier 88, in a view from 1968.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright Bill Miller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

Bill Miller ships and photos...

Another of Bill Miler recollections about the port of New York and respective ships: "Some years ago, I began assembling photos of passenger ships at New York. The group grew and grew. I felt it was a book idea and decided to list these ships alphabetically. The collection dates from the end of the Second World War, in 1945, and continues, although in less detail, to the 1970s & ‘80s. The primary concentration is in the 1950s & ‘60s, the great and sadly final heyday of the cherished, much remembered Atlantic liners. As these ships sailed from varied ports such as Oslo, Rotterdam, Southampton, Lisbon and Genoa, the Port of New York was the primary destination on the western end of the Atlantic. Happily and fortunately for me, I was born and raised on the very banks of the Hudson River, in Hoboken, New Jersey. It was like a front row seat in a great production. Hoboken faced across to New York City, its magnificent skyline and its long collection of finger piers. Amidst the tugs, barges and ferries, the great liners were the leading ladies. Sometimes, six of them would depart in a morning’s procession; otherwise, in high summer, there might nine or ten of them grouped together at berth. They created a fascinating, evocative, alluring collection. In ways, they were also like “friends”. The Queen of Bermuda, one of my favorites, came and went on a weekly basis; the big Cunard Queens rotated with either the Mary or theElizabeth each week. 

Late afternoon arrival: In this photo, I caught the Raffaello as she made her way up along the Hudson, just off Jersey City. Due to an Atlantic storm, she was 12 hrs late. She sailed, however, on schedule at Noon on the following day for the Mediterranean. The date is October 1973." 

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright Bill Miller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

FRANCE overnight calls in NY

There was something exciting about loading the great liners, preparing them for their next voyage, which was usually a crossing to Europe. Mostly, they carried high grade cargo and, because of their speed, lots of mail. The French liners, as an example, brought those great Paris fashions over. And while docked, a refuelling barge was usually along the ship's outer side. 

Overnight in port: We were actually visiting the splendid France at Pier 88 in June 1973 for an afternoon World Ship Society tour when I took this photo.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright BillMiller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

Furness Bermuda ships in NY

The very first ship I visited was the Queen of Bermuda. That was back on May 3rd 1953, my 5th birthday. My grandparents were sailing to Bermuda. How exciting!

For years, the two Furness-Bermuda Line passenger ships were fixtures in New York harbor, most often sailing on Saturday afternoons at 3 o'clock. And usually, the two ships would sail together and then proceed side-by-side along the Hudson. And they were always very punctual. They'd pass Hoboken, just before my eyes, at about 3:15. 

Here's the grand Queen of Bermuda and her royal consort, if you will, the smaller, more yacht-like, very handsome Ocean Monarch, at Pier 95, at the foot of West 55th Street, in a view dated 1964. Combined, each week they'd take as many as 1,200 passengers to beautiful Bermuda. Six nights then for $145!

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright Bill Miller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

Workhorses...

Workhorses of the harbor: A sturdy Moran tug waits in the Hudson, just off the Chelsea Piers, on a bright May morning in 2009. We were aboard the brand-new Silver Spirit, putting into port on her maiden call.
Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright Bill Miller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

OCEANIC at New York

I was high above the Hudson, at Stevens campus in Hoboken, when, on a Sat afternoon in June 1977, I caught the outbound cruise ship OCEANIC as it passed a Staten Island ferry. The ferry was not normally on the Hudson, but running a charter jazz cruise as far north as the George Washington Bridge.

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright Bill Miller. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia

THREE LINERS - SIX FUNNELS...

The magnificent Italian Line sisters RAFFAELLO and MICHELANGELO photographed in the port of New York in 1965. The UNITED STATES can also be seen at her berth...

I remember seeing all those three ships in Lisbon in the late 1960s...

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia