On April 17th, the Vessel Operations Junior class took Privateer and Attractive Nuisance on a trip to Edwin Markham Gardens in Staten Island. We were delivering a boat’s rudder to a very industrial loading dock. The rudder was on Privateer attached to the davits resting on a piece of wood. As we arrived, we placed the rudder on the dock with our crane, and then as we took off to go back to Governors Island, the very large crane at the loading site picked it up with ease as we watched the rudder dangle about 40 feet in the air. The whole process really made me think of industrial cranes all over the maritime world and all the many possible ways they’re used. One thing I had in mind is the crane lifting a whole vessel from the surface of the water onto land. It reminded me of the time that the cranes at the Brooklyn Navy Yard lifted up Indy 7 in the air to place it on ground last summer. It was a fascinating thought. Cranes actually relate to a specific job I have thought about in the maritime industry. It is to handle the crane on large container ships, which I once saw on a film documentary in class. This job fascinates me as well because I think that to be able to control and move such large pieces in the air with ease is a fun and unique career choice that I’ve always looked up to and considered in my mind, ever since I saw that film. Cranes are awesome.
-Alhassan Alfatimi
