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Our Story Continues....
Here we take a look at the reverse operation of the ship docking,
the undocking. The Chessie System Newport News coal terminal was
on the James River, on the southwest side of the peninsula. The
piers were quite long and when the ships were docked they were in
the lee and protected from the river current and the wind. As a
ship backed out, it was necessary for one tug to turn the stern
upriver against the wind and current, while another tug swung the
bow downstream to get the vessel lined up toward the Hamton Roads
Tunnel channel. Once the ship had forward motion and could steer,
the tugs would remain alongside, generally one to port and one to
starboard, until it was confirmed that the ship was fully under
control. Once the ship got out into the channel, they would peel
off to either side and run back to the tug basin, to tie up alongside
the pier or at the retired railroad carfloat that served as a landing
stage and maintenance base.
When I was photographing these scenes there was no way to know
that the Chessie System Marine Department was about to disappear.
They had two new boats that were very busy with local and contract
ship docking duties, and it looked like the operations at this site
would go on for several decades. Following the CSX merger, a decision
was made to discontinue marine operations, and the Chessie
and Seaboard, still new, were sold to McAllister Brothers
Towing. They were initially named Nancy McAllister and
Brent McAllister, as far as I know they are both still
busy in shipdocking service. Looking back on all of this, it was
a great time at a fascinating place with some really fine people,
an experience that I am glad to have taken part in.
Preston Cook, 2007
Above: The Chessie and the J. Speed
Gray are about to undock the container ship Venture
from Cape Town RSA at the Newport News marine terminal. The Chessie
is ready to handle the stern, the J. Speed Gray is maneuvering
to get under the bow. We are riding the Seaboard, which
is on her first day in service.
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Above: The Venture is backing out now,
her stern has cleared the pier and is about to travel in the river
current. The Chessie is under power, maintaining position
as the ship gets into the channel and ready for the upstream push.
Notice that the Chessie actually has a wake while traveling
sideways, a "bow" wave on the portside and as "stern"
wave to starboard. You can see them against the side of the ship.
**********
Above: You can see that Chessie has some
exhaust smoke now, she is pushing hard, while crabbing through the
water sideways. The force from the movement applied to the bow fender,
and the propeller wash with the rudder hard over, is listing the
tug to port. Chessie has very little surface wake when
pushing at full throttle, as her propellers are very deep and she
is equipped with Kort nozzles that direct the stream backwards rather
than letting it dissipate upwards.
**********
Above: Making the turn, the Chessie is
now at full power pushing the stern of the Venture upstream
against the river current and the wind. Looks like one of the crew
has his kids on board today, they are probably in their thirties
now. Captain Weaver has been following astern of Chessie
with the Seaboard, in case any help is needed. We are about
to make a 360 degree turn to port with the Seaboard to
clear away from the ship's bow and swing in astern of J. Speed
Gray.
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Above: Finishing the move, J. Speed Gray
is probably on her last days in service, the arrival of the Seaboard
will close the curtain on the operation of the fleet of former B&O
and CNJ tugs that were built by RTC Shpbuilding in the 1950s.
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