Tall Ships at Dockside, 1976

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, Universityof Wisconsin - Green Bay


Alarmists were out in force prior to July 4, 1976. There would be riots and crime waves. Overloaded balconies would collapse. Emergency vehicles wouldn't be able to navigate the streets.

What actually happened, for a few days at least, is that New York became a small town. Crime dropped to near zero. People were happy and friendly.

It had not been a happy decade. We had the rancor of the 1960's. Then we lost in Vietnam. Watergate cast a pall over the Presidency and Nixon resigned. If there was ever a time the country needed a day like this, it was now. And we got it. Even more, in a blow for civilization and freedom that couldn't have been better timed, Israel pulled off the spectacular Entebbe raid where Israeli commandos rescued a planeload of hostages being held in Uganda.

The ships remained docked in New York for about a week. To me, they seemed to cast a spell over the city. As long as you could see them, it was still July 4.

South Street Seaport (Pier 15) hosted the Christian Radich from Norway, the Danmark from Denmark, and the Coast Guard ship Eagle.

 

Left and below: Coast Guard ship Eagle with the Christian Radich from Norway (left)

 
Left and below: Christian Radich from Norway (front), the Danmark from Denmark (rear)

Remaining ships docked at midtown piers on the Hudson, from Pier 84 at 44th Street to 92 at 52nd Street.

The tender Glucksburg from Germany on the north side of Pier 88. This surprised me. I had just thought this was a picture of a U.S. Navy ship until I ran a search on the bow number. The shield is typical of German military markings, though.

   

 
Deck of the Dar Pomorza (Poland)
Deck of the Dar Pomorza (Poland)
 
 
Bow of the Amerigo Vespucci (Italy)
 
Looking through the rigging of Amerigo Vespucci (Italy) at the Nippon Maru (Japan). The Empire State Building is left of center.
Nippon Maru (Japan). The ship on the other side of the pier with dark furled sails is the Libertad (Argentina). The ship beyond Nippon Maru is  the Esmeralda (Chile).
Poland's Dar Pomorza (front) and Italy's Amerigo Vespucci (rear) at Pier 88, 48th street.
Nippon Maru (Japan). Naval vessel 3501 (inner of the two) is the Katori, also of Japan.
Nippon Maru (Japan)
Poland's Dar Pomorza (front) and Italy's (Amerigo Vespucci (rear) at Pier 88, 48th street.
Libertad (Argentina, front) and Esmeralda (Chile, rear)
Mircea (Romania)
Mircea (Romania) with Gazela Primiero (U.S.) behind
Libertad (Argentina) with Nippon Maru (Japan) in the background.
Libertad (Argentina) on the left with Nippon Maru (Japan) on the right.
Esmeralda (Chile) is on the left, Nippon Maru (Japan) on the right.
Libertad (Argentina) with a smaller boat in the foreground.
Esmeralda (Chile) is on the left, Nippon Maru (Japan) on the right.
Left and below: Poland's Dar Pomorza (front) and Italy's (Amerigo Vespucci (rear) at Pier 88, 48th street.
Nippon Maru (Japan) is at left at Pier 86 46th Street, Gorch Fock of Germany is anchored at center, and  Italy's Amerigo Vespucci (right) at Pier 88, 48th Street.

 

 
Left to right: Esmeralda (Chile) and Nippon Maru (Japan), both at Pier 86, 46th Street, Gorch Fock of Germany is anchored at right,
Libertad (Argentina) puts on her lights.
Mircea (Romania) silhouetted in the dusk.

  

World Trade Center and the Bicentennial Fireworks, 1976
World Trade Center and the Bicentennial Tall Ships Parade, 1976
The World Trade Center 1970-1986


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Created February 10, 2005, Last Update 11 January 2020

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