Puffin is in the water!

It may not feel like spring outside, but Puffin has been launched, and we’re eagerly looking forward to warmer, drier, calmer weather.

Here she is about to splash:

 

What we’re most excited about are the renovations we had done over the winter.

The new helm and nav station:

The main saloon:

The new head:

The hot tub:

And the helipad:

Upcoming events

Here are two upcoming events that may be of interest to the waterfront community:

1) I recently posted about the plans to develop Brooklyn’s Four Sparrow Marsh. A tip of the hat goes to Matthew Wills for the date, time, and place for the rescheduled public meeting to discuss the plans: February 7 (Correction: February 17), 2011, at 7:00 p.m. in the Kings Plaza Community Room, 5100 Kings Plaza. Matthew has a ton of information about the marsh and the development plans on his blog.

2) The Working Harbor Committee presents its Annual Winter Film Evening and Panel. At 6:00 p.m. on March 20 at the Community Church of New York (40 East 35h Street), there will be a screening of the documentary Shipping Out: The Story of America’s Seafaring Women. The film “explores the history, mythologies and attitudes which limited women’s participation in seafaring until recent times.” The screening will be preceded by a reception and followed by a panel discussion. Tickets are available here.

Alfred Hitchcock in Prospect Park

On Friday I went galumphing through the fresh snow in Prospect Park. Near the northwest corner of the lake I saw hundreds of specks out on the ice near a lead of open water. It seems the memo must have gone out to various bird species that this was the place to meet. Gulls, ducks, and geese were well represented. There was quite a bit of activity near the shore. Some ducks came in for a landing:

Followed by gulls:

I thought these were going to land on me:

Time to go:

 

In the summer there is an electric boat (the Independence) that tours the lake, and there are pedal boats for rent. And the geese will still be there, despite attempts to get rid of them.

Four Sparrow Marsh

Four Sparrow Marsh is in Brooklyn, squeezed between Toys “R” Us and the Belt Parkway. I’ve boated and driven past it innumerable times and never thought it was anything more than a patch of undeveloped land probably full of old cars and trash.

But it turns out that it’s home to more than sixteen bird species, including four species of sparrow—salt-marsh, song, swamp, and savannah. Hence the name.

It also turns out that it may not be undeveloped for long. Yesterday Karen sent me a link to New York City Audubon. There are plans to build the Four Sparrows Retail Center on the marsh. NYC Audubon is not categorically opposed to the development: “An appropriately designed retail project, with adequate buffers to protect this critical habitat and a design sensitive to the waterfront and to birds could be an asset to the city,” they say. A public meeting to discuss the project had been scheduled for January 11, but it was postponed. Click here for more information about the marsh and the project, and to find out the new date for the meeting (not yet known).

This afternoon I found myself near Four Sparrow Marsh, so I headed over with my camera and tromped around in the snow a bit.

A pale moon, just past first quarter, was rising:

Since I was already out-and-about and with cold feet, I decided to check out the nature trail at the Salt Marsh Nature Center, another place I’ve driven and boated by without stopping.

Here’s a parting shot of some cold ducks:

 

The Salt Marsh is worth checking out. I’ll be back when it’s warmer.

Polar bear swim, Coney Island

The annual New Year’s Day polar bear swim took place at Coney Island yesterday. Although disappointed by the unseasonably warm day, hundreds of would-be polar bears (and assorted hangers-on) crawled from their dens and gathered on the beach:

 

The excitement was palpable as the gathered throng awaited the signal. And then—there it was! A ripple passed through the crowd as the swimmers raced to the water’s edge and plunged in:

 

Wave after wave of scantily clad bathers followed:

 

Looks like this guy would do it again:

 

It seems jumping into the Atlantic Ocean in January isn’t so bad as long as one wears the proper hat:

Thinking of spring

Help keep us afloat!

It’s that time of year when your mailboxes are stuffed with requests for money. Sure you can make a donation to your favorite cause and get a tax deduction and a tote bag, but if you go to www.zazzle.com/amovablebridge* and make a purchase, not only will you get something that you can actually use, you will help fund future voyages of the motor vessel Puffin and continued reporting here on A Movable Bridge.

Here are samples of what is currently available. More items will be added, so check back often.

Click the picture to go to the Movable Bridge store

 

Thank you very much for reading and commenting over the past couple of years. Your support means a lot to us. (And thanks for permitting me this bit of shameless self-promotion.)