An eerie wall of fog encircled New York Bay this morning as the 9:30 ferry to Wall Street left Bay Ridge, shrouding the Verrazano, the hills of Staten Island and the skyscrapers of Manhattan like a forcefield—perhaps to protect today’s first round of ferry trips, the first to leave from Bay Ridge, at the 69th Street Pier, since a short-lived attempt ended more than 20 years ago.
In the eye of the fogsphere, it was a perfect day for boating—a skin-warming sun was offset by the blustery breezes of high-speed water-travel. I sat on top, of course, al fresco, but there’s an indoor area downstairs, with air-conditioning, as well as a bar selling beer, wine, coffee, soft drinks and snacks.
The service is part of De Blasio’s expanded ferry service to the waterfront neighborhoods of the outerboroughs. The South Brooklyn route goes from Bay Ridge to the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Atlantic Avenue, DUMBO and Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan. During the summer, it’ll also stop at Governor’s Island, which appears from the Atlantic Avenue stop close enough to walk to.
A one-way trip costs $2.75, and tickets can be bought using an app or from a machine on the newly built slip on the northside of the 69th Street pier.
The trip took 46 minutes, just under the scheduled 48, slowed by the time it takes to ease the boat into each slip, as well as the occasional ferry traffic; a few times, we had to bob in the bay, waiting for a competing boat to move out.
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Great news!!!
outstanding!