Here’s something that’s been a rather rare sight in the last year or so…..
…..a more-or-less full box ship, in this case Hapag-Lloyd’s 4,890 TEU Rotterdam Express, coming into New York Harbor. On a cold and windy late afternoon in mid-December the Margaret Moran slides up alongside, tucks in under the rake a little, and puts up a line just behind the break…..
…..then falls back on it for the ride into Jersey City’s Global Terminal, her 3,000 hp at the ready.
The rapidly setting sun shines off the house of the Margaret, who’s been doing this for exactly 30 years. Happy birthday, Margaret. Like a lot of American tugs she’s got a Bayou Country pedigree: hull #254 from McDermott Shipbuilding in Morgan City, LA. Nowadays, they’re known as Bollinger Marine. For geographical reference in the present day, Bayou Country may be loosely defined as that part of Louisiana which lies south of I-10. This may sometimes be confused with Cajun Country, or Acadiana, which has a somewhat different boundary and is more cultural in origin.
Either way you cut it, the food’s damn good. If you should find yourself in NYC and crave authentic Cajun fare prepared by genuine Louisiana natives, try Mara’s Homemade. It’s a small, family-owned and operated crawfish oasis on Manhattan’s Indian Row (E. 6th St.). It’s bad ass…..and as good or better than any place I ever ate at in NOLA and the rest of Bayou Country.
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