September 11, 2010I was on my way to check out some smaller boats in the docks and beached on land on this beautiful day, but my attention was caught by something larger. Unlike when the cruise ships are in, the dock area was open to the public, and my camera couldn't resist. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge ship, Essayons is a much smaller vessel than the cargo ships we see on the river every day, however, I can tell you for sure she seems quite big enough when you get this close. The picture hardly shows the scale, but it's enough to take your breath away. (Here's a picture of her on the river - from my other blog.) I took lots of photos, and I'll probably have more coming up soon. The crew was taking trash to the dumpster, untying ropes and emptying hoses, and they said they hoped to get back underway within the hour. I wanted to watch, but I felt compelled to head over to the beach for sunset.
Here's an unexpected bit of trivia about the ship's unusual name.
