The USS NY, a Symbol of Recovery

In approximately one year, New York City will commission a transport ship built from steel remnants of the World Trade Center, the USS New York. This ceremony will officially proclaim this warship as a unit of the operating forces of the US Navy.

In 2002, New York Governor George Pataki requested a rare exception for the warship’s name, he sought to name a surface vessel after the attacked city, despite the upheld tradition of granting state names exclusively to submarines. The Secretary of the Navy Gordon England obliged the appeal. The USS New York bears its name in honor of the victims of 9/11.

The Navy and shipyard evaluated the recovered steel and determined that it was strong enough to be used in the design of the vessel. Twenty-four tons of steel was melted for her construction; seven tons were used for the bow stem, the foremost section of the ship, officially completed in August 2005.

The 684-foot-long USS New York is still under construction in New Orleans at the Northrop Grumman Ships Systems. This company is America’s exclusive builder and designer of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and one of only two builders of nuclear-powered submarines.

The USS New York is the fifth amphibious transport ship in the LPD 17 San Antonio class. Like others within this class, she has a Colt-Pielstick PC2.5 STC engine, which facilitates high propulsion power. Despite her name, she’s planned to be based in Norfolk, VA.

The naming ceremony took place in Manhattan’s Intrepid, Sea Air & Space Museum, back in 2002. New York Veterans, representatives from New York’s police and fire departments, as well as victim’s families were invited. In late 2009, the vessel which honors the collective bravery of New Yorkers, loss of friends and family, and a nation’s fortitude will be admitted into the naval forces.

Father, son survivors off to Disney

Last week, a father and son who survived 12 hours in the open ocean without life jackets went to DisneyWorld, the place they say is responsible for their incredible story.

When Walter Marino, 46, and his 12-year-old autistic son Christopher, were pulled out to sea by a riptide at Daytona Beach last month, the pair stayed in contact by yelling to each other lines from the Disney movie Toy Story.

“To infinity!” Walter would shout. “And beyond!” his son would reply.

The pair kept repeating the phrase as night fell and until they drifted so far apart they could no longer hear each other. When Walter Marino was rescued in the morning by fisherman, he believed his son was lost. But, incredibly, Coast Guard rescuers found the boy alive.

After the pair recovered, Disney officials invited them to Orlando, as special guests of Buzz Lightyear, the character whose catchphrase helped save their lives.

Homecoming Queen

At 11 a.m. Thursday the USS Intrepid bid farewell to the Homeport on Staten Island and began her three-hour voyage home to Pier 86 in Manhattan.

The World War II aircraft carrier made her historic journey with the help of four tug boats. On her way she paused to salute the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero, where crewmembers unfurled a 60-by-40-foot American flag from the starboard side.

The USS Intrepid left Pier 86, her home for 24 years, in 2006 for extensive repairs and improvements. The work totaled approximately $120 million. The Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum is slated to open its doors to visitors on November 8.

For the full story, see the Associated Press.

A Jab to Jaws

Jake, a rat terrier, was attacked last Friday afternoon by a shark during his daily swim in the Worldwide Sportsman’s Bayside Marina pier in Islamorada, Florida. The five-foot shark surfaced and captured almost all 14 pounds of the terrier in its mouth. The dog’s owner, carpenter Greg Lenoir, witnessed this scene and immediately bolted into the water, and punched the shark, who then released the dog.

Despite punctured skin and muscle on his abdomen, chest, back, and legs, Jake is expected to make a full recovery.

More Monster Marinas

Back in our May issue, we told you about a few of the new megayacht marinas that are currently cropping up (or are at least slated to crop up) around the world. Well, here's another one to add to your list. In late 2009, Island Global Yachting (IGY) will reportedly open a massive, dedicated megayacht marina in Dubai. And not just anywhere in the UAE, but on both the west and east sides of the Palm Jumeirah's trunk. (The Palm Jumeirah one of the government-owned, artificial islands that's shaped as a massive palm tree. It has 17 fronds.) When completed, IGY's Anchor Marina should feature some 700 berths, concrete pontoons to ensure stability (and thus guests' comfort), and a 24-hour concierge service.