Skip Murray Photography: Sister Old Ironsides

Sepember 12, 2014.

Paid a visit to sister just a few months before she went into drydock for a fixup.

See you for now. Back for another visit later.

May 15, 2015. Stripped down and ready to go over into drydock.

She'll be placed just next to the museum.

Right here.

A few parts lying around close by.

View from the back side

And off to the side

May 18, 2015.

Time to bring her over into dry dock.
Here is the progression that took place that early evening and night.

3:43p

4:45p

6:13p. Lots of workers gathered here ready to take her in.

7:03p

7:10p. The tugs.

7:13p

7:18p

7:25p. And lots of rope.

7:29p. One of the harbor cruise ships cruising by

7:46p

8:11p. We were invited to go up into one of the top stories of the museum to get this picture.

9:01p. The pulley helping out.

9:02p

p9:07p

11:15p

11:19p

11:28p. Almost all the way in.

11:30p. Documentation

11:31p

11:32p There she is settled in for the long haul of an overhaul.

September 10, 2016

Remnants from the underside.

By the way, this ship was almost scrapped. Can you imagine. It took a penny drive in school rooms across the country to bring her to what she is today. It had been used for this and that. No one quite knew what to do with it. It was even used as a barracks at one point.

A look around in the close distance from the Navy Yard. A seagull passing by having a view.

Woops.

June 29, 2017.

Getting brand new. Well, almost. Definitely looking good.

Yep, there I am standing in front of Old Ironsides wearing my newly bought inside the museum, U.S.S. Constitution jersey.

Right. The U.S.S. Constitution, named after the Constitution of the United States, suggesting by George Washington. It is the only active ship, well, it will be soon, in the U.S. Navy that has won a sea battle.

July 23, 2017.

The work is done. Old Ironsides' time in dry dock is complete for this time. Tonight she will be back out into Boston Harbor, and close, but not quite, to the place she lives. Here she waits, ready to be moved.

We arrived about 8:30 this Sunday night. Presumably the water is still being let into the dry dock and Old Ironsides is lifting to be on its own for the first time in a couple of months over two years while much work was done on her overhaul.

The night was lit up with lights pointing at her from every which way. It may as well have been daytime.

Imagine

10:15. Lots of interested people on hand.

It is worth telling the story, once again, of where the name, "Old Ironsides" came from.

Here is Felista pointing to an indentation made by a British cannonball after bouncing off the Georgia oak the side of the ship is built with.

Old Ironsides fully masted. Magnificent. Many people milling around inside the Constitution Museum, waiting for her to be moved. She won't be sailing under sails tonight, instead she will be towed by a small Navy tugboat.

The art work up front.

Felista standing next to a fairly sizable anchor drawn into the pavement. Behind her you can see Old Ironsides still in drydock. However, by now, sitting on the water.

And he I am leaning against an anchor close by wearing my USS Constitution jersey. I bought a piece of history with that jersey and also contributed to the museum.

10:17. The crowd keeps growing

10:24. The caisson having been moved completely out of the way by the tugboat, Vincent B. Tibbets, Jr. By now I expect the water has equaled the height of the Boston Harbor, which is what we have been waiting for. Enough water for her to float, the tide at the right time. Time has come to tow Old Ironsides out of dry dock.

A closer look at this caisson that was the plug that kept the water out of the dry dock while the work was being done.

10:28. On the move. The museum sliding past.

10:39. This crane is mammoth. As big as Old Ironsides is, this crane peers down onto her, making her look rather small.

A look at USS Cassin Young, also parked in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

This is what the city looked like on this night.

And a different view just to the left.

10:56. The museum moving further away. In fact all you can see is the harbor side of the building with the top two windows looking out like two eyes in the night keeping a watch.

11:17. The museum has disappeared behind the bulk of Old Ironsides.

11:21. Just behind Old Ironsides is the tug bringing her on its way out to the bay, red light flashing on its roof.

A closer look .

11:21 Two interested people looking on, watching that tug getting the job done.

11:21. Lights flashing in the night.

11:30

11:31. She's moved side by side with the crane.

11:35. A view from up front. A lot of people visiting this .

11:36. Well past the museum now. To the right of the museum, as I understand it, is where ropes are still being made for this ship.

11:43

11:52

11:53. Happy people on this night. Everyone had a glow going that night.

12:02. Pulling her in where she will be parked for a short while. When a ship is rebuilt this way, the wood has not expanded and there is leakage. How much is the question. She'll be kept an eye on for a while while she sits and waits, until finally she will be moved over to where she will finally be parked in her permanent home. If all goes well, she will be moved over to that home before long.