It’s not every day you get on go on a free cruise departing from a local park.
About two dozen lucky Ridgites got to take a tour of New York Harbor on a free sunset cruise to the Statue of Liberty on Aug. 13. The 95-foot American Princess took the trip from Bay Ridge’s Eco Dock as part of a series of free cruises from the year-old wharf.
“It was perfect — a nice outing on a weekday, and we didn’t have to walk or drive too far,” said Manasvi Rajan, who took the cruise with his wife and daughter.
Rajan said he found out about the free cruises from Councilman Vincent Gentile’s (D–Bay Ridge) Facebook page.
Another Ridgite said she saw a whole new side of her neighborhood.
“You get to see our neighborhood from a different perspective — unless you own a boat or go on cruises, it’s a perspective most people do not get,” said Karen Tadross.
The American Princess set sail northbound from the dock at 69th Street, passing Governor’s Island on its way to the Brooklyn Bridge. At the bridge, the ship made an about-face and headed to Liberty Island before returning to Bay Ridge.
Gentile allocated nearly $820,000 to build the $1.1 million dock, which opened in 2013. The rest of the money came from then-Borough President Markowitz and then-Mayor Bloomberg. The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance organizes public events on the dock.
The next free cruise is scheduled for Aug. 31 — a one-way trip from Bay Ridge to Hudson River Park at Pier 25 Lower Manhattan. Registration at the Waterfront Alliance website required.
One-way trip to to Hudson River Park from the Bay Ridge Eco Dock aboard the Tugboat “Pegasus” (69th Street and Shore Road, www.waterfrontalliance.org/bayridge) Aug. 31 at 5 pm. Free.
