Yesterday, just before 6PM, a commuter ferry collided with a group of kayaks carrying ten kayakers, shortly after departing from the NY Waterway terminal at 39th Street on the Hudson River in Manhattan. The kayakers were part of a group organized by Manhattan Kayak Company and were traveling south when reportedly struck by the ferry shortly after backing out of Pier 79. At least two kayaks were reported to be struck by the ferry and most of the rest were said to have capsized.
All ten kayakers were rescued by boats and responders from the New York Police Department’s Harbor Unit and the US Coast Guard. One man, an employee of Manhattan Kayak, who was leading the group, suffered a serious injury to his arm, which was almost severed. Two men and two women sustained what were described as minor injuries, including cuts to the head and to their backs and shoulders, the authorities said. The kayaker with the most serious injuries was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center and the four others, whose conditions were not immediately available, were brought to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s, according to the Fire Department.
So, what happened? As is the case with many accidents, the initial reports are often confused, contradictory or incomplete. The number of kayakers involved has been reported to be either 10 or 11, while the number injured as ranged in the media reports from 4 to 7. The Coast Guard has started an investigation, and we will know far more when it is completed. With these caveats noted, here is roughly what we know now.
Manhattan Kayak Company is located at 44th Street on the Hudson River only five blocks north of the NY Waterways ferry terminal at 39th Street. According to Eric Stiller, owner of Manhattan Kayak, as reported by the NY Times, the group of kayakers set off 30-45 minutes before the collision, heading south down the Hudson, toward the ferry terminal. It was around 2 hours before high tide and the current was close to slack. The kayaks, 8 singles and one double, were brightly colored plastic and they traveled in a group, close together, to make themselves as visible as possible.
When they passed Pier 79, the NY Waterway terminal at 39th street, the sun was less than 20 degrees above the horizon and dropping quickly, creating significant glare on the river for those looking west. The kayaks were passing at one of the busiest times of the day for the ferry terminal, quite literally at “rush hour,” as NY Waterway copes daily with a flood of commuters wanting to get home.
As the ferry backed out from the dock and made his turn, the glare off the river could have made the group of kayaks very difficult to see. Several media reports have mentioned sun glare as contributing to the collision. Eric Stiller also said that the injured guide saw the ferry coming and waved his paddle in the air to get the captain’s attention. It is unclear whether or not the kayak guide had a VHF radio with him, although based on his use of a paddle for signalling, my guess is that he did not.
Again, we will all know more about happened when the official investigation is completed. It does seem like a good time, however, to stop and consider how to improve safety on the river, if we can. The accident yesterday should be serious enough to catch our attention, while thankfully there was no loss of life. We send our best wishes the injured guide.
On a personal note, which may or may not relate to the collision, having kayaked the Hudson for the last 25 years or so, I always carry a waterproof VHF radio clipped to my vest whenever I paddle the river. I keep it turned on so I can here where the traffic is and to let others know where I am if need be. Paddlers individually and in groups are not specifically required to carry a radio. Nevertheless, a radio can be a lifesaver. I know that it may not have necessarily be common practice for individuals or groups of kayaks to make Security calls when crossing near a ferry terminal or other similar congested areas, but perhaps it should be. As the smallest and the slowest boats in a very busy harbor, we can’t always rely on others to see us.
Ferry Collides With 10 Kayakers in NYC
Thanks to Irving Bryan for contributing to this post.
Missed it.
That’s what I get for sleeping in this morning.
ABC was on, but I didn’t hear it.
I am disturbed by the press accounts which suggest that the Manhattan Kayak company guide did not have a marine band radio. For many years I sailed a seventeen foot keel boat on the Hudson (North) River from the George Washington Bridge to the harbor. The dangers are many on the busy river with a swift current. I always kept my VHF on channels 16 and 13 (emergency and commercial) to hear the many “securitay” calls as vessels announced their position and intentions. Whenever I feared that visibility was not good I too made a “securitay” call. The news accounts do not report that the kayak guide made such a call as the squadron approached the 39th Street terminal.
As I recall New York Waterway captains announced their intention when underway . I always gave the NY Waterway terminal a wide berth because the ferries back out swiftly and their ability to see the kayaks (or low freeboard boats like mine) was limited. There is a reason why the lobstermen in Maine refer to kayakers as speed bumps. Neither bright colors nor pennants flying from the stern is sufficient. A guide such as the one who suffered injury should not have crossed behind the ferry terminal without announcing his squadron’s position and intentions. – george conk
Were the kayaker so paddling too close to shore. For safety, I always paddle some distance from the shore, so I can see what’s on with traffic and steer clear of larger vessels. Also, those SOT kayaks are not very maneuverable.
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Under operating agreements the ferry crew will be tested for alcohol and illegal drugs – but what about the kayakers.
Good Watch
Yes it is a accident but the kayakers should not have been in a navigable waterway during the busy time of day. The tour guide took them into harms way…….
In that portion of the Hudson, the entire river is navigable. Whether the kayaking guide did all that could be reasonably done to avoid the collision will be determined by the investigation.
Drug testing following an accident appears to be mandatory for commercial operators under 46 CFR 4.06 Coast Guard – Mandatory Chemical Testing Following Serious Marine Incidents Involving Vessels in Commercial Service. For recreational boats “Boating Under the Influence” is illegal under federal, state and local laws. The Coast Guard, the state and local police all have the authority to check for impairment if they suspect drug or alcohol use.
A lot depends on where you are on the river. I often paddle very close to the seawall to avoid commercial traffic. Paddling near a ferry terminal, on the other hand, is obviously not a good idea.